hongjun zhou and lu xiong: hermit mountains skyscraper

'hermit mountains'

'hermit mountains', a proposed skyscraper design by chinese architects hongjun zhou
and lu xiong was given special mention at the 2010 skyscraper competition hosted
by evolo magazine.

this structure draws its form from various sources including classical chinese landscape
paintings of the lijiang river, the natural environment and the culture of local ethnic groups.
the design goal was to find a balance between the rapid urban development and landscape
protection within the city of lijang. the daily activities of the local ethnic groups, which
include farming, mountaineering and meditating was taken into consideration in various
aspects of the skyscraper design. this is evident in the meditation terraces, housing units,
recreational parks and agricultural fields which are all housed within these structural towers.

the towers are intentionally designed to blend into the landscape and to provide a proper
place to live and work for the different groups along the lijiang river. it was created with
the use of three dimensional voronoi patterns that follow the configuration logic of the
immediate landscape.







with the continuous footpath that goes through the building, people can go all the way from
the ground to the top of the skyscraper. living in the skyscraper is also seen as an experience
of exploration, as no two rooms are identical.


a group of women performing traditional cultural dance. upon studying the village layout and the lifestyles of the locals, a lot of pocket
space was integrated into the design of the skyscraper.


first floor foyer


sectional view


from left to right:
floor plan at elevation 135m, 1:600
floor plan at elevation 96m, 1:600
floor plan at elevation 54m, 1:600


three dimensional voronoi patterns found on the facade