Another first prize for KSP Jürgen Engel Architekten in Beijing: Inno Olympic Plaza. The German studio won another competition in Beijing (after the recent first prize for the Beijing Science Center) and will build the Inno Olympic Plaza just south of the location of the 2008 Olympics. Additional images and a narrative of their winning proposal after the break.
The design envisages a striking ensemble of buildings that blend with the buildings erected for the 2008 Olympic Games and the clearly structured master plan for the new district of town south of the Olympic Plaza. The principle underlying the master plan, with a composition of slender towers of different heights with flat pedestal structures is taken one step further in the design of the Inno Olympic Plaza. The latter consists of two towers, the one 100m, the other 80 m in height, both sharing a 15m-high pedestal structure.
The slightly trapezoidal edges of the towers subtly emulate the cardinal points of the site and interface between the lines of the existing buildings and the new alignment of the master plan. The shared formal idiom and the way it avoids hard edges, preferring slightly rounded corners instead, means that the two towers and the pedestal have a uniform appearance. The towers are both set back one storey from the pedestal. In this way, the design of the towers is emphasized and they stand out from the pedestal like valuable artworks or sculptures and culminate in a striking, open roof structure boasting roof gardens. The position of the towers on two intersections highlights the important parameters of the ensemble in terms of urban design, while also providing space for the pedestal by slightly moving the towers apart at the corners.
Usage
The design hinges on trailblazing, innovative office high-rises with flexible, interactive floor plans, high comfort levels and much daylight for all workstations as well as central communications areas for the staff. The storeys within the pedestal building accommodate usages such as larger conference areas, service zones, restaurants and shops, all of which are also accessible to the general public. The office towers can, if desired, be sub-divided into sets of two storeys, promoting that ever more important informal exchange of ideas between staff members in the modern work world by functioning as points of orientation within the building and as meeting areas. The office storeys can be rented out flexibly, and even in small units. The lift lobby opens on two sides, meaning that each storey can house optimal office space for at least two different tenants. All the workstations in the towers are linked to the outside world and benefit from dazzle-free daylight.
Green areas
The pedestal opens out with an inviting, gateway-like gesture to the surrounding urban green zone. Thanks to this spacious opening, the park leads right into the building, creating green communications and relaxation areas for all users.Via sunken gardens, the underground connecting level enjoys daylight and greened sections, helping to create a pleasant and leisurely atmosphere in the service and shopping area.
Energy concept
Heat reclamation
The compact ventilation units deliver effective heat reclamation by using rotation heat exchangers and are inserted flush with the surfaces in the air ducts above the toilet systems and ancillary rooms.
Heating/cooling ceilings
The ceiling systems operate using warm/cold water, conditioning the room using radiant heat/cooling, which is far more pleasant for the staff and saves energy compared with air conditioning. A water-based low-temperature system can be superbly combined with the regenerative geothermal power supply for the building, which is integrated into the foundation piles.
Façade
To avoid the rooms heating up in summer, the casement window facade boasts an external wind- and air-emission-proofed baffle pane that provides powerful solar protection with vertical blinds and a surface texture that directs the sun’s rays. The scaled shape of the window sill strips is a great design effect and by refracting light in the distorted glass constantly generates new surface patterns ensuring that the 1.4m grid pattern always seems dynamic.
