Configuration and Program
In order to celebrate its 45th anniversary, Shuter Company has decided to build a new Headquarters, which will include both the production factory and the Administration Center.
“The Vertical Garden” is the architectural response to Shuter’s desire for renovation, and attempts not only to fulfil the programmatic requirements, but mainly to open the building to visitors and citizens, by providing public-collective spaces where people can enter, gather, and join specific events.
At the same time, “The Vertical Garden” aims to build a new, sustainable and green building, in which any design effort is addressed to reduce C02 emissions, guarantee energy optimization, water recycling, and biodiversity.
In order to integrate the new functions into the surrounding landscape of Bansan, without altering the current site topography and ecosystem, the building is conceived as a vertical garden: a continuous green surface which hosts different plant species.
The use of vegetation all around the facades allows to optimize the energetic behaviour of the building, to control the climatic parameters (temperature, pressure, humidity), and also to save on construction costs.
The first step in order to design the new Shuter Headquarters is to respect the orginary programmatic indication: factory and Administration Center need to be clearly distinguished, with different entrances, different characteristics and different connections.
Nevertheless, “The Vertical Garden” tries to establish a dialogue between the factory and the administration area, by introducing some in-between spaces capable to permit interaction between workers and visitors, who can share some facilities (restaurants, bars, and so on) and also the green areas.
Even though they are different fragments within the same building, factory and administration center can coexist, without conflicting each other.
People (both visitors and workers) will venture into the The Vertical Garden” without interfering with the daily activities of the factory; furthermore, they will always find interesting places where to enjoy different events (concerts, exhibitions, and so on).
The interaction between factory and administration will produce new public spaces where to gather and meet each other.
In its conceptual articulation, “The Vertical Garden” can be conceived as a platform-basement (containing the production lines), on which several other functions lay: offices, restaurant, warehouses, research center, public spaces, lobby, etc.
If from a programmatic point of view the building appears as a fragmented entity, facades and elevations provides a visual and perceptive homogeneity.
From the exterior, one cannot perceive the real characterization of the building: it looks neither as a factory, nor as an administrative Center.
The linear and rational aspect of the exterior is opposed to the apparently chaotic and informal interior, which works as a fragment of a contemporary city, where everything is heterogeneous and flows incessantly.
Sustainability
Ad described above, “The Vertical Garden” ’s guiding light is a bioclimatic approach: everything is designed to save money and optimize energy.
Facades are characterized by the use of green surfaces, with over 20 species used, and also by glass and recycled polycarbonate panels, according to the different functions required.
Plants are installed on a steel frame structure, based on a 12x10 module.
The use of a structural modular grid permits future modifications according to new desires and needs, but without altering the overall conception of the building.
Polycarbonate is used to achieve interesting perceptive effects on the façade and also to save energy in the building. Furthermore, their recycled character permits to reduce the contamination due to construction, a diffuse problem in Taiwan.
Thanks to the use of u-glass and polycarbonate panels, it’s possible to build a modular building that allows to manage and control great amount of energy, to reduce maintenance costs and save money for heating and hydraulic systems. The right use of these materials will create a well-tempered environment able to achieve the optimization of the energetic functioning of the building.
The project for Shuter Headquarters is characterized by a very sustainable and eco-compatible profile: rather than using exotic plants, or complicated design options, the main idea was to deal with the existing vegetation, and be respectful of the current situation.
This means that:
- 0 km approach: every plant is not imported or transported in loco, but is indigenous and briefly available.
-No maintenance: all the species chosen don’t require constant maintenance.
-Density: Vegetation is used for protecting the entire plot from winds, atmospheric agents, and also for controlling the level of comfort.
Green Architecture
By following the EEWH indicators, we can describe the new buildings according four categories: ecology, energy reduction, waster reductions, and health.
Each category can be analysed according to different themes: biodiversity, greening, water conservation; daily energy efficiency; C02 reductions, waste reduction; and lastly, interior environment, water resource, wastewater treatment.
The Vertical Garden respects all of these indication about the realization of a real green architecture, and presents the following characteristics:
1_Biodiversity
-Plants and grass cover over 80 % of the building total surface.
-The distribution of green spaces (see the roof) is always continuous.
-The facades are designed to host different species, according to climatic and energetic factors: bio-diversity is preserved.
-Indigenous plants species are used.
-Only organic fertilizers feed plants and trees: any kind of chemical fertilizer or pesticide is banned.
-The site perimeter is characterized permeable surfaces, able to store contaminated water and re-cycle for the building.
-There is no use of concrete paving: only wood.
- Trees and shrubs are also used on the project site, to protect from winds and atmospheric agents.
2_Water conservation
-The building coverage ratio is minimized, in order to have a permeable-unpaved surface able to host grey water.
-Grass is used to improve drainage.
-Walkaways, paths, and pedestrian corridors are permeable.
-Three underground tanks are located in the project site to start the process of water purification.
3_Daily Energy Efficiency
-Offices and administration areas are a maximum depth of 10 meters, in order to enable natural ventilation and confortable daylight.
-Air conditioning is not necessary: it is replaced by cross ventilation and optimized thermic behaviours, due to the use of polycarbonate and green surfaces.
-Every kind of chiller and water pumps will be based on energy saving mechanisms.
-BEMS energy management system for centrally air-conditioned buildings will be used in case of necessity.
-All of the glasses used in the building (tempered glass) are low E energy.
-The use of artificial lightning is minimized as much as possible; only fluorescent lights with high reflectance design will be used.
-Workspaces will be equipped with desk lamps, rather than ceiling artificial lighting.
-Vivid-bright colours characterize the interior spaces in order to ensure a good level of luminosity.
4_C02 Reduction
-The structure of the building is rational, based on the repetition of a fixed module (12x10 mt.).
-Floor height is constant, and doesn’t have double height.
-The material used for the structural grid is steel. No concrete in the building.
-Interior partitions are realized with high-performance materials.
-Polycarbonate panels used in the facades are realized thanks to the recycle of plastic bottles.
-Furnishing elements will be realized with recycled materials as well.
-Solar panels are installed in the facades, and enable the energetic autonomy of the building.
5_Construction Waste reduction
-The project doesn’t foresee the radical alteration of the current site’s topography.
-Steel usage replaces concrete.
-Precast materials are chosen to save money and time.
-Precast bathrooms are used in the building.
-An anti-dust net will cover any completed structure.
-Any decision in terms of design and material will be made in order to reduce Taiwan pollution’s factors due to construction.
6_Indoor Environment
-Clear low E glasses are used in the building.
-Every floor is perfectly insulated acoustically.
-Living spaces are designed to guarantee good levels of ventilation and natural illumination.
-Recycled materials cover the interior spaces of the building. They are flexible, easy to repair and replace, and ecologically sustainable.
-Cross ventilation will enable the comfort inside the building.
7_Water resource
-Water saving toilets are employed.
-Three tanks are installed to store and recycle grey water.
8_Garbage treatment
-All daily sewage from bathrooms and kitchens are drained through specific facilities.
-Kitchen and restaurants are provided with adequate spaces for storing and transporting garbage.
-Garbage is processed and treated in order to be recycled.
