Designers' Hub

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268196

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NEW EUROPEAN BAUHAUS RISING STARS : concepts or ideas submitted by young talents (aged 30 or less)

Project title

Designers' Hub

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Description

The Designers’ Hub is a completely demountable green office building that provides important voice in the discussion on the future of architecture. It contributes to solving the problem of aging buildings by a circular design and reconnects the human with natural environment. This human symbiosis with ecosystem is currently one of the most urgent architectural and urban issues in relation to the Earth's ecosystem and the Designers’ Hub can be the answer to improve our connection with nature.

Where is your concept/idea being developed or intended to be implemented in the EU?

Please provide a summary of your concept/ idea

As architects, we often notice that the context of our design changes even before the building is completed. Rapid social, financial and ecological changes accelerate aging of buildings, so they become abandoned even long before their physical death. As a result, we end up with huge number of abandoned buildings which is constantly increasing and their demolition, or even adaptation generates huge amounts of cost and construction waste leading to soil and air contamination. It turns out that the overall efforts to create eco-friendly buildings are incomplete because they cover only a part of a building's existence. Then, attempts to save a building are often unprofitable due to huge costs and once magnificent buildings become neglected ruins and it happens when a building cannot successively adapt to constant changes. The project of the Designers’ Hub in Milan is a response not only to the above-mentioned issues, but also to the need of reconnecting people with nature through providing high-quality green office space. As people spend about 90% of their lifespan indoors, it is extremely important to consider how buildings affect the quality of life and health of their users. Thus, the simple initial shape of the building results from 2 things: the surrounding context and the specificity of the construction technology, which allows for easy assembly and disassembly. It also helps to keep minimal number of different elements, which is justified to reduce construction cost and waste. Park areas on both sides are connected through the connecting tree planted in the center of the building to symbolize intertwining of surrounding greenery with the interior. The building is divided into a permanent part and temporary part according to the amount of sunlight. The permanent part is placed on the north-east and includes essential supplies. While the temporary part with large access to daylight can be completely adjusted for future needs.

Please give information about the key objectives of your concept/idea in terms of sustainability and how these would be met

Sustainable design also means circular, so the entire building is completely demountable and can be easily modified for ever-changing needs, as all building’s components can be reused in a circular manner. For this purpose, the construction is limited to minimum and consists of modular elements which are lightweight, so they can be dismantled by human without use of heavy machinery. It is worth noting the building's structural elements also act as a frame for external face simultaneously, what reduces the carbon footprint at the production stage. Moreover, the designed walking paths are extension of the existing park area is such a way, that if the building would be dismantled, its natural arrangement will allow for continuous communication. One of the most important design assumptions is to cover the entire building with extensive greenery creating the mobile urban garden, what is the response to the air quality in Milan. For this purpose, a second-skin façade was designed with 657 movable boxes with plants. Their function has been carefully thought out and meets several needs. It naturally filters and diffuses daylight and thus prevents glare. It also further strengthens the relationship between the interior and the surrounding park. The extensive implementation of greenery on the roof, as well as around the building improves its microclimate, reduces heat loss, and prevents overheating of the plants itself. It is possible due to the chimney effect (the outflow of the warm air from behind the plants), which appears in the space between the green façade and the plants. It also filters the air, what is the answer to predominantly moderate air quality in Milan. Moreover, it creates the mobile urban garden that can be inhabited by local fauna, e.g., birds and butterflies. It is worth noting the mobile urban garden has its own structure and is completely independent of the building, so in case of disassembly, it can be easily integrated into the local park.

Please give information about the key objectives of your concept/idea in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience beyond functionality and how these would be met

The building is characterized by a compact, simple body consisting of repeatable modular elements that can be up-cycled or re-used as a structure for another building in the future. These components make the project universal, but at the same time, undermines its identity. To prevent this, the second-skin façade was developed, which can be completely up-cycled in case of building’s disassembly. Apart from this, the second-skin façade gives the building many new functionalities. It is worth to notice that it reflects the idea of adaptability, which plays a key role at the design stage of the Designers Hub. Thanks to it, the building can not only accept various changes of the interior arrangement, but also its external structure can adapt to future needs. Although, the second-skin façade is treated as a cloth – the creation of fashion designers and, just like fashion, it can change and adapt to current trends, needs, or to the imagination of the Designers’ Hub users. Through to the second-skin façade, the building informs already from the outside about the adaptive possibilities of the space hidden behind. Whereas its original arrangement further strengthens the relationship between the interior and the surrounding park. Moreover, the concept of three types of lighting developed by Richard Kelly has become the main principle of the overall lighting design for the Designers’ Hub. Thus, the play of light and shadow is used to create various atmospheres. The luminaires in the office spaces provide the ambient luminescence. The Connecting Tree in the atrium is illuminated by spotlights, which gives the impression of the focal glow and enhances its symbolic meaning. Whereas the second-skin façade is backlighted by the wall mounted luminaires (warm white light with the colour temperature of 3000 K) in order to emphasize its material and complex geometry.

Please give information about the key objectives of your concept/idea in terms of inclusion and how these would be been met

The building is enriched with solutions encouraging interaction not only between its users but also with nature. For this purpose, the second-skin facade is designed in such a way that it can be used by people of all ages in multiple ways: as a background for events, illumination, exhibition, open-air cinema or climbing wall. Moreover, the building’s fifth elevation serves as a roof terrace that is open for visitors to create a leisure space equipped with 41 boxes with greenery and 6 benches, that are available to everyone as a part of the mobile urban garden. The concept implements several assumptions of universal design, which is addressed not only to disabled people, but to all users. These are facilities concerning flexibility in use and low physical effort, e.g., fully mobile and adjustable furniture. The office space is integrated with mobile biotic walls and potted plants within the visual range of workstations which has a positive impact on the air quality, productivity and satisfaction of employees (Shin, W. S., Scand. J. For. Res.; Nieuwenhuis, M.; et. al., J. Exp. Psychol. Appl.). The building is enriched with several leisure zones (activity-based work). The costs of construction and maintenance are reduced due to several solutions. The use of prefabricated modular structure gives wide possibilities of interior modification and adaptation of the entire building to current needs. It also allows for easy extension of the facility by installing subsequent modules at any time throughout the entire life of the building. Modifications may occur depending on the increase or decrease in demand or economic situation, that reduces the risk of financial loss for the owner. In this regard, the main advantages are significant reduction of the implementation time and costs, compared to standard construction, and thus – lower rental costs. Moreover, the use of this construction technology is beneficial in terms of ecology, as it allows to minimize construction waste.

Please explain the innovative character of your concept/ idea

One of the greatest advantages of the building is its minimal impact on the environment, thanks to the use of revolutionary construction technology and the mobile urban garden. As a result, the building can be completely dismantled or adapted to the constantly changing needs following the circular design concept. Furthermore, the building uses the new Double Dynamic Lighting concept (DDL) based on the latest scientific research in the field of healthy lighting. It relies on the lighting system that responses to daylight conditions and adjusts the emitted light spectrum and intensity automatically to support natural light. This solution helps to create healthy work environment as it does not disrupt the employee’s circadian clock. Furthermore, it also can contribute to improve employee satisfaction and productivity. The catenary lighting system is used for illumination of the designed area to continue existing lighting system of the central square and park. As an alternative method of illuminating the bicycle path, a solar-powered glowing surface can be used. Such a surface contains phosphor, which at night emits the light absorbed during the sunny day. Therefore, this innovative solution allows to reduce CO2 emission and lighting costs. The building’s interior uses innovative green technology, such as honeycomb cardboard partitions is currently little known, but it has a great potential. The material comes from upcycled honeycomb cardboards and due to numerous voids in its structure provides high acoustic insulation and is exceptionally light (easy to assemble and disassemble).

Please detail the plans you have for the further development, promotion and/or implementation of your concept/idea, with a particular attention to the initiatives to be taken before May 2022

This project is an important voice in the discussion on the future of architecture and the architect's role as environmentally responsible. It clearly promotes solutions that have positive impact on human and his surroundings, with particular emphasis on preserving the natural environment. The development plans for this project during the year following the competition year include the publication of a research paper based on the work, that has been partially presented here. The location of the building surrounded by world-famous architects can draw the attention of all people to the current problem of buildings’ obsolescence and need of the proper lighting strategy, that jointly may contribute to strengthening the trend based on the symbiosis between human and nature. Therefore, the architecture of the future is primarily the ability to adapt to ever-changing conditions. Finally, the use of ecological solutions contributes to raise of the social awareness and promotes healthy habits. The presented concept has been created based on interdisciplinary scientific research and promotes the so-called research-based practice. It demonstrates that the use of interdisciplinary knowledge can contribute to reconnect the man-made environment with the natural environment. This human symbiosis with surrounding ecosystem is currently one of the most urgent architectural and urban issues in relation to the Earth's ecosystem and the Designers’ Hub can be the answer to improve our connection with nature.

By ticking this box, you declare that all the information provided in this form is factually correct, that the proposed concept/idea has not been proposed for the New European Bauhaus Rising Stars Awards more than once in the same category.