Enota’s Lotus Towers are a Mixed-Use Residential Eco-Development

Designed by <a href="http://www.enota.si/eng" target="_blank">Enota</a>, 'The Lotus Towers' is a proposal that placed second in an invited competition calling for designs for a new <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2008/06/23/slovenias-gorgeous-honeycomb-housing-complex/" target="_blank">sustainable housing project</a> located in Ljubljana, Slovenia. With a plan brimming with wonderful ideas – we admit we'd also love to see who won first place, because Enota's design is quite impressive – their proposal for this new <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/05/04/lace-hill-a-living-mixed-use-sustainable-development-for-armenia/" target="_blank">mixed-used development</a> is highlighted with apartments featuring two sides for natural ventilation and daylighting, and beautiful views of the adjacent urban park. The shape of the Lotus Towers were carefully calculated to provide a holistic and energy efficient space for every apartment.

The Lotus Towers is a mixed-use housing development for Ljubljana, Slovenia situated right next to a large urban park.

Enota won second place in an invited competition for a new housing project.

The towers were designed so that every apartment would have views of the park, along with two sides to provide natural ventilation and daylighting.

The base of the towers includes commercial space, offices, restaurants, a hotel, spa and gallery space and there is a sloping roof to provide a covered courtyard.

The design provides the same amenities to each apartment in the complex, including daylighting, ventilation, views, windows, a terrace and tall ceilings.

Some apartments feature a slight variating in the plan, but still pack in all the same amenities.

Each apartment is double sided and has views of the park below.

The development is footed with a mixed-use foundation to provide for residents as well as offer office and retail space.

Then the apartment towers were split to give more sunlight to the foundation's roof.

Then the foundation's walls were inclined towards the ground to create a covered area around the base of the building.

And finally, splits in the tower were created to improve natural ventilation and daylighting.

The final design of the volume resembles the shape of a lotus flower with its petals open, reaching for the sun.

The ground floor features retail, galleries, hotel lobby, restaurants and covered courtyards.

The second floor features exhibition space and a library.

The third floor features the hotel suites and more exhibition space.

The fourth floor features more hotel suites as well as the outdoor green roof and hotel area with a pool and spa.

And finally the upper towers all feature apartments with views of the park.