THE CIRCLE OF LIFE, New Zealand

Honorable Mention  international competition

A place of unity thinks about two people who want to spend quality time together. The circle of life symbolizes that concept of unity and a relationship that hopefully lasts forever. Nature forms the inspirational background for this idea of unity and the natural bond between two people.

Relationships are about attraction, connection and disconnection (taking time for yourself). These aspects are what establish a relationship and to maintain that relationship, you need to invest time (quality time) in each other. The mutual connection is created by doing interesting things together, but also by taking the time to do things separately.

This concept has a central axis, around which the circle of life rotates completely in 24 hours. The closed central part has a symbolic meaning – it symbolizes both connection and disconnection between two people. At this point, disconnection means time for yourself. The characteristic that a circle has neither a starting point nor an ending point is the perfect epitome of developing relationships, their continuity and circulation. A slowly rotating circle is like the relationship between two people and the constantly changing things they do together. Nature and the environment are the stage settings for their relationship.

The environment (exterior and interior) is important to make a good social connection between two people. It affects humans emotions and their mood, so it is especially important to maintain harmony and balance with nature and between themselves. A healthy environment and nature strengthen the relationship of two people.

The circle of life achieves maximum site experience – the double-glazed wall allows people to admire the landscape with a 360 degree view, while simultaneously allowing as much natural light to flow in as possible. The sun enters the circle of life through the skylight, illuminating the central part of the building and emphasizing its symbolic importance.