Seeking a new relationship between thermodynamics, human behavior, and high-rise construction, this project proposes a stacked tower containing an old age home and a university. Whereas typical mixed-use buildings separate various functions, this project creates a “sandwich” of alternating floors that seeks new synergies.
By alternating programs with vastly different energy load schedules, the building can evenly spread capacity throughout the day and share excess heat between programs. In order to provide a usable floor plate and to allow for natural ventilation, a geometrically defined “minimal surface” mediates between wind patterns at ground level and at the roof level and slices through the building accordingly. The result is a dramatic outdoor atrium.
