Site

 

The  prototypical site in China, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, allows the  exploration of  issues of displacement and cultural identity  as well as those of community  and diversity as defined by architectural form, The smart city leverages  both passive and active technologies in its formation this includes the local , as a definition of connectivity , with off-grid networks  owned by the inhabitants. It is proposed that the physical and material qualities of this construct should manifest itself in a porous coral like form, these can either appear as slices joined together to form a more conventional urban grain or as in this instance become a stacked series of evolving circumstances defined by the consequence of the internal and external environment.  

Concept 

 

The banyan tree deposits additional downward branches to stabilise its imposed load much in the manner of this structure, Osteon city maximises the potential of a small footprint, touching the earth lightly, while providing the maximum in amenity, at times appearing as a cumulonimbus cloud formation, and at others as a floating forest.

Ethos 

 

The proposition considers the nature of the skyscraper as a 210-floor community, where work, retail, hospitality, leisure and residential accommodation form an aerial community serviced horizontally by driverless cars and bicycles Segways and pedestrian routes.

Structure and form

 

The diagrid is repurposed to a waffle format, much like a radiator, the interleaving structural elements, join together to form a self-supporting yet extremely strong and flexible structure. The elements which make up the structure are porous lightweight and analogous to bone. It is envisaged that the construction will make use of rapid prototyping techniques on an industrial scale with integrated services technology. These elements are then horizontally braced with walkways and lift cores.

Vertical farms

 

Within the leisure zoned tower, additional  atria are created to house a range of agricultural activities thus making the aim of self-sustainability an achievable goal when allied to the range of personal and communal garden solutions allowed by the proposal.

Sustainability,  energy,  microclimate

 

The aims of a building of this type is to act as an energy generator, hence the form mimicking that of the radiator. The blade-like surfaces of the structure house microturbines  and solar surfaces in the porous  blade-like structure these are used to drive  local amenities , energy generated is stored and exchanged through the structure and  surface of the building .at its highest levels temperature differentials, create precipitate , which can be  encouraged , dissuaded used immediately ,or  stored  for reuse  as directed by the control mechanisms contained within each zone.

Zoning

 

The three main elements of residential, leisure and work are located within the vertical elements of the tower, whilst retail sits within the landscape mounds which appear to rise and descend from the aerial parks.

Residential elements are disposed within the diagrid structure, cradled such that they can be interconnected to form more or less complex arrangements as required.