"The form of the SCUT-designed Lunar Tower follows a disciplined simplicity. Its cylindrical volume reduces ground disturbance and maintains minimal contact with the wetland below. Its vertical structure and compact footprint align with the reserve's conservation objectives, allowing for scientific research, public observation, and disaster monitoring without compromising the delicate ecological setting. The outer shell takes cues from the elliptical shape and rhythm of mangrove leaves, rendered in perforated, low-reflective white aluminum."
"Rising from the eastern edge of the Hainan Dongzhaigang National Nature Reserve, the Lunar Tower by the South China University of Technology Architectural Design and Research Institute Co. Ltd. (SCUT) serves as both an observatory and a monumental addition among one of China's most ecologically significant wetlands. The reserve, home to the country's largest continuous mangrove forest, sustains a dense network of biodiversity. Here, the tower acts as a calibrated instrument for viewing and understanding the environment rather than intruding upon it."
The Lunar Tower rises from the eastern edge of the Hainan Dongzhaigang National Nature Reserve near the estuary, reaching 33.5 meters and offering views toward the Qiongzhou Strait. The tower's cylindrical form minimizes ground disturbance and maintains minimal contact with the wetland while mirroring the slender verticality of surrounding mangrove trunks. A compact footprint and vertical structure support scientific research, public observation, and disaster monitoring without compromising the ecological setting. The perforated, low-reflective white aluminum outer shell references mangrove leaf shapes, filters light, ventilates the stairwell, and softens the tower's presence. Subtle facade layering creates an ecological buffer that reduces impact on migratory birds and allows coastal ventilation.
Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine
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