The inauguration of “The Building On the Water” of the Shihlien Chemical plant in Huai’An City, Jiangsu Province, will be held on August 30, 2014. This will be the first work unveiled in China by celebrated architect and 1992 Pritzker Prize winner Álvaro Siza.

As early as in 2009, Shihlien Chemical Chairman Por-Shih Lin envisioned creating an office building over the 100,000m2 artificial lake (and water reservoir) of the vast industrial complex. To realize this visionary plan, he invited internationally renowned architect Álvaro Siza to head the design team. The concept was to create a building that would blend seamlessly with the most important element in the manufacturing process of glass, water, at the same time establishing a world-class architectural profile for the Shihlien plant.

Meticulously built in white exposed concrete, the building’s pristine curvilinear form measures over 300m in length, comprising two levels above water and a total built floor area of approximately 11,000 sqm. As if evoking a life-like dragon, elegantly poised over water, the contours of this building gently undulates. Crisscrossing the curving geometries, bridges interconnect spaces, levels and volumes. The design takes full advantage of its poetic setting and natural light. In constant interplay with the environment – whether it is the changing hues and reflections of the water, or varying tones of light and shadow, the building manifests a multitude of changing complexions. Whether viewed from land, water or air, the elegant building conveys a quiet beauty achieved when the concrete and substantial comes in contact with the fluid and ethereal.