Skyboat
Skyboat is a two-storey building set above a 613 metre deep sinkhole in Leye, China. Hotel rooms are placed on the ground floor, a cafe on the first floor and a viewing platform on the roof. The platform includes a walk-on glass floor measuring 10 by 12.5 metres. The building spans the narrow passageway at the top of the sinkhole and cantilevers 34 metres and 22 metres to each side of the mountain ridge. A low centre of gravity allows the structure to balance itself. Only five supports are used, which limits damage to the local plants.
Skyboat Cafe and WalkOn Glass by XinY has been identified as a grand representation of architectural design by the A' Design Award. Skyboat Cafe and WalkOn Glass received the Golden A' Design Award in Architecture, Building and Structure Design in 2022. The A' Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award is an international, meritocratic, just and fair design competition which recognizes superior design of skyscrapers, museums, residential buildings, commercial complexes, educational institutions, religious structures, infrastructure designs, landscaping projects and more.
