Cork firm lands tender for China development

A Cork-based architecture firm has beaten stiff European and international competition to land the tender to design a major new twin-tower 40-floor mixed-use development to be built in the north-eastern Chinese city of Dalian.

Wilson Architecture — which designed Cork’s Elysian building and was responsible for the city’s Half Moon Street redesign — has designed the new twin-tower high-rise project, on which building is to commence shortly.

The mixed-use development will consist of 120,000sq m of building area, with a single 40-floor tower accommodating 1,000 residents.

The project will take less than three years to complete, with the Cork company managing the design-delivery process.

“The triangular site is very prominent in the city masterplan, with the new towers forming a focal point to the city’s exciting new East Port area,” according to Glen Barry, design principle at Wilson Architecture.

The design also sees the company expand its footprint in China; a market it first entered three years ago.

The company first visited China on a research mission in 2010; establishing a sub-office — under the Wilson Architecture (Dalian) name — in Liaoning Provence shortly after.

Wilson chairman Frank O’Mahony said: “The Chinese market requires huge focus, dedication and a continual on-the-ground presence. This latest commission is directly as a result of our commitment here.”

The new project marks Wilson’s most ambitious project to date in China and saw the Irish company beat French, Austrian and US-based architectural practices to be selected as winning design. This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Friday, April 26, 2013