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| Al Bahar Towers |
I was
born in a small country adjoining the Mediterranean Sea, where the weather is
specially sunny during the year, but warm during summer.
As a
facade engineer, we need to improve the environmental performance such as the
U-value and solar shading through an efficient design, improving the comfort
indoor and reducing the amount of air conditioning spent in summer.
From my
point of view, the facade industry will continue to develop new technical
solutions, because the industry is aware that there is an important
marketplace with this regard.
For
instance, the envelope for the Al Bahar Towers in Abu Dhabi, designed by Aedas from London studio in
collaborations with the engineering firm Arup, meets my previous
statement.
Both 145
meters towers were completed during summer 2012, being erected in three years.
Inspired
in the traditional Arabic architectural element Mashrabiya, the perforated
lattice screens used in the Arabic houses through the Middle East, the screen
for each tower is made by approximately 1,000 triangular fabric panels in
a hexagonal pattern that opens or closes in response to the sun radiation. The
screen is supported in an independent frame sited two meters outside from the
inner skin.
The
engineering team programmed every triangle to simulate their operation in
response to sun radiation and incident angles during the different days of the
year. All the screens are closed during evenings.
From the
aesthetic point of view, the appearance of the building is continuously
changing, whereas the air-conditioning consumption is reduced, the solar
control and the U-value is performed according to the external environmental
conditions.
It is
deemed as an active facade, modifying their performance in line with the
weather conditions, mitigating the air condition load by reducing the U-value.
This
technical solution makes the most of a traditional architectural element, at
the same time innovating through the use of the technology at our disposal
nowadays.
By the
way, I have found out that Abu Dhabi citizens use a warm and affectionate tone
when naming emblematic buildings, this is the Corn cob.
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| The facade during the installation |
