The “Xuanniao Fire Tower” was originally constructed as a central installation on the riverside terrace to celebrate the 2022 New Year at the Yangshuo Sugar House Resort Hotel. This fiery display symbolized bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new one. The location of the installation holds historical significance—it was once the dock where the old sugar factory shipped goods and now serves as the Sugar House’s window overlooking the Li River.
Following this, the “Song Fire Tower” was created as the central installation for the 2023 New Year celebration at the same resort. Like its predecessor, it marked the transition into the new year with a burning spectacle. After the event, the “Songhuo Fire Tower” will be reconstructed on the mountainside of the Karst Garden, where it will blend naturally with the forest, resembling a tree.
The “Songhuo Fire Tower” features a tensioned integral structure in which each component is completely separated, breaking away from traditional horizontal layering. Its main framework consists of three sets of six rods that rotate on a horizontal plane and are inserted vertically. These rods are limited and secured by cables, creating the tower’s primary structural skeleton.
Four sets of “veils” hang from the rods, decreasing in size from bottom to top and rotating upwards. The first layer of veils aligns with the average human eye level, creating a visual separation from the surrounding environment upon entering the Fire Tower. This design focuses attention inward, emphasizing the tower’s internal space and structure. The rotation of these veils also subtly reveals the differing rotations of the three sets of rods on the horizontal plane.
These veils function like sails, catching the wind and allowing the tower to gently sway. This movement breathes life into the structure, making it resemble a living tree. Through this dynamic design, the “Song Fire Tower” embodies the noble and sacred spirit of the ethnic minorities native to southwestern China.
Project Drawings
△ Hand-drawn sketch
△ Model diagram
△ Elevation drawing
Top view
△ Analysis chart
Project Information
Architect: Guo Liaohui Studio
Area: 10 m²
Year of Project: 2022
Photographers: Xue Yuhui, Ma Yue
Lead Architect: Guo Liaohui
Design Team: Jiang Zhiyuan
Structural Design: iStructure
Construction: Guilin Mingzhu Exhibition Co., Ltd., Yangshuo Sugar House Engineering Department
Client: AURUA Art and Culture Fund
Location: Yangshuo, China
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