The “Clean Technology Tower” is a highly efficient building which will be constructed in Chicago. The tower will have wind turbines positioned at the corners of the building, to capture wind at its highest velocity as it accelerates around the tower. At the apex, where wind speeds are at a maximum, a domed double roof cavity directs the wind towards an array of wind turbines. The negative pressure created by the turbines will be used to ventilate interior spaces. The dome itself is shaded by solar cells that capture the southern sun.
The complex includes over 1.8 million square feet of office space as well as a 300,000 square foot hotel, a spa and street-level retail.
It was designed by Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill, the same firm who designed the recently featured solar Masdar Headquarters.
This tower in Chicago is an evolution of the Pearl River Tower which both Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill were responsible for while at SOM. Where Pearl River used the face of the building to funnel wind into two large turbine zones this design uses an array of smaller turbines at the corners of the building to catch the wind at its highest velocity.
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
great idea to bring people closer to the process and actually see the turbines.
I wonder about the noise all the turbines lower down the building will create it could be difficult sleeping
I think this idea rules – hoping that other buildings will have that as well in the future. In Copenhagen, Denmark ( my home town) they are creating hanging gardens on the buildings =)
I’m confused, is the plan to use the turbines to generate electricity, or to just provide ventilation to the lower floors?
Great design.
I do like an idea of a building that is somewhat independent from external energy sources.
“I wonder about the noise all the turbines lower down the building will create it could be difficult sleeping”
Those vertical axis turbines are not nearly as noisy as the traditional ones and I suspect that they can do a lot with sound proofing in the design. It is something that the designers would need to be aware of but I suspect that it is not an insurmountable problem.
Guy –
The turbines do both.
Justin
Looks like the worlds biggest whistle to me.
Terrible idea!
The only reason nobody has been killed by a wind turbine is that there is usually nobody around when it fails! As a turbine designer I would have to double my safety factors to be able to sleep at night, and dont even get me started on the huge oscillating structural loads created by a turbine. Most turbines, therefore, only have a life of 20 years , I would hope that you would like your building to last a bit longer than this. I love wind turbines but I wouldn’t want to live within 500 mtrs of one.
tq for giving me the idea to design my architectural project.