Grand Hyatt Dalian, Dalian, China

Hotel and apartment tower will take advantage of sea views
Goettsch Partners (GP) has been commissioned by Hong Kong-based developer China Resources Land Limited to design a new 1,075,300 sq ft tower in China’s northeastern coastal city of Dalian. The project features a 377 key Grand Hyatt hotel, 84 serviced apartments, three restaurants including a destination rooftop venue, multiple ballrooms and meeting facilities, a spa and fitness center, and parking for 225 cars.

The tower is sited fronting the Yellow Sea and adjacent to the large public park of Xinghai Square. Primarily clad in high-performance glazing that features horizontal sunshades along all southern exposures, the tower’s triangular plan is designed to ensure that all rooms receive southern light as well as views of the sea and nearby mountain ranges. Additionally, the triangular form helps to minimize the structural impact of uniquely high wind forces found on the Dalian coastline. The tower’s rounded corners accelerate the wind speeds at these locations, propelling the building’s nearly 300 linear meters of wind rotors that are expected to produce electricity year-round. Vertical-axis turbines were chosen for their low-maintenance, bird-safe, quiet and vibration-free operation.

Programmatically, the hotel floors are stacked below the serviced apartment levels, enabling the core to telescope and creating the architectural “portal” along the north façade. Internal circulation is exposed on this face to provide corridors with natural daylight and views of the skyline, as well as to assure a consistent lighting profile at night. The top two levels of the tower house the signature restaurant, offering unobstructed views in all directions.

The tower sits atop a four-level podium that houses large banquet, meeting, dining, fitness and spa facilities. The main dining facility connects the building physically to its beachfront location while other functions, including the entry plaza and lobby, are elevated to capture commanding views of the bay and adjacent park. The fitness center and spa open out to a series of south-facing terraces, which provide both afternoon sun and a visceral connection to the sea.

The project is currently in the design development phase and is scheduled for completion in 2011.
source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com
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