Li Yang and Xu Haifeng Design Nanbu Eye, Merging Architecture with Nature

How Innovative Earthscape Design Philosophy Creates Architectural Landmarks that Build Brand Legacy and Transform Community Spaces

What happens when a building decides the structure would rather be a river? Or when concrete and steel choose to flow like silk along a waterfront, blurring the ancient boundary between what humans construct and what nature provides? Such philosophical questions become wonderfully irrelevant when you stand before certain architectural achievements. The structure in question sits along the Jialing River in Nanchong, China, and the gymnasium has a name that tells you exactly what the building wants to be: an eye through which a city sees itself anew.

The Nanbu Eye gymnasium, designed by architects Li Yang and Xu Haifeng with their team, represents a fascinating evolution in how design studios approach civic architecture. Rather than creating a building that announces itself as separate from its surroundings, Li Yang and Xu Haifeng conceived something that grows from the landscape like a natural formation. The earthscape approach, which the architects term earthscape architecture, offers valuable lessons for any brand or enterprise considering how physical spaces can embody organizational values while serving communities in meaningful ways.

For companies commissioning large-scale architectural projects, the question has shifted dramatically over the past decade. Constructing functional spaces alone is no longer sufficient. The contemporary imperative demands structures that communicate identity, foster community connection, and demonstrate environmental consciousness simultaneously. The Nanbu Eye accomplishes all three while adding something unexpectedly delightful: the building makes a gymnasium feel like a walk through nature.

The following examination explores how the earthscape philosophy translates into concrete design decisions, the structural innovations that make ambitious visions possible, and what brands can learn from the Nanbu Eye approach about creating physical assets that generate lasting value.

Understanding Earthscape Architecture and Its Commercial Implications

The term earthscape describes architecture conceived as an extension of natural landforms rather than an interruption of them. Li Yang and Xu Haifeng developed the earthscape concept from a deceptively simple observation: sports buildings typically represent power and strength through rigid, imposing forms. Nature, conversely, expresses power through softness, through the relentless patience of rivers carving valleys and winds shaping coastlines. What if architecture could express both simultaneously?

The Nanbu Eye responds to the question of dual expression by presenting itself as a continuous landscape element along the Jialing River. The building appears less as a structure placed beside the water and more as a geological formation that emerged from the riverbank. The flowing effect requires tremendous technical sophistication to achieve, yet the experience for visitors feels effortless and intuitive. Visitors do not perceive themselves as entering a building so much as continuing a journey through terrain.

For brands and enterprises considering architectural commissions, the earthscape philosophy offers a powerful alternative to conventional thinking. Traditional approaches often position buildings as monuments to organizational achievement, structures that dominate their surroundings to assert presence. The earthscape approach inverts the monument relationship. By integrating with context rather than competing against surroundings, the architecture becomes memorable precisely because the structure does not demand attention through force.

The commercial implications extend beyond aesthetics. Buildings that harmonize with their environments tend to generate more favorable public perception, attract higher engagement from communities, and create stronger emotional associations with commissioning organizations. When ZHOYU commissioned the Nanbu Eye project, the company invested in a design philosophy that positions the ZHOYU brand as environmentally conscious, community-oriented, and technically sophisticated without requiring explicit messaging to communicate these values.

The earthscape integration also creates practical advantages for ongoing operations. The Nanbu Eye achieves natural microclimate regulation through design features, reducing energy requirements for heating and cooling. The continuous spatial sequence allows visitors to navigate intuitively without extensive signage systems. Functional benefits compound over time, generating operational savings while enhancing user experience.

The Jewel Structural System and What the Innovation Reveals About Design Excellence

Beneath the flowing exterior of the Nanbu Eye is an engineering achievement that makes the entire vision possible. The architects developed what they call the jewel structural system, a framework that supports the building's massive dome while simultaneously creating the distinctive interior spaces. The jewel system carries a ninety-meter span without intermediate supports, creating the vast open volumes required for professional basketball events while maintaining the sculptural quality of the exterior.

Understanding the structural approach illuminates something important about architectural innovation. The most successful design solutions typically emerge when technical requirements and aesthetic ambitions fuse into single elements that serve multiple purposes. The jewel structure does not merely hold up the building. The structural framework forms the interior facade, defines the spatial character, and enables the exterior surface to flow without structural interruptions. One system accomplishes what conventional approaches would require several separate systems to achieve.

For enterprises evaluating architectural proposals, the integrated approach represents a valuable criterion for assessing design quality. Projects that require numerous independent systems to achieve their effects tend to generate higher construction costs, more complex maintenance requirements, and greater risk of coordination failures. Projects that achieve multiple objectives through unified solutions demonstrate the kind of sophisticated thinking that typically produces better long-term outcomes.

The jewel system also reveals how structural innovation can become a signature element of architectural identity. The interior of the Nanbu Eye presents visitors with a distinctive spatial experience created entirely through the expression of necessary structure. No decorative elements are required to generate visual interest because the bones of the building provide all the drama needed. The honest structural expression aligns with contemporary values around authenticity and honest material expression while also reducing construction complexity.

The thirty-two-meter building height accommodates the professional basketball arena on the upper level and the civic sports center below, including a fifty-meter swimming pool, badminton courts, table tennis facilities, and fitness spaces. The programmatic stacking maximizes the utility of the structural investment while providing clear organizational logic for visitors navigating the facilities.

Silk as Metaphor and Material Innovation

Nanchong holds historical significance as the silk capital of western China, and the design team translated the city's heritage into a central feature of the building's identity. The flowing ribbon that wraps the Nanbu Eye exterior serves as both metaphor and functional element, referencing the silk trade while providing crucial environmental performance. The silk-inspired approach demonstrates how cultural context can inform contemporary design without devolving into superficial decoration or nostalgic imitation.

The silk surface performs multiple functions that justify the ribbon's presence beyond symbolic meaning. The material provides solar shading, reducing heat gain during hot seasons and decreasing the energy required for interior climate control. The silk surface creates what the architects term grey spaces, transitional zones between interior and exterior conditions where temperatures moderate naturally. The grey spaces extend the usable area of the facility beyond enclosed volumes, creating covered outdoor environments suitable for various activities.

The panoramic footpath that wraps the building at multiple levels offers another layer of meaning. The continuous walking route serves as a metaphor for the Silk Road itself, the ancient trade network that connected Nanchong to distant markets. Visitors ascending the panoramic paths experience changing perspectives on the Jialing River, with the ever-shifting relationship between building and water creating a dynamic visual narrative. Three panoramic corridors at different heights provide distinct viewpoints, encouraging exploration and repeat visits.

For brands considering how to incorporate organizational heritage into physical spaces, the Nanbu Eye offers an instructive model. The silk reference is neither literal nor hidden. The reference operates at a level of abstraction that rewards those who understand the cultural context while remaining aesthetically coherent for those who do not. The balance between abstraction and clarity allows the building to communicate different meanings to different audiences without contradicting itself or appearing overly concerned with explanation.

The colorful aluminum plates that compose portions of the exterior interact with changing daylight throughout the day, creating subtle shifts in appearance that echo the iridescent qualities of silk fabric. The aluminum material choice demonstrates how contemporary industrial products can evoke traditional craft qualities when specified thoughtfully. The building changes character with weather and season, maintaining visitor interest over extended periods and creating opportunities for varied photographic documentation.

Radical Openness as Design Philosophy and Community Investment

Perhaps the most consequential decision in the Nanbu Eye design involves the commitment to public accessibility. The building expresses maximum openness as a fundamental principle, with the exterior ribbon enclosing tens of thousands of square meters of civic square and outdoor sports facilities. The public spaces remain available twenty-four hours daily, seven days weekly, throughout the year. The constant accessibility transforms the building from a facility that happens to host public programs into genuine civic infrastructure.

The cuts in the building surface that form the panoramic corridors serve functional purposes beyond viewpoint creation. The corridor cuts establish visual and physical connections between interior programs and exterior public spaces, allowing passersby to perceive building activities and inviting spontaneous engagement. The visual permeability dissolves the typical boundary that sports facilities maintain between paying users and general public, positioning the building as a community resource rather than an exclusive venue.

For organizations commissioning civic architecture, the openness approach represents a strategic choice with long-term implications. Buildings that integrate with public life generate different kinds of value than buildings that separate themselves. The Nanbu Eye creates opportunities for informal encounter, accidental discovery, and repeat casual engagement that would be impossible in a conventional enclosed facility. Informal encounters and casual engagement build cumulative positive association between the commissioning organization and the community the organization serves.

The outdoor sports venues present flexible layouts and operate without charge, further extending the accessibility commitment. The free-access decision reflects an understanding that community health improves when exercise opportunities integrate into daily life rather than requiring dedicated trips to specialized facilities. Someone walking along the riverfront can spontaneously decide to use the outdoor equipment, transforming a casual stroll into physical activity without friction.

Professional sports programming coexists with public accessibility through careful spatial organization. The basketball hall accommodates three thousand spectators for games and performances, functioning as a conventional event venue when required. The civic sports center operates year-round with professional fitness facilities available for scheduled use. The layering of access levels allows the building to serve multiple constituencies without any group feeling excluded or deprioritized.

Award Recognition and What Recognition Signals to Markets

The Nanbu Eye received Platinum recognition in the A' Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award in 2024, the highest tier of recognition in the international competition. The Platinum designation recognizes world-class, exceptional, and highly innovative designs that demonstrate notable professionalism and contribute to societal wellbeing. For ZHOYU and the design team, the recognition provides external validation of their approach while creating communication assets for future business development.

Award recognition in architecture serves functions beyond the immediate satisfaction of achievement. Recognition provides third-party verification of design quality that prospective clients can evaluate independently. Recognition generates media coverage and publication opportunities that extend project visibility beyond typical geographic and professional boundaries. Award recognition creates reference points for future proposals, allowing design teams to demonstrate their capabilities through documented outcomes rather than promises.

The evaluation process for the A' Design Award involves assessment by an international jury of design professionals, architects, and industry experts who examine submissions against established criteria. The jury evaluation methodology means that recognition reflects peer-reviewed judgment rather than popular opinion or commercial factors. For brands considering design partnerships, the peer-review distinction matters because the process identifies capabilities that have been validated by qualified evaluators rather than marketing teams.

Those interested in examining how the earthscape philosophy translates into built reality can explore the award-winning nanbu eye earthscape design through the official winner showcase, where comprehensive documentation reveals the project's details. Detailed examination provides valuable perspective for organizations planning similar commissions, offering concrete examples of how ambitious design concepts become functional buildings.

The broader implication for design studios and architectural practices involves understanding how award recognition fits within comprehensive marketing strategies. Recognition creates opportunities for media engagement, speaking invitations, and publication features that would require substantial investment to generate through paid channels. Award recognition also provides credentials that differentiate firms during competitive selection processes where prospective clients evaluate multiple qualified candidates.

Creating Lasting Value Through Integrated Design Thinking

The Nanbu Eye demonstrates several principles that apply broadly to organizations commissioning significant architectural projects. First, conceptual clarity matters enormously. The three core concepts guiding the project (earthscape, integration, and openness) provided consistent direction throughout design development and construction. Decisions at every scale could be evaluated against the guiding principles, creating coherence between large strategic choices and small detail resolutions.

Second, cultural specificity generates authentic differentiation. The silk references throughout the project connect to genuine local history rather than generic design trends. Cultural specificity makes the building impossible to relocate mentally to other contexts while creating meaningful resonance for community members who understand the references. Generic design solutions can be installed anywhere but belong nowhere. Specific solutions create belonging that sustains long-term engagement.

Third, functional innovation and aesthetic innovation can emerge from the same sources. The jewel structure and silk surface both serve practical requirements while creating distinctive visual experiences. The convergence of function and aesthetics suggests that the best design solutions identify opportunities where technical necessity and experiential ambition align, then develop those opportunities thoroughly rather than treating function and form as competing priorities requiring compromise.

Fourth, genuine accessibility generates different kinds of value than controlled access. The twenty-four-hour public spaces create continuous community presence that conventional facilities cannot match. Continuous presence builds relationships between organization and community that compound over time, generating goodwill and recognition that would cost enormously to develop through traditional marketing channels.

Fifth, environmental integration reduces long-term operational costs while improving user experience. The microclimate regulation achieved through the silk surface decreases energy requirements while creating comfortable transitional spaces. Environmental benefits accumulate throughout the building's operational life, potentially exceeding initial construction cost premiums for sustainable features.

Forward Perspective on Architecture as Landscape

The earthscape philosophy that guides the Nanbu Eye points toward an evolving understanding of how built environments can relate to natural systems. As climate considerations increasingly influence development decisions and community expectations shift toward environmental responsibility, approaches that integrate construction with landscape will likely become more prevalent and more valued.

For brands and enterprises considering significant architectural investments, the trajectory toward environmental integration suggests strategic advantage in adopting integrated approaches now rather than retrofitting conventional buildings later. Projects commissioned today will operate for decades, during which expectations around environmental performance and community benefit will almost certainly intensify. Buildings designed with environmental and community values embedded in their fundamental conception will age more gracefully than buildings designed to meet minimum current requirements.

The design team led by Li Yang and Xu Haifeng, including Jiang Chenhao, Lin Zhexi, Gao Senhe, Cheng Yu, and Ji Yongyu, completed the Nanbu Eye project between November 2020 and August 2022. The building now serves as a reference point for how complex civic programs can integrate with natural contexts while achieving technical excellence in structural engineering and material innovation.

The Jialing River continues flowing past the Nanbu Eye as the river has for millennia, now accompanied by a building that chose to join the water's movement rather than oppose the natural flow. The choice to flow with the river reflects a mature understanding of what architecture can accomplish when design releases the assumption that buildings must dominate their surroundings to matter.

What might your organization's next physical space communicate if the space was conceived as landscape rather than monument?