Climatically, Chengdu is mild and balconies function as outdoor rooms. Each balcony interior is clad with terracotta tiles in a vertical gradient of reds. This colour palette, deeper at the tower’s base and dilute at its crown, parallels the shift from earth to sky. This brings an individual identity to each residence within the tower.
Marking the peninsular is the tallest tower of the precinct. Its petal like plan form is extruded and crowned with a cut end that houses a single three storey penthouse. In silhouette, the dark grey vertical extrusion of the towers figure has been eroded. The segmented skin of the dark metallic sleeve reveals a warm inner core of finely crafted scalloped terracotta tiles particular to this building.
Set within an abundant landscape, the thresholds of the tower lobbies extend into the landscape. Here, the elliptical form of the gardens acknowledges the scalloped facades of the towers. Lobbies are like viewing apparatus, drawing visitors towards a framed view of the lake.