In 1901, the construction of the great port in Qingdao began. The port’s revival is spurred by the impending unveiling of the “Eye of the World.”
Architecture Design
“Take the sea as the image, take the stone as the form, and take the eye as the heart.” This entails an open civic space for communication, a green and inclusive spatial design, and the establishment of a smart collaborative hub at its core.
Urban Design & Architecture Design Awards 2025: Entries Open!
Take your work to the next level. Register Now…
Gold 🏆 Winner
Urban Design & Architecture Design Awards 2024
“Eye of the World” in the Qingdao International Cruise Port Launch Area
Commercial Architecture (Under Construction)
Firm
Tongji Architectural Design (Group) Co., Ltd.
Architect/Designer
ZHIQIANG WU, JILIANG CHEN, ZIJING ZOU
Design Team
CHUNQING MA, XIAOQIU YUAN, GUOTAO WANG, CHUN XIE, ZHENG ZHANG, ZHIPENG HAO, YING HUANG, PENGCHENG ZHU, DONGGUO YIN
Location
QINGDAO, SHANDONG, CHINA
Country
China
Photographer/Copyright
©Tongji Architectural Design (Group) Co., Ltd.
Responding to the local maritime culture, the design integrates with the cruise terminal and nearby high-rise structures, featuring a streamlined form. It serves as a transition between the ocean and the city, driving regional vitality.
Linked to the urban pedestrian bridge, a two-level ring corridor integrates dual commercial pathways, harmonizing with the sunlight atrium and rooftop garden for a green and shared spatial experience.
Structure Design
The structure integrates a single-layer arched grid and steel frame, forming a unified facade system with the main arch, transverse grid beams, and vertical curtain wall mullions. This seamless design integration encompasses architecture, structure, and curtain wall effects.
Nighttime Illumination Design
Using energy-efficient LED lighting and electrochromic glass, the design creates a captivating visual effect reminiscent of moonlight on the sea. The building and its reflection on the water form a complete eye shape, blending reality and illusion, enhancing the scene and injecting vitality into the region.
TOD for Efficient Integration
Efficiently integrating cruise terminal connectivity, urban subway, and bus flows, the project incorporates rooftop green gardens, diverse commercial spaces, and public leisure areas. This results in an efficient, green, and multi-functional TOD complex system.
The “Eye of the World” project draws from the “clear eye bottom” concept, integrating local maritime culture. Designed to infuse vitality into the site, it serves as a global gateway for understanding Qingdao and its outreach.