MVRDV designs a pair of L-shaped skyscrapers featuring cascading terraces and a green oasis

Dutch architecture studio MVRDV unveils its winning Oasis Towers development in Nanjing, China which is – a residential and commercial complex consisting of two L-shaped skyscrapers with cascading terraces! The skyscrapers feature an intriguing cliff-like facade and also face each other from the northern and southern corners. The 150m tall towers will be located at the edge of Jiangbei New Area Financial District.

Designer: MVRDV

The most interesting highlight of the towers is the lush green ‘oasis’ situated at the center of the site. This green landscape slowly moves outwards, and harmoniously integrates with the cascading terraces. “The contemporary architecture of Nanjing takes its inspiration from nature in form and appearance. With Oasis Towers we wanted to push this trend to the max – not only emulating nature with curving, stratified ‘cliffs’ but also to literally incorporate nature into the design with the greenery and by tapping into natural processes” said MVRDV co-founder Winy Maas.

The exterior of the towers is basically a gridded facade, which is interestingly contrasted by the inner facade that comprises of cascading terraces that give the impression of a rippling waterfall. The terraces are clad with recycled bamboo, and will be covered in trees and other greenery, and will slowly go on to form a natural perimeter around the oasis, functioning as an elevated extension of it.

A 3-4 story podium creates a protective perimeter around the site, separating it from the surrounding area, and bringing MVRDV’s vision of  “a haven for residents in a dense and rapidly developing part of the city” to life.

The oasis has been filled to the brim with trees and other greenery, and one can gaze at it from the shopping and commercial areas which are located from the ground floor to the third floor. This green space ensures privacy for the residents staying on the upper floors, ensuring the hustle and bustle of the shopping floors does not reach them. This sunken plaza connects both plots across the central road. It provides easy access to the metro station which is located beneath the towers.

As green as Oasis Towers is, it’s also been jampacked with sustainability. The rooftops are non-accessible and have been planted with diverse species of plants to promote biodiversity. Rooftop reed beds have been installed as a greywater recycling system to filter and clean water. Also, a water-source heat pump is supported by an adjacent river to reduce energy consumption.

MVRDV’s sustainable and green vision for Oasis Towers is already giving us goosebumps, and we cannot wait to watch it come to life.

The post MVRDV designs a pair of L-shaped skyscrapers featuring cascading terraces and a green oasis first appeared on Yanko Design.

These sustainable terraces create the largest interconnected community living room

Innovative Dutch architecture studio, MVRDV, is all about enabling the development of cities and landscapes towards a better future for its residents and the environment. Their most recent project, the Shenzhen Terraces, is being built at the Shimao ShenKong International Centre and it is a glimpse into what architecture in 2020 will look like. The Gryffindor common room has got nothing on these sustainable community terraces, you’ll see!

The Shenzhen Terraces are designed to encourage sustainable living and the structure will be the center of the student community at Universiade New Town in Longgang District. Think of it as a multi-dimensional urban living room for the busy college town. The terraces are all stacks of unusual shapes because the idea is to build them around the existing outdoor public places – evolving spaces without disrupting them. All the buildings in the structure will be connected through the second floor and the small outdoor atriums throughout the community are actually places where the terraces converge to connect. “Shenzhen Terraces aims to bring vitality and innovation to the area through seamless integration of landscape, leisure, commerce, and culture,” says MVRDV. The largest building will consist of a bus terminal and a conference center connected by a large open-air atrium in the middle which optimizes the horizontal space that makes the terraces stand apart from the rest of the town.

It is a sustainable hub for the surrounding town as it offers entertainment, educational, transportation and recreational amenities while also giving back to the surrounding environment. There is a generous amount of water features and plants included in the plan so it can contribute to reducing the local temperature and become a safe space for urban wildlife. The terraces also have a facility to collect rainwater and that can be used for additional food and water resources making the community more self-reliant. Cement alone is responsible for 8% of the global CO2 emissions which makes MVRDV’s choice to use recycled concrete a very eco-conscious one while NASA and architecture schools around the world continue to test other construction material alternatives like mushrooms! The recycled concrete will be used in all buildings as the aggregate, and photovoltaic panels will adorn extensive portions of the rooftops. The entire structure is designed to sustain the community without adding any burden on the local environment – that is why the integration of natural elements is crucial to create a climate buffer for the interiors. In addition to the facilities in the larger buildings, the terraces also host a library, a gallery, and an outdoor theatre.

Each element has been carefully thought about in the aesthetic sense but also how it merges with the structure, the city, and the community – there are a purpose and benefit for it all. The Shenzhen terrace’s grassy, sub-tropical plateaus contrast the city’s vertical high-rises as an example of creating a space where civilization can co-exist with nature. It provides a landscape that beautifully knits life as we know it with a better future.

Designer: MVRDV

A Kitchen with No Secrets!

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Made almost entirely of glass, the MVRDV designed Infinity Kitchen is a fully transparent twist on the typical modern day modular kitchen! The design aims to enhance the culinary experience and cuisine by making the processes that go on in our kitchens physically transparent – whether it be food choice, food care, kitchen care, waste choices or the preparation of food itself. Transparent surfaces, shelves, cupboards, taps and utensils give a new perspective on food production and storage. Instead of hiding both the ugly and beautiful sides of food prep, the Infinity Kitchen exposes everything to give more control to the user. Because everything else is clear, it brings focus to what matters… the food!

Designer: MVRDV

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