Zaha Hadid Architects recently released designs for the new headquarters of Emirati environmental management company Bee’ah, revealing a structure that references the shape and motion of a sand dune.
According to Dezeen, the 75,347-sf building will be constructed in the emirate of Sharjah, in the country’s northern region. The building will house the administrative and public activity functions of the company.
Inhabitat reports that the building will be open to the public and host a learning resource center to raise awareness on the environment in Sharjah.
Staying true to the company’s purpose in environmental stewardship, the facility was designed to be entirely powered by renewable energy. According to Inhabitat, the building uses active and passive design approaches, which are expected to decrease the building’s energy use by 30%.
Some examples of measures for a low footprint include a ventilation energy recovery system that reduces the need for mechanical cooling systems, and photovoltaic cells will be integrated in the surrounding landscape to provide the building with solar power.
Hadid's firm is collaborating with engineer Buro Happold and environmental consultant Atelier Ten on the project.
Learn more about the project at Dezeen.
Related Stories
| Sep 7, 2012
Net-zero energy pioneers on the el-hi frontier
Getting to net-zero is not easy, but the promise of eliminating energy bills and using state-of-the-art technology as a learning lab can make a compelling case to reach for net-zero.
| Sep 7, 2012
Healthcare architects get a preview of tomorrow’s medical landscape
The topic on everyone’s mind was how the Affordable Care Act would impact healthcare design and construction––and whether the law would even make it past the coming election cycle.
| Sep 7, 2012
Goettsch Partners designs new tower in Abu Dhabi
Al Hilal Bank’s 24-story flagship development provides contemporary office space.
| Sep 7, 2012
Suffolk awarded One Channel Center project in Boston
Firm to manage $125 million, 525,000-sf office building project.
| Sep 7, 2012
Duffy joins Thornton Tomasetti
At Hardesty & Hanover, Duffy partnered with Thornton Tomasetti on a number of projects.
| Sep 7, 2012
Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital breaks ground on expansion
Sustainability and nature at the heart of the new addition at the Stanford University Medical Center designed by Perkins+Will.
| Sep 6, 2012
Young Spirit of Nature Wood Architecture award to Tiina Antinoja
The award is given for a student work in which wood as a building material has a central role.
| Sep 6, 2012
CPPI awarded $30.3 million contract for University of Florida’s Harrell Medical Education Building
The specialized interdisciplinary learning environment will serve as a focal point for integration and program development for all primary care educational activities in the College of Medicine.
| Sep 5, 2012
Pagano joins Thornton Tomasetti as Vice President in Newark office
Pagano is a Certified Energy Planner and Certified Energy Manager through the Association of Energy Engineers.