Emblematic tower Dubai

“LIVING ARCHITECTURAL ORGANISM” developed from a “Programmed architectural SEED” and adapted to the Dubaiti enviroment.

Emblematic Tower Dubai
Emblematic Tower Dubai

Architectural Innovation
Emblematic tower
United arab emirates, Dubai
2010
Contest & Research
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Our design of the emblematic tower for Za’abeel Park in Dubai starts from a current awareness and a vision of future about the relationship between the environmental problems, the energetic crisis, global-local
communication and interaction , multiculturality, social differences, knowledge society and scientific-technologic progress.
The relationships between these factors are producing, and will still produce, deep changes in the societies at global level. In view of these pressing topics, we conceived an “architectural organism” as a local and international meeting point for all said aspects, giving birth to a guide beacon to the future. We merged these concerns with the Dubaiti
Arab history and culture, giving a joint answer with our design to the complexity of our times, returning to look and learn about the principles of creation in Nature. In this way, we obtained something “emblematic” not only
for Dubai, but for the whole World.

Lam 1 | Lam 2 | Lam 3 | Lam 4

“LIVING ARCHITECTURAL ORGANISM” DEVELOPED FROM A “PROGRAMMED ARCHITECTURAL SEED” AND ADAPTED TO THE DUBAITI ENVIRONMENT.

Abstract
Many years ago in the sand blown desert of the Arabian Gulf the seed of an idea was planted, it germinated and grew across the oceans of time, with nourishment from its creators and the environment, until today it stands as a cosmopolitan model for city of the future, Dubai.
In a similar vein, in our biomimetic design we planted an architectural seed (using our developed software) germinating it with a vision a sustainable future. The seed grew and was nourished on information: from global local society in which its life began drawing on multiculturalism, technological progress, global communication, personnel interaction and sustainability in society at large, as reflection of the complex times we live in.
From this, our “architectural organism” took life and developed into primary formation of the tower growing within the influence of the surrounding elements, wind, sand, sun. We then merged this with Dubai’s history and culture and the principles of creation in Nature, the final tower rose about the city: a emblematic tower for sustainability and harmony with the environment, emblematic of the past, present and future, not only for Dubai but, indeed, for the whole World.

Concepts and Philosophy
The call of ideas requires the design of an emblematic tower with certain dimensional and structural safety features. To these basic features we added two features which make the tower an emblematic symbol, not only for Dubai, but for the whole World. They are Hypersustainability and Intelligence:
a) Hypersustainability: is the simultaneous use of renewable energies, absorption of CO2, water purification and recycling, production of biomass which can be composted for the fertilization of Za’abeel Park, the passive thermal design of both open and interior areas and natural cooling of the premises by solar induced thermal draft and dehydration / re-moisturising of the air. The tower will provide a surplus of resources.
b) Intelligence: the communication and capability of learning. The tower can communicate and interact with the physical and virtual world. The interaction is displayed by means of illumination, controlled via Internet or Intranet as follows:
b.1) Physical context: by means of sensors which translate the different “inputs” into illumination of different colours. The inputs of the physical context may be: daily quantity of energy generated, daily quantity of visitors, daily indexes of contamination or other statistics.
b.2) Virtual context: by means of “inputs” introduced directly from cyberspace, e.g.: the mean value of the mood of the people of Dubai, specific illumination for an event, etc. Most of these “inputs” are loaded through the webpage of the tower or through an Intranet system. An artificial intelligence system registers and learns from the different inputs through time to generate more intelligent communication daily, stimulating the interaction between the citizens and the environment.

The design philosophy was based on a biomimetic concept. We imitated not only the shape but also the behaviour of two plants native and well adapted to tropical coastal and desert ecosystems: the mangrove (Rhizopora mangle) and the Cistanche tubulosa. The first has a root system which shelters a wide variety of life forms and provides high stability to the whole plant with minimum mass of its trunk. The foliage blocks the solar radiation and offers coolness to people and animals. The second is well adapted to the desert’s extreme conditions by means of its compact and cylindrical volume, covered by a rigid skin. Its growth patterns follow Fibonacci’s series but are influenced by external flows, like dominant winds, other vegetation present in its surroundings, etc., hence the plant naturally optimises its shape to adapt itself to the local conditions. In our design, like in the vegetation, the shape of the tower in its different sides and
levels is modelled following the different flows acting on each orientation. The roots and the solar shields offer shading and coolness, the growth pattern variable in height optimises the structure in order to provide maximum strength with minimum weight.

The tower, thus designed, exceeds the needs of the architectural project defined by Thyssen Krupp. It can be considered “emblematic” because, like a desert plant, it
constitutes an “architectural organism” which shape is unique since it is dictated exclusively by the sum of environmental and climatic factors and the interaction with its location.
In our biomimetic design process (Using software developed by us), we made an “architectural seed” -hich grew.

The growth pattern was obtained from:
1) The analysis of the flows present in the actuation zone (visual axis, roads, direction of the dominant winds, solar irradiation lines) which mean value gave as a result an eight point star.
2) Properties of the Cistanche tubulosa, which grows following Fibonacci’s series and the mangrove root system.
Once this architectural seed was planted in Za’abeel Park, it developed like a “living organism”.

Social & Energy Visual Data
Social & Energy Visual Data

 

Credits

Architect & Design: Rodrigo Carbajal F. 

Project Architect: Anastasia Ussia
Project manager: Giovanna Barbaro

Competition team
Renders: Raf Dawge , Davide, Agne, Leo
Scripting: Javier A
Infographic: Nada Utza