Architects: Urban Design Location: Donetsk, Ukraine Client: Eco Energy Project Manager: Erik Jarlöv, Helena Glanz Project Year: 2011 Images: Courtesy of Urban Design
Construction
The construction consists of an inner core of a prefab panel system wall taking care of climate and noise issues. Around this, an outer shell of light and sheet-aluminium, semi-transparent expanded aluminium mesh and glass is mounted. The expanded aluminium will have a variation of gradings witch gives the facade a shifting transparency from different angles.
The outer shell consists of a triangular steelframe structure (secondary load-bearing frame), attaching to a primary load-bearing steel structure of pillars and beams. On these frames a less sparce grid (third structure) supports the cover of aluminium and glass panels. The primary system is also connected to the inner core, to stabilize the outer facade. The space between the core and the outer shell can be used for silos, tubing, sound baffels and gratings serving as easy-access lay-down areas. The double facade system will make sure that all this everyday “mess” of the plant is covered by the smooth outer skin.
The solution gives all the advantages of an easy light-weight prefab system (inner core), while outside of this (outer shell) creating an attractive, contemporary architecture that signal the clean energy and transparency of the Eco Energy Plant. The beetle-like design easy “mutates” into a more elongated or a more compact form, to follow different alterations of the process layout. Since the space between the process core and the outer shell is “outdoor”, ventilation grids, filters etc can be added without changing the outlook. The core building and big scale process parts, are painted in green, making itself partly visible through the more transparent panels of the shell.
We have kept the general layout of the competition brief, adding workshops and storage rooms on the ground floor and control room, lab and offices on top of these. Steam turbine and switch gear are mirrored to the south side of the building, to keep the workplaces at distance from the magnetic fields they generate. The elevated situation of the offices gives them a nice view of the surrounding landscape. From the adjacent control room the staff can easily monitor the tipping area and also handle the waste drive. A small auditorium placed near the offices and control room, will open the plant up for visiting school classes and groups from other cities that are interested in the “Eco Energy solution”.
The square, functional boxes of the power plant is covered with a light, shimmering “skin” of sheet aluminium, – mesh and glass. The smooth “skin” gives the plant a contemporary /look/attitude/ that goes well with its main task – to produce environmentally friendly energy for the city of Donetsk and its surrounding suburbs.
The Eco Energy Plant will have a high recognition factor. The shimmering bug-like plant will look like no other. The light, triangularized aluminium- and glass façade communicates cleanliness and efficiency. The facade also offers great possibilities to use the aluminium panels and –mesh for graphic communication printed directly on the surface. The landscape around the plant is also an important recognition factor. Our aim is to link the heat and power production to nature, that is the mother of all goods. By using earth-works instead of traditional fences, the fertile soil is saved for later purposes, the extensive lay-down areas are shielded off from the surrounding green land. The by-passer will get the impression that the plant sits on a green field of grass, rather than on a wide asphalt desert.
