This seductive and vibrant, active, no energy façade is a prototype, developed by young Catalan architects Adrià Escolano and Maria Ubach, and is the outcome of their investigation on the contemporary, smart envelopes and their successful integration. The aim was to design not only a skin that performs successfully, but also a responsive envelope that actively interacts with exterior and interior conditions.

This specific prototype is developed for Mediterranean countries, in this particular case for Barcelona region and the design is a progressive and refreshing solution for the traditional interior courtyard glass façade – the gallery. The active envelope directly reacts to the amount of solar radiation on vertical surface, therefore using the most constant and powerful energy source in Barcelona, confirming that the Spain is one of most advanced countries in the development of solar energy.

Consisted of watertight plastic 90x30x25cm containers on a steel substructure, façade is a set of elements which store differently colored liquids, forming dynamic and amusing proposal for interior façade of a typical Barcelona building. Reacting to the different amounts of solar radiation, façade elements rotate, providing necessary natural ventilation to the inner courtyard-oriented rooms. The rotation of façade units is based on principle of equilibrium – when temperature increases, the liquid in the container reaches its evaporation state and its centroid gets shifted. The container further rotates until reaching stability again. The number of units reacting is defined by different pressures inside the unit, so the façade openings vary. Read the rest of this entry »

Winners of the international competition for the visitor complex at the Paleolithic cave paintings were recently announced – Casson Mann, Duncan Lewis and Snøhetta are the authors of the awarded entry for Lascaux IV. The proposal – subterranean complex of chambers and tunnels, is conserving the integrity of this historic site, while affording great exhibition spaces for visitors.

Low-rise structure, folding up from the landscape, gives the shelter to 17,300 years old historic paintings. Interiors of the complex are dramatically lit by shafts of sunlight. The images, discovered in 1940, have been closed to the public since 1963, due to the carbon dioxide emission from visitors, which caused severe damages to the paintings. The complex design process was happening simultaneously in two parallel realms – exhibition designers at Casson Mann were creating the architecture of the spectacle, while the architects at Snøhetta and Duncan Lewis were developing protective environment for the cave paintings. Read the rest of this entry »