The building’s intelligent element is a sheet of foil, something normally used in smartphones, integrated into its glass structure. In context of a building façade, this is a global first. Interactive liquid crystals integrated into the foil allows for a sensor-controlled reduction in light and heat transfer to the building without any negative impact on transparency. The building requires hardly any cooling, even at the height of summer although it feature large-scale glazing and does not possess any structural shading elements.
Extensive glazing and the corresponding effect this has on the way people relate to their environment is an emotionally important aspect of well-being and a significant factor in 3deluxe’s building concepts. Intelligent glass is also helpful in the innovative design of people-friendly architecture and a technological innovation that will be necessary for planning smart cities.
Intention in 3deluxe’s building design was to combine innovation, sustainability, efficiency and a meaningful arrangement, so as to create a distinctive composition. A cube offered the most economical ratio between outside surface and volume, thus representing the most efficient building shape from a sustainability viewpoint. The cubes are twisted in opposite directions and stand on a large floating podium under which an open underground parking lot is located. Because of the striking, organically-shaped, story-spanning windows, the cubes merge to produce a sculptural overall effect with a varying appearance. These open-plan office premises are well lit from all sides and offer pleasant views.
To avoid birds crashing they came up with the kind of delicate, semitransparent pattern printed onto the glazing of which birds would be aware but which would not spoil the view. The outside lighting was designed to take the form of insect-friendly LED lights with a low beam height and focused lighting on the surfaces, without light emission into the surroundings.