Location: Chengdu, China.

Architect: 5+design.

Crystal Laputa is a high-rise development that aims to restore the connection between residents and their natural surroundings. The project includes two high-rise towers, one mid-rise building, three levels of transit infrastructure, and several sky parks that house recreational spaces. The towers are interconnected by elevated waterways and upper-level land bridges, creating a sense of a floating neighborhood in the sky. The project’s surrounding lake was engineered to restore the canals and waterways that once naturally flowed in the massive plot of land. It serves as a key environmental asset, providing a natural habitat for migrating wildlife and functions as a resource for surrounding vegetation. The project reshapes the relationship its inhabitants have to the environment and to each other by providing infrastructure that focuses on maximizing sociability and environmental inclusion.