Every element matters in creating uniqueness
Our cities are rich in memorable and diverse icons. Elements like fashion, food, buildings and culture add value to a city. Many cities have architectural icons which define their uniqueness and their culture. For example, when you look at the Forbidden City, you will think of Beijing; and when you look at the Statue of Liberty, you will think of New York. Some icons acquire historic symbolism important to the city, and some modern iconic buildings have memorable forms which become a representation of their cities.
Iconic buildings can convey powerful messages about their cities without being excessively grandeur. Iconic buildings with distinctive shapes located in the city of London define the city. A metaphoric icon can be uniquely relevant to a city’s location and culture, and these metaphorical messages can deepen the iconic value of a building. That is how Barcelona’s District 22@ helped make Barcelona the fourth most visited city in Europe.
China is building cities for 20 million people every year and can lead the world in architectural achievement. The diversity of Chinese cities deserves unique solutions to create responsive iconic architecture, which will enrich the country’s culturally diverse cities.
We believe a bespoke urban icon should reflect local characteristics and create a sense of place and uniqueness. In light of this, we have created iconic destinations in China based on local features and functionality – Zhuhai Hengqin International Finance Centre, Chongqing Xinhua Bookstore Group Jiefangbei Book City, and Changsha Hua Centre Phase II.
As designers, we should draw upon a city’s unique history, culture and geography to create architecture that is timeless and powerfully iconic for each city.
Watch the video to explore Urban Icons with Chairman & Founder, Global Principal Designer Keith Griffiths
