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SOM Designs 'Skyscraper for a New Age'
Sustainable building is finalist in international competition
CHICAGO, Jan. 11 /CNW/ -- Skidmore, Owings & Merrill has designed a
69-story corporate headquarters that can produce more energy than it consumes
and promises to set new standards for sustainable architecture, the Chicago-
based firm announced today.
(Photo: www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/p...111/CGW013 )
Pearl River Tower, planned for Guangzhou, China, would harvest wind and
solar energy. The building's design directs and manages prevailing winds so
that they become "invisible braces" that help stiffen the tower, said SOM
Consulting Design Partner Adrian D. Smith.
"This is an iconic, high-performance building that is designed in harmony
with its environment," said Smith, who is Pearl River's designer. "It is a
skyscraper for a new age."
The innovative design is among three finalists in an international design
competition for a corporate headquarters for a major Chinese company.
Guangzhou is a subtropical port city of 6.6 million, located 182 kilometers
from Hong Kong.
Pearl River Tower's sculpted facade also directs wind to a pair of
openings on the building's mechanical floors. The traveling winds push
turbines which generate energy for the building's heating, ventilation and air
conditioning systems.
"The openings also relieve wind pressure on the face of the building,"
said project architect Gordon Gill of SOM. "Potentially-damaging negative
pressure on the opposite side of the building is alleviated as well. The
result is a more stable, more comfortable building."
Energy consumption is reduced by maximizing natural day-lighting, reducing
solar gain in air conditioned spaces, retaining rainwater for gray-water usage
and using the sun to heat the hot water supply. Stack venting, radiant slab
cooling and caisson heat sinks work to chill the building. AC current is
generated by solar collectors on the facade.
The winner of the design competition is expected to be announced in
February 2006.
Founded in 1936, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP is one of the world's
leading architecture, urban design, engineering, and interior architecture
firms. SOM has designed many of the world's major buildings, including the
Sears Tower and John Hancock Center in Chicago; and Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai.
SOM maintains offices in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Washington DC,
London, and Shanghai.
For further information: Lee Bey, Director of Media Affairs, of
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, +1-312-360-4783
/Photo: NewsCom: www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/p...111/CGW013
AP Archive: photoarchive.ap.org
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN2
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
/Web site: www.som.com
Sustainable building is finalist in international competition
CHICAGO, Jan. 11 /CNW/ -- Skidmore, Owings & Merrill has designed a
69-story corporate headquarters that can produce more energy than it consumes
and promises to set new standards for sustainable architecture, the Chicago-
based firm announced today.
(Photo: www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/p...111/CGW013 )
Pearl River Tower, planned for Guangzhou, China, would harvest wind and
solar energy. The building's design directs and manages prevailing winds so
that they become "invisible braces" that help stiffen the tower, said SOM
Consulting Design Partner Adrian D. Smith.
"This is an iconic, high-performance building that is designed in harmony
with its environment," said Smith, who is Pearl River's designer. "It is a
skyscraper for a new age."
The innovative design is among three finalists in an international design
competition for a corporate headquarters for a major Chinese company.
Guangzhou is a subtropical port city of 6.6 million, located 182 kilometers
from Hong Kong.
Pearl River Tower's sculpted facade also directs wind to a pair of
openings on the building's mechanical floors. The traveling winds push
turbines which generate energy for the building's heating, ventilation and air
conditioning systems.
"The openings also relieve wind pressure on the face of the building,"
said project architect Gordon Gill of SOM. "Potentially-damaging negative
pressure on the opposite side of the building is alleviated as well. The
result is a more stable, more comfortable building."
Energy consumption is reduced by maximizing natural day-lighting, reducing
solar gain in air conditioned spaces, retaining rainwater for gray-water usage
and using the sun to heat the hot water supply. Stack venting, radiant slab
cooling and caisson heat sinks work to chill the building. AC current is
generated by solar collectors on the facade.
The winner of the design competition is expected to be announced in
February 2006.
Founded in 1936, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP is one of the world's
leading architecture, urban design, engineering, and interior architecture
firms. SOM has designed many of the world's major buildings, including the
Sears Tower and John Hancock Center in Chicago; and Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai.
SOM maintains offices in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Washington DC,
London, and Shanghai.
For further information: Lee Bey, Director of Media Affairs, of
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, +1-312-360-4783
/Photo: NewsCom: www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/p...111/CGW013
AP Archive: photoarchive.ap.org
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN2
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
/Web site: www.som.com
