Green Screen Eco-friendliness is the new sexy in architecture. Can you name the architects of these structures that prove green is definitely in?

Green Screen

Eco-friendliness is the new sexy in architecture. Can you name the architects of these TUSVDUVSFTUIBUQSPWFHSFFOJTEFmOJUFMZJO

Written by Mel Patrick Kasingsing Illustrated by Eldry John Infante

2 San Miguel Corporation Building

A modernist ziggurat occupying one of the last patches of green in the increasingly crowded business district of Ortigas Center, the San Miguel Building is a pioneering landmark that made the integration of greenery and eco-friendly features fundamental to its design. The building incorporated ample greenery on its terraces and had slanted windows that helped deflect unwanted heat and light. The landscaping was lush and replete with decade-old trees which remain to this day. Changes, like the addition of parking spaces, ate up some of the green spaces. Likewise, the desire of the original landscape architect to have soft plant barriers instead of walls to demarcate the lot has given way to present-day security needs. The architects were said to be heavily influenced by the forms of the Banaue Rice Terraces, something that also inspired the architecture of its unlucky neighbor, the nowp yg demolished Benguet Center by Leandro V. Locsin.demolished Benguet Center by Leandro V. Locsin

4 Oasia Hotel O

The Oasia Hotel is a definite standout The O amidst the glass and metal-clad amid Singapore skyline. Incorporating a Singa striking red aluminum mesh façade striki interspersed with lush greenery, inters this 27-storey hotel was designed this 2 to attract biodiversity back into the to att city. Achieving a green-to-plot ratio city. of 1,100%, it effectively atones for of 1,1 the environmental sins and lack of the e green spaces of ten of its neighboring gree buildings. 21 species of creepers make ebuild their way up the tower’s rounded form, m, their which is punctured by multi-storey sky ywhic gardens. These outdoor public spaces garde were designed by the architects as were oversized verandas, allowing cross overs ventilation to occur. Outdoor furniture venti queen and Renaissance woman quee Patricia Urquiola takes command of the Patri hotel’s tropical-inspired interiors. hote

1

Bosco Verticale

Trees on buildings? This quintessential example has 900 trees, 5,000 shrubs, and 11,000 floral plants distributed between two residential towers, aptly named Bosco Verticale, in Milan, Italy. The multi-awarded development was designed not just to spur urban development in the business district of Porta Nuova but to encourage more green spaces in the city and contribute to better air quality. The logistical and construction challenges a project of this nature (pun intended) required the involvement of a battalion of botanists and horticulturists who were consulted on its feasibility, upkeep, and sustainability. 28-cm thick steel balconies and 1.3-meter parapets help keep the plants and trees rooted and sufficiently supported.

3 One Central Park

Our next building hoards up the green credentials like it’s Our next building hoa going out of style. For starters, Sydney’s One Central Park going out of style. Fo towers’ design incorporates the world’s tallest vertical garden towers’ design incorp system on its façade, rising the full length of the East Tower’s system on its façade, 166-meter height. This living wall is home to 250 species of 166-meter height. Th endemic Australian plant life and was designed by the inventor endemic Australian p of the green wall himself, botanist Patrick Blanc. To ensure of the green wall him enough sunlight reaches the development’s landscaping enough sunlight reac below, an array of 220 fixed mirrors, called heliostats, cantilever below, an array of 220 from the taller East Tower’s 28th floor, and reflect light captured from the taller East To by an assembly of motorized mirrors 100 meters below the by an assembly of mo cantilever, on the roof of the shorter West ca Tower. Come dusk, the heliostat array To doubles as a light installation crafted by do renowned light artist Yann Kersalé. Aside ren from having its own low-carbon natural gas fro power plant, something your condo probably po couldn’t brag about, One Central Park is ouldn’t brag about, One Central Park isc also home to the world’s largest membrane so home to the world’s largest membraneal bioreactor recycled water facility, which oreactor recycled water facility, whichbi helps process the rainwater collected from elps process the rainwater collected from h various parts of the development. rious parts of the development.va

5 The Babylon The Babylon

No points for anyone who’s figured out this hotel’s namesake. Unlike the Hanging No points for anyone who’s figured out this hotel’s namesake. Unlike the Hanging Gardens of Babylon though, The Babylon Hotel in Da Nang exists, but only if you can Gardens of Babylon though, The Babylon Hotel in Da Nang exists, but only if you can find it under the copious greenery that covers it. An L-shaped three-story structure find it under the copious greenery that covers it. An L-shaped three-story structure covered with 5-by-15cm vertical concrete louvers, The Babylon makes use of its ‘green screen’ to provide privacy for its guests, sheathe the hotel from the main road, as well as help the structure blend in with its natural surroundings. With the abundance of plants deflecting direct sunlight and, thus, aiding in the cooling of the interiors, the architects go so far as to call the hotel’s façade, ‘heat resistant’. VTN Architects

5.

WOHA,

4.

Ateliers Jean Nouvel,

3.

Mañosa Brothers and IP Santos,

2.

Stefan Boeri and Boeri Studio,

Answers: 1.