Gtech blog

The Crystal Island is not just an unusual huge building, it is a building-city. How comes? Well if you take the fact that this building will host about 3000 hotel rooms, about 900 serviced apartments, a school, exhibition spaces, theaters, retail and catering businesses, two public viewing platforms, at 150 meters and 300 meters, it’s not just a building anymore. It’s small city. The exterior facade will use solar responsive panels which, along with wind turbines, will generate electricity for the huge tower. Natural ventilation will be provided thanks to numerous strategically placed large atriums.

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In Japan Sanyo’s “Solar Ark” has 5000 active solar panels generating 500,000 KWh of energy. The cool thing about this that a variety of shapes and letters can be displayed on the sides of this ark by 500 multi-colored lighting units that have been placed between various solar panels.

“the structure contains a solar museum with interactive exhibits as well as a solar lab and various meeting rooms for global environmental programs. The curved form is designed to take maximum benefit from as well as to graphically reflect the path of the sun and its energy.”

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3XN Architects won the international architectural competition for the New Headquarters for Deutsche Bahn in Berlin The CUBE unites a geometric shape with a sculptural expression on the outside walls. The interior is created with openness, and a tall central atrium with four levels that open up the building toward the surrounding city.

“The location of the “CUBE” is in one of the most well known places in Europe, Washingtonplatz, which is the very center of Berlin and the building will be surrounded by German Government buildings”

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