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UNStudio/Ben van Berkel and consortium DUO² complete swirling commercial tower

April 30th, 2011 | Green Buildings, Green Technologies, Intelligent Buildings | 5 Comments »

One of the largest green commercial facilities in Europe has now been completed. Located in the blossoming city of Groningen in the Netherlands, the 92m high tower is soon to become home to the Education Executive Agency and National Tax Offices – two key public institutions.

A monochromatic form with repetitive projecting fins, the structure towers above its neighbours in the public realm, its asymmetric form ‘set amidst small, ancient woodland, sheltering rare and protected species’. External developments are still in progress, as concepts for a sizeable public garden with water features and a commercial pavilion are put into place.

In an effort to soften the relationship between architecture and the commercial environment, UNStudio has composed a design with a ‘more human and approachable profile’. Its organic relief creates a dramatic silhouette against the sky, ensuring that the building is memorable but not overly commanding.

The characteristic fins on the building’s exterior integrate elements of shading, wind control and daylight penetration, whilst keeping a large amount of heat outside the building which reduces the need for excess cooling measures inside. A high pressure ventilation system with natural air inflow and outflow via main engineering shafts and the facade grills on the 11th floor also reduces the need for artificial ventilation.

Internally the space has been arranged so that the tower can be reused as a residential complex for future use without major structural modifications, produced with a structural grid of 1.2m rather than the conventional office grid of 1.8m. Lifts, stairwells and technical spaces have also been thoughtfully situated.

In order to ensure the most cost-effective and environmentally-friendly complex possible, a public-private partnership (DBFMO) was set up, designed ‘to effectuate on a more efficient use of public funds’. As such, a consortium comprising of Strukton, Ballast Nedam and John Laing took charge of the design, construction, financing, managing and maintenance of the building. UNStudio was the architect, Arup the engineer, and Studio Linse the interior advisor. Landscape design was provided by Lodewijk Baljon.

Found on worldarchitecturenews.com. Read more on dezeen.com and unstudio.com.

The UK’s First BREEAM Outstanding Office Tower Rises in London – The 7 More London

April 28th, 2011 | Green Buildings, Intelligent Buildings | 2 Comments »

BREEAM, Europe’s leading green building rating system, has just given the new PriceWaterhouseCooper office tower its highest rating of “outstanding”. This is a first for an office building this size in the UK and speaks to how corporations are embracing green building on both sides of the pond.

Similar to the USGBC’s LEED certification, BREEAM uses a point system that covers a multitude of sustainable building issues such as reductions in water and energy use, increasing natural lighting and fresh air, the use of recycled materials, and placement. Located on the south bank of the Thames near city hall, 7 More London is a half-million square foot building distinguished by an energy conservation rating 70% above building code. The trick to the building’s impressive ratings was using daylighting paired with advanced HVAC and solar technologies.


A major innovation is how the structure uses waste heat from its air conditioning system to heat the building parameter. It may seem counter intuitive, but large buildings often have to cool the interior and provide heat near the windows at the same time. The owners also claim to produce 25% of the building’s energy onsite — that’s a big number and we’ll see if they can pull it off. The use of solar thermal panels and onsite energy generation using recycled cooking oil will help.



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Found on inhabitat.com. News realease by PwC First UK ‘outstanding’ environmental rating for an office building achieved by new PwC London site. Read more on More London and Foster & Partners.