Projects, concepts and ideas you would like to see in South African cities, from suburbs to CBD's. Find interesting ideas, and add them!

GreenPix: Zero Energy Media Wall
Bringing life and colour to dark spaces.

GreenPIX, the Zero Energy Media Wall by Simone Giostra & Partners and ARUP.

This curtain wall covers the front of the Xicui entertainment complex in Beijing, near the site of the 2008 Olympic Games. It features the worlds largest color LED display, powered by a photovoltaic system integrated into the glass curtain wall.


Cost: Approx. R5 million for 24,000sqm

Where: I think it should be used to transform the dark and dull mindset we have of public transport zones/areas in South Africa. From dirty, grimy areas to colourful, light filled spaces.

Why: Its at the cutting edge of green technology, surprisingly not too expensive and the technology has been tested before. The variety of colours and options ensures a vibrant and constantly changing interface with the public.

http://www.archdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/00-02.jpg
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^^ That's a lot cheaper than it looks like it should be. It would look excellent if used in the correct places here.

Still need to confirm the price but thats what I've found out so far.

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/817/cocorls1thumb5800192.jpg
http://i44.tinypic.com/2eq5hea.jpg

http://i43.tinypic.com/ka3ecn.jpg

http://i41.tinypic.com/292v8cy.jpg

http://i43.tinypic.com/2cqkymv.jpg

http://i39.tinypic.com/30abdqo.jpg

http://i41.tinypic.com/xm8orl.jpg
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/8613/ffffh.jpg

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^^ That's a lot cheaper than it looks like it should be. It would look excellent if used in the correct places here.

the problem isn't the price but if we have enough skilled people to do it
heres a big as one in luanda angola for the china international fund tower
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3485/3248919616_60eb8e510d_b.jpg
the chinese seem to enjoy these type of projects

Indeed they do.

I like this facade. The building is actually a casino, shopping centre, hotel etc. and to combine the defined shapes of each structure, it was wrapped in this facade.

In the exterior facades, a second skin was designed to simultaneously attain various objectives: volumetrically it becomes a sort of “dress” that gives the building unity while subtly revealing its different parts, and allowed larger flexibility to undertake the constant changes requested and introduced while developing the project. Secondly, it presents the building as a large urban lamp that constitutes a Casino image avoiding the superimposition of lit signs over a totally hermetic structure. Thirdly, it behaves as a ventilated façade, diminishing direct sunlight exposure thus improving thermal performance. Finally, this skin defines exterior intermediate spaces by creating a realm of belonging that controls the relationship of the building with its difficult context successfully. It is in this fashion, this intermediate space mediates between the interior and the streets and parking zones; this occurs both in the main entrance and in the two restaurant terraces. In the second level, this spaces amount to a garden-terrace that becomes the foyer to the convention and exposition spaces. At the third level, the space of the large roof garden west of the hotel rooms becomes contained, in its perimeter, by this second skin, thus allowing control of the hotel views by hiding the shopping mall’s roof but permitting further views of Talca.

As for the building’s thermal conditioning, besides this double skin system, thermal isolation for the main parts of the casino and convention spaces was also obtained through the roof gardens described above together with a high percentage of isolated interior-exterior walls. A “free cooling” A/C system was introduced, which acts by stopping mechanical cooling and injecting exterior air when interior temperature is higher, a recurrent situation for this type of program.

http://www.archdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/18832660_2-fotos-rodrigo-duque-18r.jpg
http://www.archdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/176175068_12-casino-talca-guy-wenborn-23r.jpg
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This stuff is all very beautiful and all, but the problem seems to be maintenance. Let's take the Coke-sign which was placed on Marble Towers for example... Didn't last long at all. It was taken down. Same goes for the lighting which was put on the Hillbrow Tower. Looked great in the beginning, then had a couple of blackouts, and now there are a few lights which don't quite seems to shine as brightly any more. If you want to install it, you HAVE to be prepared to keep it in top shape. Otherwise it just looks KAK.

This stuff is all very beautiful and all, but the problem seems to be maintenance. Let's take the Coke-sign which was placed on Marble Towers for example... Didn't last long at all. It was taken down. Same goes for the lighting which was put on the Hillbrow Tower. Looked great in the beginning, then had a couple of blackouts, and now there are a few lights which don't quite seems to shine as brightly any more. If you want to install it, you HAVE to be prepared to keep it in top shape. Otherwise it just looks KAK.

I highly doubt the second skin of this building is high maintenance. Some structures don't need maintenance.
Example: The facade of Green Point stadium maintains itself by a self cleaning system when it rains.

What a horrible looking building.

This stuff is all very beautiful and all, but the problem seems to be maintenance. Let's take the Coke-sign which was placed on Marble Towers for example... Didn't last long at all. It was taken down. Same goes for the lighting which was put on the Hillbrow Tower. Looked great in the beginning, then had a couple of blackouts, and now there are a few lights which don't quite seems to shine as brightly any more. If you want to install it, you HAVE to be prepared to keep it in top shape. Otherwise it just looks KAK.


I remember the Coke sign on top of Marble Towers, I wish they could put something else or removed those metals on top as they look horrible. I thought Cell C use that space.

Those steel wires do look horrible.

I highly doubt the second skin of this building is high maintenance. Some structures don't need maintenance.
Example: The facade of Green Point stadium maintains itself by a self cleaning system when it rains.

I'm talking about everything else above... everything that is electronic.

I remember the Coke sign on top of Marble Towers, I wish they could put something else or removed those metals on top as they look horrible. I thought Cell C use that space.

Does any one know the official reason it was removed? It was so cool:(

I like this. Smart. Simple covered indoor and outdoor space.

http://www.archicentral.com/wp-content/images/53.jpghttp://www.archicentral.com/wp-content/images/unbenannt-216.jpghttp://www.archicentral.com/wp-content/images/72.jpg

I like this. Smart. Simple covered indoor and outdoor space.

http://www.archicentral.com/wp-content/images/53.jpghttp://www.archicentral.com/wp-content/images/unbenannt-216.jpghttp://www.archicentral.com/wp-content/images/72.jpg

V. cool. Clever. I like it.