Design inspirations
One design inspiration that immediately came to my mind was the main building for the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD), a public university located in Toronto, Ontario. I used to walk by this building every day on my way to classes during undergrad and always admired its architectural and structural design, especially the black and white “tabletop” structure standing on 12 multi-coloured steel legs. To me, an exhibition space that serves as a model and inspiration for green building enthusiasts should also be eye-catching and draw attention from potential visitors before they even walk in.
Another beauty of this unusual structure is that it redeems and enlivens the public space below the suspended college building, which is also one of my design goals. The long-span inclined column construction and a lateral system focused back to a rigid core with a small footprint demonstrated new possibilities for designers working in condensed urban environments (link), which are common settings for exhibition centers as well. Such buildings should exist harmonously with nature as a part of their sustainable design strategies.
Big feature ideas
- One idea is to use VR to create an interactive experience that demonstrate sustainable design principles. As the visitors walk through parts of the building with their VR headsets, they will be able to view the design decisions and hidden components behind this eco-friendly building.
- For example, we can implement and showcase water-saving technologies such as rainwater harvesting systems, and greywater reuse. Shedding light on these systems will help educate visitors on sustainable water practices in building design.
- We can also design the center using recycled and upcycled materials that are labeled accordingly to demonstrate the possibilities of sustainable construction. The labels could also explain the benefits of using such materials and their environmental impact.
- Installing interactive energy monitoring systems throughout the center, similar to the colored wall panels in Y2E2, would be effective in displaying energy consumption and efficiency. Real-time displays can educate visitors on how their actions impact energy usage.
- To make the most use of available heat and light in a climate perfect for 'nighttime cooling’, the center should be designed to draw in cool air all night and close to keep out hot air during the day. This can be achieved by installing windows that open and shut automatically as controlled by heat-sensing monitors, as well as maximizing open space and using suitable interior materials (link).
