Zaha Hadid unveils dune-shaped HQ for Emirati environmental management company

Zaha Hadid Architects recently released designs for the new headquarters of Emirati environmental management company Bee’ah, revealing a structure that references the shape and motion of a sand dune.

According to Dezeen, the 75,347-sf building will be constructed in the emirate of Sharjah, in the country’s northern region. The building will house the administrative and public activity functions of the company.

Inhabitat reports that the building will be open to the public and host a learning resource center to raise awareness on the environment in Sharjah.

Staying true to the company’s purpose in environmental stewardship, the facility was designed to be entirely powered by renewable energy. According to Inhabitat, the building uses active and passive design approaches, which are expected to decrease the building’s energy use by 30%.

Some examples of measures for a low footprint include a ventilation energy recovery system that reduces the need for mechanical cooling systems, and photovoltaic cells will be integrated in the surrounding landscape to provide the building with solar power.

Hadid's firm is collaborating with engineer Buro Happold and environmental consultant Atelier Ten on the project.

Learn more about the project at Dezeen.

Earlier this month, my colleague and I presented a session to a group of civil engineers and transportation agencies about the tech trends in the AEC space. Along with advice on how to prepare your plan for controlled collaboration, we also talked through some practical use cases. One such use case was especially interesting, as it outlined a challenge not unfamiliar to government agencies who are contemplating the leap from paper to digital processes: how to securely migrate workflows.

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