Picture from Foster+Partners website

Other than incorporating the existing blocks of colonial-looking buildings into the design, Foster has also made it 'green', passing the local ‘Platinum’ sustainable/green design rating.

"The canopy is articulated by ribbon-forms that flex above the primary circulation routes and public spaces and dip near the edges - reflecting the changes of use beneath it. The ribbons rise up the exposed east and west elevations of the towers where they form a series of vertical louvres. These filter the sun and provide a framework for the planting which will transform the towers into a series of vertically linked green spaces. The buildings’ forms and slanted facades are oriented to catch the prevailing winds and direct air flow down to cool the ground level spaces." -www.fosterandpartners.com

I simply love 'green' architecture. Not only does it look aesthetically pleasing and befitting in our Garden City, it also uses much less energy (or some Zero Energy Buildings, ZEB, use none at all) to operate, mostly because its design minimize the negative environmental impact of buildings by enhancing efficiency of the energy used.

For example, designs which promote natural ventilation is definitely preferred to simply air-conditioning a building because one, it saves electricity and two, the air quality is better.

And since reducing energy usage, as well as its polluting effects, has the utmost importance in the world right now, architects should be designing buildings with sustainability and efficiency in mind. Especially since buildings use a huge percentage of energy globally daily.

To be continued in Part 2.

See the rest of Architecture-related entries in: Strictly Architecture

Labels: architecture, Strictly Architecture

Picture from Foster+Partners website

Other than incorporating the existing blocks of colonial-looking buildings into the design, Foster has also made it 'green', passing the local ‘Platinum’ sustainable/green design rating.

"The canopy is articulated by ribbon-forms that flex above the primary circulation routes and public spaces and dip near the edges - reflecting the changes of use beneath it. The ribbons rise up the exposed east and west elevations of the towers where they form a series of vertical louvres. These filter the sun and provide a framework for the planting which will transform the towers into a series of vertically linked green spaces. The buildings’ forms and slanted facades are oriented to catch the prevailing winds and direct air flow down to cool the ground level spaces." -www.fosterandpartners.com

I simply love 'green' architecture. Not only does it look aesthetically pleasing and befitting in our Garden City, it also uses much less energy (or some Zero Energy Buildings, ZEB, use none at all) to operate, mostly because its design minimize the negative environmental impact of buildings by enhancing efficiency of the energy used.

For example, designs which promote natural ventilation is definitely preferred to simply air-conditioning a building because one, it saves electricity and two, the air quality is better.

And since reducing energy usage, as well as its polluting effects, has the utmost importance in the world right now, architects should be designing buildings with sustainability and efficiency in mind. Especially since buildings use a huge percentage of energy globally daily.

To be continued in Part 2.

See the rest of Architecture-related entries in: Strictly Architecture

Labels: architecture, Strictly Architecture