With a focused look at sustainability, the Hong Kong-based architecture firm lO has been developing a series of research projects aimed at improving the quality of the built environment. One project, the Indigo Tower, takes an active stance and addresses the problem of urban pollution by helping purify the air of our cities through a combination of passive solar techniques and advanced nanotechnology.

Indigo Tower, render courtesy 10 Design

The high-rise tower pulls dirt, grease and bacteria out of the air. The cleansing reaction is triggered by the use of a nano coating of titanium dioxide (TiO2) on the outer skin of the tower. TiO2 is a very strong oxidation agent triggered by a photocatalyst reaction.

During the day the reaction is naturally powered by sunlight acting on the titanium dioxide skin. At night the reaction is maintained by a series of ultraviolet lights that are powered by energy collected from photovoltaic panels during the day.

Indigo Tower, render courtesy 10 Design

Glowing indigo object

The tower will be a glowing indigo object at night varying in intensity according to the amount of solar energy collected during the day. The indigo glow will become symbolic of the 24-hour cleansing; counteracting the haze that often dominates more and more cities around the world.

Indigo Tower, drawing courtesy 10 Design

The tower is split into three bars to increase the amount of surface area, provide southern light to the south face of each bar, and focus and increase wind speed. The added surface area allows for maximizing the amount of titanium dioxide that can be placed on the building—enhancing the amount of air being cleaned.

Indigo Tower, drawing courtesy 10 Design

The focused and increased wind speeds maximize the amount of air pushed across the titanium dioxide panels, provide cross ventilation for every unit in the towers, and power a series of vertical wind turbines. Positive pressure is created on the southern face of the towers and the resulting negative pressure on the northern façades creates optimal conditions for cross-ventilation. Careful attention has also been placed to prevent the backflow air from one unit into another. The nano coating has the added benefit of neutralizing bacteriological contamination.

Indigo Tower, drawing courtesy 10 Design

The skin design is inspired by the pocketed and cellular texture of the TiO2 molecule. A series of organic cells cover the building and are tapered to naturally collect the water, a byproduct of the skin's chemical reaction, and to collect and slowly release rainwater.

The skin pulls off of the building on the south façades to provide natural shading and pushes into the inner skin of the north façade to maximize daylight.

Public gathering places

A series of gardens are located at regular intervals all the way up the tower. They become public gathering spaces as well as marsh lands to collect the water from the chemical reactions of the skin and to filter and process gray water from the towers. The plants also turn the carbon dioxide, created in the chemical reaction of the skin, back into oxygen.

It is paramount to have the plants help maintain the base-level carbon neutrality. A large pool around the base of the tower is the final collection point of the filtered water, which goes to support a large amount of animal and plant life. Water is also pumped back up the towers from the pool to service toilets. Furthermore, the pool at the base acts as a heat sink for the release of the heat generated from a back-up air-conditioning system. Here, the heat is released slowly, thus helps reduce the heat island effect.

If all the buildings in a central business district followed the indigo technology, airborne pollution could be drastically reduced by up to 80 percent. Mere neutrality is not enough—new buildings must work together to enhance the quality of the physical environment. The lO team is currently working with manufacturers to construct a mockup of the skin for further testing.

The research projects are used as a means to advance sustainable designs within the firm and the results are often incorporated directly into current projects. Beyond the obvious environmental benefits, lO has realized the commercial value of advanced green technology. The sustainable technologies are catching on especially well in large-scale residential projects because they bring a better value to the individual units and gain tax credit from local governments.

+ Architect: 10 Design | http://www.10design.co

+ ALL IMAGES AND DRAWINGS COURTESY 10 DESIGN

Modernisation of the Berchtesgaden Youth Hostel– Design meets Adventure: Haus Untersberg – now open

LAVA‘s reinterpretation of an existing youth hostel has resulted in a completely new type of space. The transformation of the youth hostel is underway!

Berchtesgaden Youth Hostel - Haus Untersberg, image courtesy LAVA | Photo by Robert Pupeter

The design is all about the individuality of spaces – LAVA achieved this by the clever reorganisation of the existing volume resulting in different types of bedrooms.

And a sustainable makeover includes low energy facade, floor heating, the installation of a bimass pellet heating system and the use of local materials and craftsmanship.

Berchtesgaden Youth Hostel - Haus Untersberg, image courtesy LAVA | Photo by Tobias Wallisser

LAVA has set new precedents for future hostel guests with:

1. Multi-purpose areas, previously unknown in this type of accommodation
2. Authentic spatial features based on the location and the transformation of an historic building
3. Built-in furniture and integrated storage avoids the barracks-style appearance of the typical youth hostel.
4. The space is organised into visually coherent zones, with just a few key interventions.

Berchtesgaden Youth Hostel - Haus Untersberg, image courtesy LAVA | Photo by Robert Pupeter

Recent developments in the hotel sector reveal an increasing trend towards the 5-star luxury segment on one hand, and on the other, the growing appeal of the individually designed basic hotel.

Berchtesgaden Youth Hostel - Haus Untersberg, image courtesy LAVA | Photo by Robert Pupeter

LAVA‘s study found that the success of these hotel typologies in urban areas is based on a return to simple yet clearly defined concepts, combined with quality elements, materials, and furniture with spaces that stimulate activity, group interaction, and a sense of community.

Alexander Rieck, LAVA director, said:

Our study of hostel typologies found that the originality of the surroundings and the uniqueness of the experience creates an authentic concept.

Section, drawing courtesy LAVA

The Berchtesgaden Youth Hostel master plan allocates specific activities to specific building areas within the overall complex, and a reordering of function within an existing structural fabric.

The design of one building in the hostel, the Haus Untersberg, optimises contemporary requirements for family or group usage within this concept. The project’s first phase entailed the modernisation of this building, and was targeted at families. The existing room structure was opened up to facilitate higher quality rooms, each with it’s own bathroom.

Berchtesgaden Youth Hostel - Haus Untersberg, image courtesy LAVA | Photo by Robert Pupeter

As youth hostels boast a wide range of typologies ranging from hut to castle standardizing would be the wrong approach and so LAVA opted for creating different bedrooms using the old structure in different ways. This transformation of the old spaces includes a wooden ceiling of the old restaurant at ground floor made visible in the new rooms and unused space under the attic becomes a mezzanine level with additional beds open to the spaces below.

Tobias Wallisser, LAVA director, said:

the blending, overlapping and interlinking of different spheres influences society today. This constantly evolving process is what gives LAVA‘s Hostel Berchtesgaden form and shape by providing flexible but highly recognisable spaces. A special quality of comfort is achieved by integrating simple and efficient technology.

Zoning diagram, drawing courtesy LAVA

Ease of movement within each room is complemented by ample baggage storage and locker facilities. Built-in furniture zones enhance the look of each room, giving a contemporary twist to such furnishings as a bunk bed, which transforms into a cocoon.

These built-in zones also link internal parts of the building with the external – connections to the surrounding landscape are provided through large, panoramic “window boxes”, which cantilever from the façade and act as seating, table areas, viewing platforms and relaxation elements.

Berchtesgaden Youth Hostel - Haus Untersberg, image courtesy LAVA | Photo by Robert Pupeter

Throughout the building there is a recurring reinterpretation of specific elements – for example the original flag wall in the entrance foyer, featuring real flags, is now adorned with stripes of colour within which the national flag of each European country can be identified.

These strong bright colours contrast with the natural, regionally sourced materials, which feature quality fitting and meticulous workmanship for facades and furnishings. Particular attention was also paid to the reduction of overall energy usage resulting in a highly efficient building.

Chris Bosse, LAVA director, added:

The core experience is that of authenticity and simplicity within the hostel.

This pilot project with the German Youth Hostel Association in Bavaria is located to the south east of Munich. LAVA won the competition for the redesign in 2009. The other buildings in the Berchtesgaden Youth Hostel will be transformed over the next few years.

Further projects in other locations in Bavaria are currently being planned.

+ PROJECT CREDITS / DATA

Architect: LAVA -Laboratory for Visionary Architecture | www.l-a-v-a.net
Chris Bosse, Tobias Wallisser, Alexander Rieck
Project Leader: Sebastian Schott;
Team Members: Sirri El Jundi, Kirk Weisgerber, Stephan Markus Albrecht, Bum Suk Ko, Yohhei Kawasaki, Patrick Lorenz, Christina Pellicier, Nicola Schunter

Project: Berchtesgaden Youth Hostel– Haus Untersberg
Location: Berchtesgaden, Germany
Date: 2011
Client: Deutsches Jugendherbergswerk, Landesverband Bayern e.V., München
Status: Completed
Size: 1.500 m2; 91 beds

Tender/Costing: Wenzel + Wenzel Architekten, Stuttgart/München
Construction Site Management: Schulze Dinter Architekten, Berchtesgaden
Civil Engineering: Zahn Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH, Traunreut
Technical Project Manager: PGT Planungsgruppe Technik, Prien am Chiemsee
Heating, Ventilation, Sanitary: Ludwig Ingenieurgesellschaft für Technische Gebäudeausrüstung mbH, Traunstein
Fire Protection: Ingenieurbüro Kade, Eichenau
Health and Safety: Dipl.-Ing (FH) Baumann; Ingenieurbüro für Bauwesen, Bad Reichenhall
Photographers: Robert Pupeter, Tobias Wallisser

+ PRACTICE CREDITS

LAVA - Chris Bosse, Tobias Wallisser, Alexander Rieck

LAVA (Laboratory for Visionary Architecture) was founded in 2007. The directors, Chris Bosse, Tobias Wallisser und Alexander Rieck, have designed projects such as the city centre plan for the CO²-neutral Masdar City, the Michael Schumacher Tower in Abu Dhabi and Future-Hotel-Prototypes in Duisburg. Currently, LAVA is involved in a new university master plan in Riad, Saudi Arabia.

Tobias Wallisser is Professor for Innovative Construction and Spatial Concepts at the State Academy of Fine Arts, Stuttgart. As an associate architect at UNStudio, Amsterdam, he was responsible for the planning of the Stuttgart Mercedes-Benz Museum. Chris Bosse, as an associate architect at PTW Architects in Sydney, led the team that worked on the Watercube swimming pool of the Beijing Olympics. Both of these projects set new standards in the field of computer-based drafting. Alexander Rieck
has been working for the Fraunhofer Institute in Stuttgart for over ten years and coordinates a range of inter-institutional architectural activities, including the research project Fucon.

+ ALL IMAGES AND DRAWINGS COURTESY LAVA | PHOTO BY Robert Pupeter, Tobias Wallisser