Situated along the Yellow Sea in Yantai’s Yeda Development Zone, the Sun Tower by OPEN Architecture emerges as a contemporary monument that bridges cosmological history and architectural form. The design draws upon the site’s rich cultural context, referencing early sun-worshipping practices and the Ming Dynasty-era coastal watchtowers that were once used for navigation and defense. The tower adopts and reframes the typologies of the lighthouse and sundial, transforming them into a cultural observatory that invites public engagement and contemplation.
Sun Tower Technical Information
- Architects1-11: OPEN Architecture
- Location: Yantai, China
- Client: Yantai YEDA City Development Group
- Gross Area: 4,960 m2 | 53,389 Sq. Ft.
- Project Years: 2019 – 2024
- Photographs: © Iwan Baan
We hope that the Sun Tower will reconnect people with ancient wisdom in respecting nature, and will help restore the spiritual power of nature in everyday life. To us, this is critical in fighting the worsening climate crisis; we need to change not only our lifestyle but also our belief system.
– OPEN Architecture Architects
Sun Tower Photographs
Spatial Configuration and Experiential Design
Rather than prioritize spectacle, the architecture seeks to reconnect users with the metaphysical forces that govern time and nature. OPEN’s conceptual framework places environmental awareness within the context of ancient wisdom, suggesting that the spiritual and temporal rituals of the past offer critical guidance for confronting today’s ecological crises. The project challenges architecture’s conventional narratives of progress by foregrounding cyclical time and natural alignment.
A rigorous analysis informs the spatial organization of the Sun Tower of solar movements. The northern edge of the structure aligns with the sun at noon during the equinoxes, while the entrance tunnel is positioned to frame the sunset on the Winter Solstice. The axis of the semi-outdoor amphitheater at the base is directed toward the point of sunrise over Zhifu Island on the Summer Solstice. These precise alignments situate the building not merely as a passive container but as an active participant in the choreography of celestial events.
The vertical arrangement of the program supports a gradual ascent through the building. The ground level features the plaza and amphitheater, while a continuous ramp system guides visitors through exhibition spaces and ultimately leads to the library and Phenomena Space near the summit. The Phenomena Space, partially open to the elements, features an oculus that allows rainwater to enter a reflective pool, creating a moment of sensory and environmental convergence.
Auditory experience is also considered. The concave geometry of the inner shell amplifies the sounds of the sea, channeling them into the amphitheater below. This acoustic gesture reinforces the building’s relationship to its coastal setting, turning the ocean into an ever-present spatial element.
Material Strategy and Structural Innovation
The primary structure consists of two inclined concrete shells, linked by horizontal slabs and circulation ramps. This system was developed in collaboration with Arup and demonstrates a balance between expressive form and structural logic. The concrete surfaces are left exposed, emphasizing mass and durability while also acting as thermal regulators.
The material strategy extends beyond structural expression to passive environmental performance. Thermal mass is employed to stabilize indoor temperatures. Cross-ventilation is facilitated through operable openings embedded in both shells. Tunnel-based cooling systems and a chimney effect further support natural airflow and reduce mechanical dependence. These strategies reflect a commitment to performance-driven design that is integrated, rather than appended.
Carefully positioned hanging points within the concrete walls and ceilings enable flexible exhibition setups. The ramps serve not only as circulation devices but also as curatorial corridors, encouraging a spatial narrative that unfolds gradually.
Urban Context and Cosmological Engagement
The Sun Tower serves a dual function within the Yeda Development Zone. On the one hand, it serves as a much-needed cultural hub within a district historically defined by industry and tourism. On the other hand, it functions as a didactic instrument that reintroduces astronomical and ecological cycles into public consciousness. This dual role enhances its civic value, offering both cultural programming and pedagogical reflection.
The surrounding plaza is conceived as an astronomical landscape. A system of elliptical rings carved into the stone surface resembles planetary orbits, while a central water channel intersects these rings to mark solar shadows at specific times of the equinoxes. One outer ring is punctuated by fountains that correspond to the 24 solar terms of the traditional Chinese calendar, embedding time and climate awareness into the ground plane itself.
The Sun Tower reclaims monumentality not as a representation of power or permanence, but as a medium for reestablishing a cultural relationship with the temporal and environmental forces that shape life. It challenges architects to reconsider the role of symbolic form in an age defined by environmental precarity and cultural fragmentation. In this context, OPEN Architecture has produced a work that is not only formally and materially rigorous but also philosophically resonant.
Sun Tower Image Gallery
About OPEN Architecture
OPEN Architecture is a Beijing-based studio founded by Li Hu and Huang Wenjing that engages in interdisciplinary practice across architecture, urbanism, landscape, and interior design. Known for its concept-driven and socially engaged work, the firm explores how architecture can respond to ecological challenges, cultural memory, and the human condition. Projects like the Sun Tower, Chapel of Sound, and UCCA Dune Art Museum reflect OPEN’s commitment to creating spaces that connect people with nature, time, and collective experience.
Credits and Additional Notes
- Architectural, Interior, and Landscape Design: OPEN Architecture
- Principals in Charge: LI Hu, HUANG Wenjing
- Project Team – Design Phase: CAO Mengxing, LIU Xiaoyang, Daijiro NAKAYAMA, LU Di, WEN Peng, WEI Zihao, ZHANG Ziyao, LIN Jingran, Crystal Kwan, BI Shunjie, Giovanni ZORZI, Anastasiia MASLOVA
- Project Team – Construction Administration Phase: LU Di, Daijiro NAKAYAMA, WANG Dongsheng, LIU Dandi, TANG Junhan
- Structural & MEP Engineering: Arup
- Local Design Institute: Shandong Pulaien Engineering Design Co., Ltd.
- Landscape Construction Documents: Yantai Urban Planning and Design Institute
- Special Fireproof Design: Institute of Building Fireproof System, CABR
- Scenographer: dUCKS scéno
- Curatorial Consultant: Aric Chen
- Lighting Consultant: Ning Field Lighting Design
