Office Building of the Future, Just Like a Tree!
This is a preview of what William McDonough (you know, Cradle to Cradle and Time’s Hero for the Planet) will be talking about this week in Abu Dhabi at the World Future Energy Summit. Dubbed the «Tree Tower» by Building Magazine, a leading UK construction magazine, the speculative Office Building of the Future was originally just a concept for Fortune Magazine in 2006. There is no commission for the building, but at the very least, it illustrates principles of good design for all buildings.
Blending nature and man-made construction, the Office Building of the Future will positively impact the environment. Solar and geothermal power create energy, tree-filled terraces recycle water, and multiple skins weatherproof and insulate the inside of the building. The building, designed with materials that can either be reused or returned safely to the earth, is made to absorb natural light, too. In all, it’s a super showcase of principles necessary to build something that doesn’t take more than it gives. We’ll see if McDonough makes any announcements this week. Thoughts?
++Tower of Tomorrow [fortune]
(S2) = Skyscraper Sunday, a weekly article on green skyscrapers.
Written by Preston Koerner