flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Agora Garden, a twisting, plant-filled tower in Taipei, will absorb 130 tons of carbon dioxide annually once completed

High-rise Construction

Agora Garden, a twisting, plant-filled tower in Taipei, will absorb 130 tons of carbon dioxide annually once completed

The building sits just a few blocks from the LEED-Platinum certified Taipei 101, the world’s eighth tallest building.


By David Malone, Associate Editor | December 2, 2016

Image courtesy of Vincent Callebaut Architectures

A twisted tower is a dramatic addition to any skyline and doesn’t require much else to catch the eye of anyone whose sightline it may come into. But a new twisted tower from Vincent Callebaut Architectures will add a metaphorical twist on top of the literal 90-degree twist its recently topped out Agora Garden skyscraper already has. The new building will be packed with plants, vegetable gardens, and trees on each of its 22 floors, turning it into, what the architect calls, a vertical farm.

Agora Garden is looking to become the embodiment of a vertical farm and will include vertically wide planted balconies of suspended orchards, organic vegetable gardens, aromatic gardens, and other medicinal gardens as a means of producing its own organic food.

In addition to allowing the building to produce some of its own food, the inclusion of all of this greenery means the building will be able to absorb up to 130 tons of carbon dioxide annually.

 

Image courtesy of Vincent Callebaut Architectures

 

According to the architect, the building will integrate the recycling of organic waste and used water, BIPV solar photovoltaic energy, rainwater recycling, and composting into its plans, as well. Vincent Callebaut Architectures’ website lists four main ecological objectives the building will accomplish:

 

  1. The reduction of the climatic global warming. 
  2. The protection of nature and biodiversity.
  3. The protection of the environment and the quality of life.
  4. The management of natural resources and waste. 

 

The building will include car parks, a swimming pool, a fitness center, and lobbies that will connect the indoor spaces with the surrounding outdoor spaces. The central core of the building will be a vertical twisted garden surrounded by sky entry foyers. The core itself does not pivot but is surrounded by a naturally lightened horizontal circulation loop welcoming the entry foyer dedicated to each unit. This “buffer loop” enables the main entrance to always be in the axis of each apartment despite the 4.5 degrees rotation story by story.

The tower has recently topped out and is expected to be completed in September 2017. For additional, detailed information on the project, click here.

 

Image courtesy of Vincent Callebaut Architectures

 

Image courtesy of Vincent Callebaut Architectures

 

Image courtesy of Vincent Callebaut Architectures

 

Image courtesy of Vincent Callebaut Architectures

 

Image courtesy of Vincent Callebaut Architectures

Related Stories

| Oct 13, 2010

HQ renovations aim for modern look

Gerner Kronick + Valcarcel Architects’ renovations to the Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s New York City headquarters will feature a reworked reception lobby with back-painted glass, silk-screened logos, and a video wall.

| Oct 12, 2010

Guardian Building, Detroit, Mich.

27th Annual Reconstruction Awards—Special Recognition. The relocation and consolidation of hundreds of employees from seven departments of Wayne County, Mich., into the historic Guardian Building in downtown Detroit is a refreshing tale of smart government planning and clever financial management that will benefit taxpayers in the economically distressed region for years to come.

| Oct 8, 2010

Union Bank’S San Diego HQ awarded LEED Gold

Union Bank’s San Diego headquarters building located at 530 B Street has been awarded LEED Gold certification from the Green Building Certification Institute under the standards established by the U.S. Green Building Council.  Gold status was awarded to six buildings across the United States in the most recent certification and Union Bank’s San Diego headquarters building is one of only two in California.

| Sep 21, 2010

New BOMA-Kingsley Report Shows Compression in Utilities and Total Operating Expenses

A new report from the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International and Kingsley Associates shows that property professionals are trimming building operating expenses to stay competitive in today’s challenging marketplace. The report, which analyzes data from BOMA International’s 2010 Experience Exchange Report® (EER), revealed a $0.09 (1.1 percent) decrease in total operating expenses for U.S. private-sector buildings during 2009.

| Aug 11, 2010

New data shows low construction prices may soon be coming to an end

New federal data released recently shows sharp increases in the prices of key construction materials like diesel, copper and brass mill shapes likely foreshadow future increases in construction costs, the Associated General Contractors of America said. The new November producer price index (PPI) report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics provide the strongest indication yet that construction prices are heading up, the association noted.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category




Curtain Wall

7 steps to investigating curtain wall leaks

It is common for significant curtain wall leakage to involve multiple variables. Therefore, a comprehensive multi-faceted investigation is required to determine the origin of leakage, according to building enclosure consultants Richard Aeck and John A. Rudisill with Rimkus. 

halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021