Proposed by NYC-based architecture firm REX, these office skyscrapers (reserved for an unnamed media company headquartered in the Middle East) are come equipped with giant, parasol-like shades to be automatically deployed on sunny days. Each "umbrella" is twelve-sided, concave in the center, and built to open or retract in just 60 seconds. When all the umbrellas open at once, they overlap to create a 700-foot-tall curtain that veils the entirety of the two structures. Meant to reference traditional Arabic Mashrabiya panelling, both sides of each building will come with sun-blocking walls, though only one side will activate at a time, depending on the sun's location. If that's not tech-y enough, the façades also would become LED TV screens, ready to broadcast content across the city. Take a look, below, then head over to The Verge to see the building in action.
· Skyscraper concept blocks the sun with hundreds of retractable umbrellas [The Verge]