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INTERNATIONAL FOCUS
INTERNATIONAL FOCUS
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© zhangchao
XIAMEN AIRLINES HQ, CHINA FOSTER + PARTNERS
Images © Aedas
TROJENA SKI VILLAGE, SAUDI ARABI AEDAS
With Saudi Arabia set to host the 10th Asian Winter Games in 2029, the Gulf Region’s first ever outdoor ski resort has been designed by Aedas. The resort’s “multi-level activation” is a “breakthrough in ski village design,” said the firm. At Trojena Ski Village, visitors will be able to smoothly transit between experiences through a range of vertical mobility devices, both passive and active. Using a variety of mobility systems visitors will be able to move with ease to enjoy an active, outdoor lifestyle “filled with moments of surprise and play.” The ski village is divided into five major zones connected through the roof and ground floor. The open ground floor is a celebration space for the public to enjoy a “continuous activated landscape year-round.” Scheduled for completion in 2026, the resort will include year-round skiing (three months on snow and year-round synthetic “dry” skiing), retail stores, restaurants, luxury mansions, apartments and hotels including serviced apartments.
Foster + Partners has completed the Xiamen Airlines Headquarters tower, located at the heart of Xiamen’s Cross-strait Financial Centre Masterplan in the Eastern Huli District. The headquarters is part of a new complex designed by the practice, including an adjacent hotel tower and Xiamen Airlines Plaza, which is a new civic space for the city. The two towers are directly connected by the plaza and act as a “marker” for the whole district, said the architects. Inspired by the Wuyi Mountains and paintings of the ‘Chinese rock mountains,’ the new headquarters rises through the landscape, “creating a dynamic composition that is instantly recognisable,” said the architects. The tower’s split form “conveys movement, and its materiality is strongly expressed.” Metal panelling reflects varying light conditions, while anodised aluminium adds texture and depth. The building’s glass lift shafts “animate the north-western elevation, making the tower a dynamic focal point from the highway.” Placing the lift cores on the outside of the tower gives the structure a unique form and a flexible, open floorplate. This approach is an evolution of the conventional office layout, to allow more connectivity with the outside, while maximising views and daylight via large bay windows. The entrance lobby is 24-metre-tall and visually and physically connects with the plaza at the heart of the masterplan. The plaza links together the headquarters and the hotel, creating a more inclusive arrival experience for all and features sky gardens, restaurants, bars, and exhibition areas across multiple levels.
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