From the architects who brought us the Burj Khalifa and Kingdom Tower now comes the energy-conscious construction of the ‘Crazy Kazakh City’—aka Kazakhstan’s Astana Expo City 2017. Designed by the tower-loving firm of Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, Expo City’s 28 buildings are meant to embody the theme of "Future Energy" and will thus incorporate just about every passive and active energy-saving trick in the book.
The site underwent extensive study so that each structure would be optimally placed to take advantage of sun, wind, and other weather conditions for energy generation. All the glass used on site will have a special glazing to maximize solar gain in the winter and provide shade in the summer. The structures have also been designed to harvest rainwater, and the majority of the site’s energy sources will be renewable.
"The forms and language of the buildings were designed to reduce their energy needs and operate as ‘power plants’ that harness energy from the sun and/or wind," said AS+GG Partner Gordon Gill. "The buildings will use the power directly or supply it to the district-wide smart grid for storage or use."
The design of the 430-acre site is centered around a massive spherical building, with various commercial and cultural pavilions fanning out from the center and smaller structures and parking areas beyond that.
Once the event has concluded in September of 2017, the city will be transformed into a sustainable community with residential, cultural, and office buildings. After the completion of phase two, the new neighborhood will consume 59 percent less energy than an equivalent development.
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