Situated along the River Mur in the Lend district, the Kunsthaus challenges traditional architectural norms with its organic, free-flowing design. Rejecting orthogonal geometry, the museum seamlessly merges art, architecture, and public interaction, redefining the concept of a cultural institution. Its impact extends beyond aesthetics, sparking urban revitalization in a once-overlooked neighborhood, and bringing cultural vibrancy and economic activity.
40-storey building utilizing ClearVue BIPV products, solar glazing, and solar cladding. Image Courtesy of ClearVue
People frequently claim that finding smart solutions to problems requires a creative approach that involves thinking outside the box. This premise has become a widely accepted idea in the field of technology, where numerous historical breakthroughs have emerged from innovative methods. Prominent examples in power generation include the discovery of the photovoltaic effect by Edmund Becquerel in 1839 and the development of the first commercial solar panel by Charles Fritts later that century. These milestones have enabled the integration of solar panels as essential components of clean energy generation within architecture, driving a significant shift toward renewable energy.
This shift is currently manifesting as a tipping point between power generation and the built environment, driven by a transition that promotes creative thinking and encourages new perspectives. Today, sustainable energy production extends beyond merely installing solar panels on roofs; it aims to integrate various building elements into the energy system. ClearVue's Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) exemplifies this innovation by harnessing nearly all facade components as sources of power production. This vision opens new possibilities for the design of urban structures, promoting a more sustainable approach that aligns with contemporary needs.
https://www.archdaily.com/1022702/powering-up-through-the-facade-maximizing-energy-with-building-integrated-photovoltaicsEnrique Tovar
In just one hour, more solar energy hits the Earth than the world uses in a year—and solar roofs are here to harness it. These sleek, high-tech panels are revolutionizing how we think about energy, generating clean electricity that can cut your carbon footprint by up to 80% and save thousands on energy bills. Not only are solar panels becoming more efficient and durable, but they also blend seamlessly into modern architecture, turning homes into power plants.
Construction has reached the roof level in Zaha Hadid Architect’s development above Hong Kong High-Speed Rail West Kowloon Terminus. Adjacent to the West Kowloon Cultural District, this development connects established and emerging neighborhoods with a network of public gardens and landscaped plazas. Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA), it seeks to integrate seamlessly with the surrounding station and rooftop park, offering civic, office, and retail spaces.
It seems like everyone is going solar these days. In the United States, the net solar power generation has increased by more than 113,000 million kilowatt hours in the last decade. Solar integration with residential projects saves homeowners money on energy bills and increases property value over time. As solar integration technology advances, the advantages span beyond financial and environmental; solar panels are assuming an aesthetic role in modern architecture, too.
Solar integration is becoming an expectation among new construction homebuyers. Architects and designers must adapt accordingly to increase the availability of photovoltaic integration in residential developments. However, with careful planning and execution, solar panels can be better incorporated during the design and construction phases. This article outlines how homebuilders can meet consumer demands for solar integration, creating an easy-to-follow pathway for accommodating changing home design trends.
Greenhouses are elegant and ingenious structures that incorporate simplicity in design while creating light-filled spaces that shape indoor climates. With walls and roofs composed mainly of transparent or translucent materials, these structures harness solar energy to create a controlled environment. As advances in materials and environmental management progress, they can seamlessly be integrated into architectural designs, offering innovative solutions that blend functionality with aesthetics. Beyond their original role in plant cultivation, they have evolved into projects that emphasize sustainability, education, and conservation. At their core, they offer experiences of exploration and discovery, showcasing the intricate relationship between sunlight, plants, and indoor environments.
Diamond Schmitt and MVRDV have unveiled the design for a new building for the Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH) at the University of Toronto’s Scarborough Campus. The new addition, featuring laboratory spaces, classrooms, and offices, aims to function as a communal and gathering space for the community. The functions are distributed around a five-story atrium that opens toward the exterior on both sides of the building and establishes a destination point within the pedestrian flows of the campus. Solar panels integrated into the façade help power the building, while the warm finishes of the interior contribute to creating a welcoming atmosphere.
OPEN Architects has just revealed the architectural designs for two separate cultural projects situated along the coastline of Yantai,China. One of them is “The Space Crystals,” a futuristic digital museum and experiential hub resembling an otherworldly entity that has mysteriously descended upon a seaside mark. Meanwhile, “Sea Square” is square-shaped, providing a library and community service facility, levitating above a restored sea dock. The two structures engage in a spatial and temporal conversation, one reaching towards the sky and the other facing the sea, bridging the present, the past, and the future.
Mario Cucinella Architects has unveiled the design for the new Piazza dei Navigatori in Rome, Italy. Planned as a mixed-use development, the design is predominantly for residential spaces, with a retail and office component, parking, and "plant rooms". The development is located in an area rich in natural elements, which heavily inspires this urban agglomeration.
Designed by Atkins, a new zero-carbon secondary school in West Sussex has received planning permission from the West Sussex County Council. The school will be created at Homes England’s new Brookleigh development near Burgess Hill and will offer educational facilities to 900 local children. The building is designed to generate its own renewable energy on-site, eliminating the need for any fossil fuels. It also aims to achieve Passivhaus certification, the highest standard od energy efficiency a building can reach.
The building construction industry currently accounts for 40% of annual greenhouse gas emissions, due to its high carbon embodiment and carbonated energy demands. Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) is a sustainable solution to address these concerns and to contribute to a net-positive world. This advanced technology can be utilized in solar building envelopes, skylights, windows, and balcony railings to produce green energy.
Climate change remains a foremost concern in global politics, economics, and scientific research, particularly as it pertains to the architecture and construction industries. This heightened culpability for the field of architecture stems from the fact that the construction industry contributes to 40% of global emissions, and the demand in the building sector is only projected to increase by 70% by 2050. Renewable energy is part of a 21st-century sustainability paradigm that responds to climate change and environmental degradation, strengthening the momentum for global energy transformation. Renewable energy production strategies are necessary to mitigate future energy security issues as traditional sources of fuel become increasingly scarce, and an indispensable part of designing for sustainability in architecture.
https://www.archdaily.com/961422/integrating-solar-technology-into-facades-skylights-roofing-and-other-building-elementsLilly Cao
Solar design in contemporary architecture is rooted in the profession's sustainable turn. The relationship between architecture and energy is tied to both passive strategies and performance via more recent innovations in technology. As one way to begin addressing the global climate crisis and greenhouse gas emissions, solar design is reshaping cities and architecture around the world.
Solar tiles operate identically to the photovoltaic panels that are already widely used in construction. The primary difference between them lies in their assembly: whereas photovoltaic panels are attached to an existing roof, solar tiles are part of the roof's construction from the start, taking the place of regular tiling.
The tiles are formed by photovoltaic cells that, when they receive sunlight, create an electric field capable of providing electrical energy for use inside the building. Each tile is connected by cables to the power distribution board.
Peddle Thorp Architects have submitted their proposal for the Moray Street Residential Tower in Melbourne for approval. At 1173.5 square meters, Sol Invictus is wrapped entirely in solar panels, attaining 10 times more solar surface area than a traditional roof covering. The facade can achieve up to 5000 square meters of solar panel array and is connected to a battery storage system.
Rendered Exterior View. Image Courtesy of New Wave Architecture
Located in Pardis Technology Park in the suburbs of Tehran, the new Turbosealtech office by New Wave Architecture is a small, but complex building with a site of 1,300 square meters. Envisioned as an “incubator,” the project will provide a platform for people to research and innovate. Pardis Technology Park is made up of developments by young architects from Iran, and this project continues this pattern of expressing the vision of young Iranian architects through its design team. Read more about the project after the break.
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) has unveiled their design for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL): a 3D-printed building powered by a 3D-printed vehicle developed by ORNL. Dubbed AMIE, the project was developed in collaboration with ORNL, University of Tennessee (UT), Clayton Homes, General Electric, Alcoa, NanoPore and Tru-Design. SOM was able to take the design from concept to completion in less than a year.
Combining mobile power with energy-efficient design and photovoltaic (PV) panels, the AMIE presents possibilities for human shelter off-the-grid. Following previous work by SOM, demonstrating the use of 3D printing for complex, organic geometries, the new building combines structure, insulation, air and moisture barriers, and exterior cladding into one shell.
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