Steven Holl’s LEED Platinum Horizontal Skyscraper Completed!
Posted By Jorge Chapa On March 15, 2010 @ 1:00 am In Architecture,Sustainable Building | 3 Comments
Create a long, thin skyscraper [6], make it green [7] and gorgeous, and then turn it on its side. That was the thinking behind Steven Holl's recently completed Vanke Center [8] in China. Not only is the mixed-use building green, diverse, and tsunami [9]-proof -- it's also in the running for LEED Platinum [10] certification.
Steven Holl [11]‘s well-known design aesthetic and green credentials have made him a favorite here at Inhabitat. His latest project was conceived as a new headquarters for Shenzen Vanke Real Estate that will house everything from office spaces and a conference center to apartments, a hotel, and even a spa. While initially the program called for a number of smaller structures, each with their own program, Steven and his team decided to create one large superstructure propped up [12] on eight legs.
The 1,296,456 square-foot building is less than 35 meters high. Lengthwise though, the building is a long as the Empire State Building [13] is tall — a distance of about 440 meters. Underneath the horizontal skyscraper is a landscaped area with a number of water features which give the impression that the building is floating on water. The different programs are connected by a public path that cuts across the landscaped gardens, which were inspired by Roberto Burle Marx [14]‘s work. Thanks to its elevated structure, the project is able to give back a public space to the city.
The complex’ green features include car parking spaces for electric vehicles [15] with built-in charging stations. Additionally, The doors, floors, and furniture are made from bamboo, and the carpets are composed of recycled material. High-performance glazing has been installed in the building’s facade, while solar panels [16] will provide 15% of the office’s electricity. All of these combined features are elevating the building towards LEED Platinum status. The horizontal skyscraper’s sophisticated elevated structure [17] also functions to protect it from damage in the event of a tsunami. The project has received a 2010 Honor Award from the American Institute of Architects [18].
+ Vanke Center [19]
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[5] : http://inhabitat.com/steven-holls-horizontal-skyscraper/shenzhen-vanke_0005_layer-6/?extend=1
[6] skyscraper: http://www.inhabitat.com/2010/03/08/bubble-shaped-skyscraper-is-a-freshwater-factory/
[7] green: http://www.inhabitat.com/sustainable-building/
[8] Vanke Center: http://www.stevenholl.com/project-detail.php?id=60&worldmap=true
[9] tsunami: http://www.inhabitat.com/2006/06/18/tsunami-memorial-winner-mountains-of-rememberance/
[10] LEED Platinum: http://www.inhabitat.com/2010/02/15/leed-platinum-vancouver-convention-center-has-north-americas-largest-green-roof/
[11] Steven Holl: http://www.inhabitat.com/tag/steven-holl/
[12] propped up: http://www.inhabitat.com/2010/03/09/tower-city-is-an-ecotopia-stacked-upon-stilts/
[13] Empire State Building: http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/04/20/empire-state-building-to-receive-eco-renovation/
[14] Roberto Burle Marx: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberto_Burle_Marx
[15] electric vehicles: http://www.inhabitat.com/tag/electric-vehicle/
[16] solar panels: http://www.inhabitat.com/solar-power/
[17] elevated structure: http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/10/06/brad-pitt-unveils-floating-house-for-make-it-right-foundation/
[18] American Institute of Architects: http://www.aia.org/
[19] + Vanke Center: http://www.stevenholl.com/project-detail.php?id=60&worldmap=true
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