UK-based Chetwood Architects just unveiled plans for the Phoenix Towers in Wuhan, China, which will be the world's tallest pair of skyscrapers upon completion. The supertall structures are the centerpiece of the firm's four master plans slated for construction in China. The Phoenix Towers are outfitted with wind turbines, solar panels, thermal chimneys and rainwater harvesting systems and they will act as an "environmental catalyst" to re-invigorate the city of Wuhan. The Phoenix Towers, designed in cooperation between Chetwood Architects and HuaYan Group, are expected to be built on a 47-hectare site on an island within a lake in the city of Wuhan in China. They are expected to reach the height of 1km, catching up with Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture-designed Kingdom Tower in Jeddah; they would be the tallest pair of towers in the world. Inspired by the symbol of the Chinese Phoenix, which combines male and female principles in perfect balance, the architects designed two interdependent towers. The "male" one (Feng) feeds the "female" (Huang) with renewable energy and together they act as a beacon of sustainability in the area.

Apparently Phoenix isn't well-known enough, because developers want to put it on the map with a giant pin-shaped observation tower. Designed by BIG, the Pin is a 128 meters tall tower topped with a giant ball and spiraling exhibition and recreation space. Likely visible from space, the pin will let aliens and astronauts know where Phoenix is and visitors can enjoy unparalleled 360dg views from its heights. Lit up with LED lights at night, BIG plans for the Phoenix Observation Tower to serve as a working model of sustainable energy practices and will incorporate a blend of solar and other technologies. The Pin Phoenix Observation Tower is being developed by boutique real estate company Novawest and designed by Denmark-based BIG. Unlike many other big cities, Phoenix does not have an observation tower to draw visitors into its downtown. The pin will be located in the heart of the museums, convention center and the sports arenas. Rising 128 meters tall in the air, the Pin is composed of a concrete core topped with a spiral sphere. BIG's design was inspired by the Guggenheim museum and is like a core sample removed from the building and placed on top of a tower. Visitors will enter the facility through the Base, which will serve as a public plaza offering shade, water features and a small amount of retail together with a subterranean queuing area. An elevator in the core will take the visitors up to the top of the sphere and then they walk down at their own pace. Inside the sphere, visitors can enjoy dynamic viewing and observation space, a terrace bar and cafe, a high-end restaurant, event space for catered events, a viewing gallery for special art and cultural exhibits and an evening lounge and nightclub. The Pin is definitely a distinctive landmark and will certainly place the city on the map. One can imagine though the analogies you can make regarding its shape - a golf ball on a tee, a giant mascara wand, or a huge map pin. Sustainability is said to be a large part of the design and will include energy efficient practices, LED lighting, and solar technologies.