Shape of Now » Dubai

Dynamic Architecture: Architecture in Four Dimensions

Vani — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 07:46:06 +0000

Building that moves. Building that generates energy. Building that is green. To some it may appear that I am describing some building from a science fiction. Well, architecture in four dimensions belongs to the real world. We are talking about Dubai’s Green Environmental Towers which has become popular as ‘the Dynamic Architecture Building’. CLICK ON THE IMAGE FOR A VIDEO.

Architect David Fisher, Italian Architect and Town Planner, incorporated dynamics in his buildings first in Italy, followed by Dubai, London, Moscow, Paris,and Hong Kong. According to Fisher, time is the most powerful dimension of life. “Time”, says Fisher “is the dimension of relativity”. His new skyscraper, the tower in motion, is shaped by “life designed by time”.

Dynamic architecture has also brought a revolution in construction techniques. It is in fact the first building produced in a factory, apart from the concrete core. All of its luxury units are manufactured in a factory, including all plumbing, electrical, air conditioning and installed on the concrete core right on location. Prefab construction and implementation offers high quality finishing, high quality control, much less life risks, and huge cost and time savings. Besides, this building, made of single separated floors offer higher seismic resistance than any other normal sky scraper.

The tower will have 48 wind turbines, positioned horizontally between each floors, thus generating green energy and function as a Power Station in the city. Each turbine can produce 0.3 megawatt of electricity, compared to 1-1.5 megawatt generated by a normal vertical turbine (windmill). Considering that Dubai gets 4,000 wind hours annually, the turbines incorporated into the building can generate 1,200,000 kilowatt-hour of energy.

The building will move with the sun to generate solar energy through solar panels positioned on the roof. The total energy produced by this inbuilt ‘powerhouse’ every year will be worth approximately seven million dollars. The particular design of the building and the carbon fiber special shape of the wings take care of the acoustics issues. Producing that much electric energy without any implication on the aesthetic aspect of the building is indeed a revolutionary step in tapping alternative energy sources.

With fourth dimension, time, woven into built fabric , architecture will no longer be confined. Dynamics will generate only one constant: change.

Super-bridge Super-engineering

Vani — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 02:24:20 +0000

Dubai is not only leading in the world’s skyscraper race, but will also now lead in Superbridge engineering. New York’s Fxfowle architects have got their designs approved for Dubai’s Superbridge. Due for construction in March 2008, 2000 cars will swift past each other in one hour on its 12 lanes once completed in 2012.

At 670 ft. tall, Dubai’s next super structure will stand higher than the George Washington Bridge (604 ft.) but fall short of San Francisco’s existing Golden Gate Bridge (746 ft.).

Read on: Dubai’s Mile-Long Super Arch Bridge

Green and Intelligent: the roads do converge

Vani — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 23:29:52 +0000

United Kingdom- Gensler’s design for Herman Miller’s international headquarters, also called Village Green, has been short listed for Corenet’s 2008 Sustainability award and is the first building in the UK to receive both BREEAM (excellent rating) and LEED (gold) accreditation. The 20,000-square foot facility is located in Chippenham, England.

Several notable details that make Village Green green and intelligent:

Natural ventilation. A computerized system adjusts airflow, eliminating the need for air conditioning.
All timber is from FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) sustainable sources.
Recycled aggregate building materials are sourced from within 30 kilometers.
All carpeting is recyclable.
Energy-efficient lighting is activated by movement sensors.
Seventy-five percent of the building is exposed to natural daylight and 95 percent of the office space includes a view of the outside.
Cycle racks and showers are provided to encourage alternative transportation

‘Village Green provides an efficient and dynamic work environment for employees and it also has become a popular customer destination,’ says John Portlock, president of Herman Miller International. ‘It also serves as a living case study about the possibilities that exist with sustainable design.’

Middle East- Platinum rated by US Green Building Council- first in the middle east and 16th in the world, this building has won 2 international awards- one at Boston in June 2007: as the Extreme Office Building in the world, Digie Award against Taipei 101 and Shanghai Financial Centre; and the Best Intelligent Building in the World in Chicago Buildcon 2007.

This is the headquarters of the company called Pacific Controls which leads in Building automation. Spread over 120,000 sft, in the Techno Park of Dubai, the building has been designed using an integrated approach. The Green Building promotes energy efficiency taking into consideration environmental impacts through energy and water conservation, waste minimization and recycling, and no greenhouse gas emissions. This, apart from resulting in reduced operation and maintenance costs, also helps in creating a healthy, safe and comfortable environment.