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.

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.

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.

1/6

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.