Skyscrapers are gigantic monolithic figures cuttings across the horizons that have been symbols of a city’s prosperity, wealth and architectural ingenuity since their inception. Now-a-days, some skyscrapers are taking on another symbolic venture: a green one. In today’s world eco-friendly inventions are on high demand so are eco-friendly buildings. Here are ten such multipurpose skyscrapers with green attributes, just have a look:
1. Fusionopolis – A truly green skyscraper
Fusionopolis is one of the biggest green skyscrapers in Singapore. The designer, a Malaysian born and UK based, Ken Yeang’s idea was to design a remarkable building promoting the go green culture in between the busy Singaporean streets. The building’s green infrastructure has a vertical spine of planting that rises high by the side of this 25 storied structure. Each floor of the building is decorated with landscaped garden terraces. The building is constructed as such that natural light is directed to the inside of the building through prisms that repel the light falling on them. Its irrigation and drainage system have also incorporated Green elements in it.
2. Hyper-Tower multi-purpose skyscraper
Considering the issue regarding lack of space on the ground, the green skyscraper idea definitely puts in an authoritative charm. This is a new skyscraper design for Paris, which is a perfect mixture of beauty, extraordinary design as well as sustainability. Called as the Hyper-Tower, this skyscraper includes two towers adjoined by a vertical lush green park, which begins from the bottom of the structure and travels up to the rooftop.
The French architect Jaubert Francois has proposed the design of the Hyper-Tower. It is a mixed-use development that comprises residential and also sports facilities on the uppers levels whereas the commercial and leisure areas in the first floors. Each floor boasts terraces, making the interior spaces extend into the green void. This beautiful green building is ought to become a potential landmark for Paris.
3. Burj Al-Taqa: self-sufficient skyscraper design
This is an eco-skyscraper concept introduced by a German-based architect Gerber Architekten, which combines traditional building ventilation techniques along with the ability to produce 100% of its energy needs through the use of wind and solar power. This Energy Tower i.e. Burj Al-Taqa is likely to be located in Dubai.
The building concept is designed in a way as such to meet the demands of the Middle East by incorporating the traditional techniques of natural ventilation, as used in the historic wind towers of the traditional Arabian architecture. In a region with temperatures as high as 50°C, wind towers are utilized to transform the hot wind into a cooling breeze inside buildings. This Energy Tower incorporates these principles to make a structure of a 60-story high with a double-layered façade that provides adequate thermal uplift thereby eliminating the need for any mechanical ventilation.
4. The Dynamic Tower (Rotating Tower)
Tall and strange buildings are a common thing in today’s world, but have you ever seen a building that is in motion that can actually change its shape? Sounds unbelievable right however Dr. David Fisher has made it possible. Visionary architect Dr. David Fisher is the creator of the world’s first building in motion, the revolutionary Dynamic Tower that will adjust itself to the sun, wind, weather as well as views by rotating each floor separately. This building can never appear exactly the same twice. Isn’t it amazing that you can have a choice to wake up to sunrise in your bedroom and enjoy sunsets over the ocean at dinner.
In addition, it will produce energy for itself and also for other buildings as it has wind turbines fitted between each rotating floor. This 80-story building will have up to 79 wind turbines, thereby making it a true green power plant. The 1,380 feet Dynamic Tower in Dubai will have apartments ranging in size from 1,330 square feet to Villas of 12,900 square feet inclusive of a parking space inside the apartment. It will consist of offices, residential apartments, a luxury hotel and the upper 10 floors will be for luxury villas located in a prime location in Dubai.
5. H3AR Proposes Multipurpose ‘Watertower’ Skyscraper for Sudan
There has been political unrest in Sudan for decades due to shortage of water and land. But the recent discovery of the world’s tenth largest underground lake by scientists from Boston University can bring an end to this conflict if the lake is managed correctly. The Designers at Polish firm H3AR Architect and Design have proposed a multipurpose Watertower skyscraper that will allow access to underground water through the application of water pumps.
The tower will be constructed from natural materials, such as sun-baked bricks and a rough mixture of earth, cement and water. The building provides space for a water treatment plant, a school, a hospital and a food storage center. Two water circulation processes would be in place, first one will extract water to heat as well as cool the building that will be accessible for the users and the second set will use extracted water for the building’s kitchen and toilets.
6. Qatar cacti biomimicry
The Minister of Municipal Affairs & Agriculture (MMAA) in Qatar is getting a brand new office building that looks like a towering cactus. Designed by Bangkok-based Aesthetics Architects, the modern office and adjoining botanical dome take cues from cacti and also the way they survive successfully in hot, dry environments.
Qatar is fairly barren and receives an average annual rainfall of 3.2 inches. The building has been designed keeping in mind energy efficiency; sun shades on the windows that can be opened or closed to suit the prevailing temperature. The dome at the base of the tower houses a botanical garden which could include an edible garden and use plants to clean up waste water.
7. Rodovre Tower
Rødovre, an independent municipality of Denmark announced their new Rødovre skyscraper. This is a 116 meter tower that features apartments, offices, retail, a hotel along with public park and plaza. The architects’ contemporary design is based on a pixels or flexible grid of boxes of 646 square feet each, arranged around the building’s central core.
The building comprises of various sustainable features, such as a greywater circuit, use of 40% recycled concrete in the foundation as well as energy producing devices in the facade. It will follow Danish environmental standards and implement several green technologies to meet those standards. The towers’ bottom is slim to make room for the retail, plaza and restaurants. The upper parts of the building consist of the residential units that protrude out to the north creating open spaces for sky gardens. The top portion of the building is kept for the hotel where guests can enjoy the views of the center of Copenhagen. As the building is built in pixels, it can be modified to conform to market as well as economic realities.
8. Perkins Eastman
Perkins Eastman is and eco-tower that will green the skyline of the congested city like Mumbai, India. This 33-story, 108,000-square meter skyscraper will have a double story retail base with additional two mid-rise buildings, each covering 66,700 square meters.
The building is said to include systems to generate electricity using renewable electricity, harness rainwater and also keep the air surrounding the buildings clean with abundant façade plantings. The architecture will additionally incorporate technologies, such as solar chimneys and intelligent façade designs for maximizing daylight.
9. Chinatrust Bank complex
Designed by the LA office of NBBJ, with the assistance of local firm Fei & Cheng Associates, the Chinatrust Bank complex includes a 30-story headquarters building, 21-story commercial office building, 10-story hotel and four-level retail center. The complex’s green features include designs that will take full advantage of natural site and climate features and will optimize passive solar opportunities. It has green roof gardens to reduce rainwater runoff and urban heat island effect.
The complex’s Office tower facades will feature smart curtainwall technology combined with narrow floorplates, floor-to-ceiling glass as well as automatic sensors and maximize natural interior light. The complex includes a combination of sustainable design features to reduce energy consumption. The project is under construction and will be completed in 2012.
10. 10 MW Dubai Skyscraper
The 10 MW Tower is an eco friendly skyscraper and renewable energy generating machine that harvests wind and solar power. It has a 5 MW wind turbine sets at the top of the building that harnesses the wind, while the power of the sun is collected through a 3 MW concentrating solar system plus a 2 MW solar updraft system. Designed by UAE-based Studied Impact, this 50 story skyscraper will put out 10 times more energy than it needs, thereby pumping the renewable power back into the Dubai electric grid.
