The new Abu Dhabi Investment Council Headquarters will be housed in 25-storey twin office towers in the United Arab Emirates which will each accommodate between 1,000 and 1,100 employees.
The design concept is both culturally and environmentally appropriate and complies with the aspirations of the recently published 2030 Abu Dhabi Development Plan.
The south facing roofs of each tower incorporate photo-voltaic cells, generating approximately five percent of the total required energy from renewable energy sources.
The cocoon-like buildings are based on a pre-rationalised geometric form, fine-tuned via parametric design tools to achieve optimal wall to floor area ratio.
A solar-responsive dynamic shading screen further decreases solar gain. This ‘Mashrabiya’ acts as a secondary skin that mediates daylight and reduces glare. The system is driven by renewable energy derived from the photo voltaic panels.
Al Bahar Towers are expected to use much less air conditioning as a result of their external screens. And whereas most buildings in the region feature heavily tinted windows, relying largely on artificial interior lighting instead, Al Bahar Towers was able to reduce that necessity considerably, allowing a much better level of natural light inside.
