Active gallery, Adrià Escolano, Maria Ubach, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain, active facade, no energy facade, active envelope, sustainable design, solar energy

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.

This versatile, highly flexible, no energy building skin changes through day and night, and through different seasons. It is final result of a research developed at Barcelona Institute of Architecture.

Active gallery, Adrià Escolano, Maria Ubach, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain, active facade, no energy facade, active envelope, sustainable design, solar energy

Active gallery, Adrià Escolano, Maria Ubach, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain, active facade, no energy facade, active envelope, sustainable design, solar energy

Active gallery, Adrià Escolano, Maria Ubach, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain, active facade, no energy facade, active envelope, sustainable design, solar energy

Active gallery, Adrià Escolano, Maria Ubach, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain, active facade, no energy facade, active envelope, sustainable design, solar energy

Active gallery, Adrià Escolano, Maria Ubach, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain, active facade, no energy facade, active envelope, sustainable design, solar energy

 

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