Rendering of innovative and resilient office building in Southeast Washington, D.C, created to survive calamities and withstand natural disasters. Courtesy of Perkins+Will
Topic: Buildings
Perkins+Will propose an innovative and resilient office building in Southeast Washington, D.C, created to survive calamities and withstand natural disasters. The project reinvestigates the relationships between humans and nature.
Entitled “Revolution: Changing the Office Paradigm”, the project offers “power solutions in the event of an electric grid failure, clean water if water pressure fails, and construction that keeps the community dry in case of flooding”. The canopy, covered by photovoltaic panels, generates electricity and shade for the outside space. On another hand, the triangular floor plate project also recaptures rainwater in order to convert it to drinkable water.
Courtesy of Perkins+WillThe building includes penthouse event spaces, active public retail and is very close to mass transit. On another hand, the materials used in this sustainable intervention are heavy timber and carbon sequesting concrete, laminated timber beams and columns, and sustainable chemical-free finishes.
Courtesy of Perkins+WillBuilt on 4 major pillars, the office building is efficient, sustainable, resilient and appealing. Actually, the efficiency is translated in its design, its structure and rethought and re-questioned systems. In fact, “the building brings industry and education together into a didactic living laboratory for learning and entrepreneurial innovation”. A series of combined strategies allow the reduction of energy usage and maximize efficiency in the workplace. Designed to be flexible and adaptable, the building also encourages a healthy lifestyle. The different types of spaces put in place a very positive, appealing and comfortable user experience. In the case of catastrophes, the building keeps its tenants safe, providing them with shelter. Finally, the project is net-zero carbon, net-zero water, net-zero waste, and net-zero energy.
Green Building Africa promotes the need for net carbon zero buildings and cities in Africa. We are fiercely independent and encourage outlying thinkers to contribute to the #netcarbonzero movement. Climate change is upon us and now is the time to react in a more diverse and broader approach to sustainability in the built environment. We challenge architects, property developers, urban planners, renewable energy professionals and green building specialists. We also challenge the funding houses and regulators and the role they play in facilitating investment into green projects. Lastly, we explore and investigate new technology and real-time data to speed up the journey in realising a net carbon zero environment for our children.
