- Site-specific cases
After decades of uncontrolled development, China aims to become the locomotive of sustainable development. To showcase a new era for the future of the country, Chinese Institutions invited design agencies and institutions to design new models of green buildings for a demonstration district in Changzhou. Our awarded proposal, the Bamboo Office, is a building model in which architectural, bioclimatic and environmental aspects converge. The prefab structure, made primarily of locally available glued laminated bamboo, has been designed to connect employers with nature, by constantly perceiving the passage of time and seasons during the year, feeling the synergistic relationship between architecture and nature. A double-skin facade surrounded by 15 meters-tall bamboo plants, allows the optimal bioclimatic behaviour of the building during the different seasons, creating all around it the sensation to work surrounded by nature which consents to control and optimize the glaring amount.
The building is part of a masterplan developed by the Chinese Institutions in which participants have been invited to design green buildings to showcase a new sustainable era for the future of China. The whole area is located in the green building industry cluster demonstration district of Wujin District, Changzhou. Wujin green building industry cluster demonstration district is the only national green building industry cluster demonstration district.
The Bamboo Office is one of the winners of the "1st International Design Building Competition", promoted by the "Chinese Sustainable Design Centre" and the "China New Building Materials Design & Research Institute". The Bamboo Office is a proposal in which architectural, bioclimatic and environmental aspects converge. The main goal of the design is to connect future employers with nature.
The structure is conceived by using glued laminated bamboo beam and columns with metal hidden connections, allowing the aware use of local resources reaching a high level of sustainability also in the use of natural and recyclable materials. The building program features a reception area, characterized by double-height space and a big curtain wall, an exhibition area, a bookshop, open space offices, meeting rooms, a lounge space with kitchen, private and executive offices and a conference hall.
The use of a bamboo shading system to protect the transparent walls avoids overheating of the surfaces exposed to the east, west and south but at the same time guarantees a supply of energy important passive solar system; the double-skin façade guarantees an optimal distribution of natural ventilation while the use of a massive and well-insulated envelope on the north side can guarantee a high standard of performance to reduce the energy demand.
The double-skin facade surrounded by 15 meters-tall bamboo plants allows the optimal bioclimatic behaviour of the building during the different seasons, permitting the heat to enter during the summer and the cool air to penetrate inside the building passively, using benefits of natural ventilation. Inside the double-skin facade, there is the "bamboo line", which consents to control and optimize the glaring amount, while permits the light to enter inside the building a diffuse way.
