Fred van Brandenburg and his son, Damien, leave for China today to present to fashion label Marisfrolg the latest stage of their 75,000sq m complex, which includes 4.8ha of gardens, a boutique hotel, catwalk, factory, water features and a 35m-high lotus-leaf tower.
"It's a huge big sculpture set in a garden," Mr van Brandenburg said.
The first phase of the design - two factory buildings each about the length of a rugby field - were already under construction.
On this latest trip they would take with them the full model of the complex, produced using software and technology developed out of Otago Polytechnic.
Mr van Brandenburg said he had been working on the project for two years and the model showed the importance of nature to the design, with leaf-shaped roofs and walls, much of which had been designed so plants could grow up and around them.
"From the ground, they'll see rocky outcrops broken up by vegetation."
Word of the design had spread in China and from that had come the invitation for the model to be displayed in Beijing, he said.
His team also presented the model to a group of gifted pupils in Dunedin at the weekend.
