Is it just me or do these buildings look like the sleek wings of a lightning-quick angel? Perkins+Will's Master Plan for SANY Beijing won first place in the “Conceptual Design” category at the 8th International Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism. The judging committee based their award selection on four central themes of the exhibition: spatiality, connectivity, originality and sustainability. SANY is the largest heavy equipment manufacturer in China and one of the top 10 heavy equipment manufacturers in the world. The company wanted to achieve a higher degree of efficiency in their manufacturing process and create a memorable visitor experience. To be “in harmony with nature,” environmental efficiency was a major guiding principle behind the design. The buildings created and preserved wetlands, protected sensitive watersheds, and were designed for optimal solar orientation and community interaction. The design also took local culture into consideration by emulating the Peng, a Chinese mythological bird. Perkins+Will used the Peng as inspiration to unify the three main buildings for both design and operational functionality.
