KfW Westarkade / Frankfurt
Sauerbruch Hutton has harnessed the power of wind to develop a model of passive ventilation, creating one of the first high-rise office buildings to consume less than 100KWh/sq m energy per year. The facade is entirely clad in a sawtooth skin of angled glazing, with each window separated by a slender, coloured panel, alternately fixed and pivoting. This forms the outer layer of a 700mm-deep double-skin facade, which operates as a “pressure ring”. Unlike a conventional double-skin system, the cavity is not ventilated by means of a stack effect, but instead by exploiting wind pressure and suction at the lee side of the tower. During warmer months, the motorised flaps on the south-west and north-east elevations open to allow air to flow through the cavity, while during cooler times of year the flaps are closed, allowing air to be preheated before entering the offices. The KfW Westarkade was awarded “Best Tall Building in the World 2011” by the Council of Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, Chicago (CTBUH)
Size: 3446px × 5180px
Photo credit: © Igor Prahin / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
Keywords: architecture, bank, colorful, corporate, design, exterior, financial, frankfurt, germany, hutton, kfw, sauerbruch, skyscraper, westarkade
