sea monitoring stations twist and swirl along shanghai's coastline

HCCH STUDIO develops TWISTING TOWER AND SPIRAL STATION

Twisting Tower and Spiral Station by HCCH Studio stand as integral structures within the Shanghai Lingang Ecological Restoration Project, positioned 10 kilometers apart along the coastline. These constructions aim to redefine the role of infrastructure, serving ecological purposes while subtly engaging the public in environmental discourse through understated design.

all images by Qingyan Zhu

the structures display cylindrical volumes

Functionally, the Twisting Tower merges Carbon Flux Monitoring and Sea Level Alert, combining a slender steel tower with a concrete cylinder to facilitate air quality monitoring, climate change observation, and oceanic tide warnings. The tower’s twisting motions convey its dual functionality, and the enveloping metal louvers contribute to an enigmatic scale perception from a distance. The 20-meter-tall tower incorporates LED light strips for sea level alerts and platforms at varying heights for monitoring devices.

The Spiral Station, located offshore, serves as an ecological monitoring hub accessible via a 20-meter bridge. Departing from conventional cubic forms, the design team at HCCH Studio opts for a cylindrical structure with a spiral gesture, prioritizing functionality over decorative elements. The circular plan features a winding ribbon-like slope, connecting the ground level to the rooftop working platform, offering unobstructed views.

the circular plan features vertical circulation wrapping its periphery, resembling a winding ribbon

These structures, the Twisting Tower and Spiral Station, seek to transcend traditional infrastructure paradigms, presenting dual sculptures in both beach and sea contexts through thoughtful programmatic reimagining and minimalistic design gestures.

the cylindrical form with a spiral gesture eliminates decorative components for functional simplicity

Spiral Station is an offshore ecological monitoring station, located 200 meters from the shore

the monitoring station, accessible only via a 20-span bridge, adopts a circular plan with a slope

Twisting Tower integrates a slender steel tower with platforms for various monitoring equipment

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vertical metal louvers envelop the main steel structure, creating an ambiguous sense of scale

 

 

 

 

 

project info:

name: Twisting Tower And Spiral Station
architect: HCCH Studio | @hcchstudio

design team: Hao Chen, Chenchen Hu, Yuling Wang, Qi Zheng, Yida Hou

LDI: Shanghai Youwei Engineering Design Co.,Ltd.

location: Lingang Coast, Shanghai

photography: Qingyan Zhu | @qzhuphoto

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom