The new UNIPOL Directional Center is inserted in a context of great urban importance between Piazza Gae and Garibaldi Station. The volume of the tower has been shaped to enhance the visibility in its context, through a compact and tapered geometry that emphasizes the vertical development, and the elegance of its forms with a glazed envelope of elliptical development.
The reinforced concrete structures of the central core have been realized with the 'climbing formwork' method. The external envelope consists of an elliptical steel diagrid supporting one floor every 3 floors and the external facade. The slabs resting on the diagrid support the two floors below via steel pendants.
The tower has been conceived as a sustainable and innovative building from the point of view of energy efficiency: the skeleton of the building is formed by a double layer with a cavity that will help to insulate against cold in winter and prevent excessive heat in summer.
LEED Platinum building sustainability rating.
Project developed with BIM methodology.
Total SLP 14'630 sqm; total height 120 m (23 floors).
The large vertical atrium on the southwest side acts as a bioclimatic buffer. During the winter it acts as a greenhouse, reducing heat loss from the envelope and retaining free solar gains. During the summer it opens to the outside through the skylight at the top and uses the chimney effect to naturally ventilate the entire space and offer solar protection to the office spaces behind.
The crown of the tower has the function of sky-garden and hosts the bioclimatic greenhouse. In winter, thanks to a mobile system of photovoltaic blades, the greenhouse remains closed and stores solar gains. In summer, the slats exclude direct solar radiation and provide adequate shading, while maximizing the production of electricity from renewable sources. Basal and top openings allow you to benefit from the effect of through-ventilation.
The internal layout concentrates most of the offices on the north side, maximizing the benefits of diffuse light and offering the possibility to overlook the adjacent park. The glazed envelope also allows optimal penetration of natural light into the interior.
