The Kardan Land Europark, composed of a retail center, SOHO towers, and luxury residential towers, is organized around an elevated park which allows for a variety of public/private relationships between the outdoor spaces and becomes the centerpiece for the entire development. The elevated park slopes gradually down to grade along the perimeter of the project, creating a blurred ground plane that seamlessly connects the multiple levels of the project.
Dalian, known for its robust shipping industry, influenced the abstracting of the forms and imagery of nautical transport superimposed on the building forms. With the project's desired location among a reclaimed site along the waterfront, much emphasis was paid toward relating the project's massing and materiality to compliment the water's edge.
Reintroducing a natural setting to the site in a broad stroke move completes the composition, softening the edges of the architecture while creating an inviting landscape that defines the project as a central node within the surrounding context.
From the play between smooth and rough forms on the materiality of the retail, resembling the dynamic movement of the water along the coastline, the sail-like towers rise from their respective base to further emphasize the play between the contextual relationships.
Name: Europark Dalian
Client: KARDAN LAND CHINA
Location: Dalian, China
Area: 300,000 Square Meters
Design Firm: Laguarda.Low Architects (LLA)
Website: www.laguardalow.com
Scope: Master Plan, Architectural Design, Interior Design of Shopping Center
Photography: Xing Fu, Xiaotong Zhao, Bokan Li
LLA Design Team: John Low (AIA), Ed Jenkins (AIA), Jin Liang (AIA), Supachai Chalermratananon (LEED AP)
