When the Taichung Airport in Taiwan was relocated, city planners set about redeveloping the area into “a vibrant oasis” that showed off the latest and greatest in green technology and focusing on sustainable, symbiotic strategies. The result — the zero-emission Bionic-Arch.
The winning submission for the design competition, the Bionic-Arch by Vincent Callebaut Architects, has a budget of about $US85 billion US. It will be 100 per cent self-sufficient with CO2 zero-emission (that’s LEED Diamond certification) and integrate vertical forests and landscaping as well living facades on the walls and elevated gardens. It produces both sun and wind energy as well as employs botanical and bio-technologies to provide power the the buidling’s residents. At 119m, it will be the tallest building in Central Taiwan.
It’s still in the design stages now but I’ll be interested to see how it stacks up against the new World Trade Center when it’s complete. [Taichung Gateway Park International Competion via Evolo]
Image: Vincent Callebaut Architects