First prize-Matthias Hollwich, SBA and Marc Kushner, AIA

Windscraper

Ever since the first air-conditioning system was installed in 1902, our interior world became independent from the world outside. Although this is sometimes called ‘efficient’, sealed buildings completely disassociate us from the natural world, leading to greater energy consumption and pollution, a key component of the global environmental crisis. In order to save us from the imminent ecological catastrophe, strategies of energy efficiency and sustainability must move beyond conservation: we need buildings that harvest the environment for energy, synergizing the building’s performance with natural forces.

In our concept, the building is equipped with an additional layer of wind energy harvesting technology that serves three main purposes.
First, it transforms wind energy into electrical energy using a wind-farm façade that is equipped with power-rod extensions and wind catchers resembling artificial leaves. A real-time display of environmental conditions, the technology is inspired by the research and development of Seabased Inc., a company responsible for a Swedish wave energy park where the movement of waves is translated into usable electrical energy.
Secondly, the façade acts like a tree canopy, generating calming sounds when the artificial leaves move, reconnecting the building’s occupants with the natural environment, and offering a new type of natural experience within a high-rise. Research has proven that when people inside of a building connect to the outside world they have a higher tolerance for climate discomfort, effectively lowering the need for excessive cooling and heating.
Last, the artificial leaves act as shading devices while allowing for a clear view of the sleek curtain wall, generating a new, open and stimulating relationship between the city and the formerly generic tower.

There are additional, exterior stairs (enclosed and open) that meander through the wind-harvesting leaves, allowing occupants to connect from floor to floor more efficiently. They also provide the opportunity to walk through the dynamic, vertical forest-like field.

The existing façade is retrofitted with high-performance Sentry Glass for transparency and strength. Alesta Eco Coating gives the wind catching façade its durable yet beautiful white glow.

Marc Kushner, AIA and Matthias Hollwich, SBA

Matthias Hollwich (b. Munich, 1971) and Marc Kushner (b. New York, 1977) founded HWKN (HOLLWICH KUSHNER LLC) in 2007. Early work, such as the MINI ROOFTOP NYC and MEtreePOLIS (an award-winning vision for Atlanta in 2100) have led to international acclaim and established HWKN’s role in current architectural discourse.

Current HWKN projects include the first retirement community in West Africa, an ice cream factory for Il Laboratorio Del Gelato in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, an array of residential work in New York City and a masterplan for the city of Dessau, Germany in conjunction with IBA 2010 (an international building exhibition). HWKN’s work has been published and exhibited worldwide and received many international awards.

In November 2009, Matthias and Marc, with Alex Diehl and Benjamin Prosky, launched ARCHITIZER, a website that revolutionizes the way architects interact, show their work, and find clients. It is an open community created by architects for architects, their fans, and clients. There are more than 28,000 members worldwide and growing.

Matthias Hollwich, a registered European Architect, regularly lectures and teaches at schools and institutions all over the world. He is currently a visiting professor at the University of Pennsylvania, where he has been the creator of an international conference on aging and architecture: New Aging, to be held this Fall at UPENN. In 2004 Matthias finished editing his first book with Rainer Weisbach at the Bauhaus. The title, UmBauhaus – Updating Modernism, is available in bookstores and online.

Since graduating from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design in 2004, Marc Kushner, AIA, has taught at Columbia GSAPP with Juergen Mayer and Marc Tsurumaki. He is currently teaching in the real estate development program at Columbia and speaking about media and architecture at events around the country. Marc’s writing has been published in magazines and books, including an upcoming article in A+D about humanity’s architectural future.

HOLLWICH KUSHNER LLC (HWKN)
200 VARICK STREET, SUITE 507B
NEW YORK, NY 10014
USA
T: +1-212-625-2320
E: INFO@HWKN.COM

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