UNStudio: Sustainable office tower with aerodynamic form

Groningen recently opened an institutional building designed to be sustainable, an idea inspired by the pencils of the UNStudio architects. As the Dutch practice’s founder Ben van Berkel says, the pathways inside the buildings were designed as routes to be explored, in order to create internal landscapes and maintain interaction with the building’s surroundings: the city park and the pavilion included in the plan.

The building’s design was based on “life cycle assessment” criteria for determining the environmental impact of individual measures, reducing both energy consumption and use of construction materials.

This “green” approach includes a façade design aimed at diminishing environmental impact by using horizontal strips to shield the building from heat, saving on air conditioning. The heating system uses concrete core activation and a heat pump. Individual workstations enjoy separate temperature control, plenty of natural light and fresh air.

A high pressure natural ventilation system on the eleventh floor reduces the need for artificial ventilation.

In place of the standard office grid (1.80 m), the project employs a smaller grid, measuring only 1.20 m, to facilitate different use of offices and promote flexibility: an additional advantage of this exemplary construction with its aerodynamic form.

Design: UNStudio
Location: Groningen, the Netherlands
Illustrations: Christian Richters, Ronald Tilleman
Related links: http://www.floornature.it/notizie-novita-architettura/news-unstudio-uffici-sostenibili-groningen-7408/