Prize(s) Honorable Mentions
Lighting Design/Product Company Ning Field Lighting Design Corp., Ltd.
Lead Designers Dongning Wang
Other Designer's names Sun Xiaolei, Cui Zhenmei, Ma Xinsheng, Wang Honglei, Ling Junpan
Architecture Company OPEN Architecture
Interior Design Company OPEN Architecture
Client YEDA City Development Group
Photo Credits Jonathan Leijonhufvud, Iwan Baan, Wang Dongning, Wang Honglei
Completion Date 2024
Project Location Yantai, Shandong Province, China
Entry DescriptionSun Tower, a coastal cultural center in Yantai, China, celebrates the harmonious interplay of nature and human experience.
At night, the tower transforms. White floodlights illuminate the exterior, casting a cool, seaside glow. Concealed spotlights among the surrounding greenery accentuate the building's smooth contours, playing with light and shadow.
The circular troughs in the plaza, marking the spring equinox, come alive with embedded LED lights, creating dynamic displays of "chasing" or "breathing" light patterns. Typically, they gently pulse with white light, captivating the attention of children.
The seaward face of the tower is dramatically cut open. The concave inner shell, acting as a powerful sound collector, amplifies the rhythm of the waves.
At night, it gathers and reflects ambient light. Linear light strips concealed beneath each step provide safety lighting, while additional DMX-controlled strips integrated into wall slots illuminate the shell, casting a warm glow on the gathering spaces below.
The shell is punctuated by a constellation of irregular openings. Some hold concealed LED lights, creating mesmerizing "light holes." Others are equipped with projectors that cast shimmering water patterns during festivals, evoking the spirit of the sea.
