The Global Mobility Center was designed to be a node within the larger network for a World Exposition development and as the centerpiece of the post-expo district.
The design is a simple shell, easy to erect and clad in tile, a material indigenous to the region. The colors and attributes of the form are easily recognizable as contemporary, compact, and adaptable. The structure was designed to be adapted or infilled fir future uses as floor area and program needs change. As designed, the open space concept works for the exhibition and museum program that focuses on sharing information. Living data can be projected onto the ceiling and seen across the floor. Open spaces connect from floor to floor allowing information to be seen and shared between groups throughout the building.
The 18,223 sm venter has two levels above grade and one below grade level on a 7,000 sm stone paved public plaza. The plaza integrates design with berms formed to become benches or mini stages and have integrated air intake/exhaust surfaces. The berms combined with drought resistant local planting, will lead the visitor to the Center’s main entrance and exterior covered courtyard. This central space will have two reflective pools and will be designed to create air movement through the use of a below grade labyrinth that will be connected to a geothermal cooling system, which will create a comfortable exterior microclimate. The exterior walls will have an integrated water misting spray to cool the area for potential outdoor programming and overflow queuing, while the sculpted soffit surfaces will be designed to increase the natural wind flow. LED light fixtures, speakers, flag poles with large banners and flags will add a festive and inviting atmosphere during day and night activities.
Externally, the structural grid shell shades and protects the vision glass and the interior program spaces and also performs other functions such as renewable energy generation, daylight mediation, natural ventilation, physical movement, and digital information display. The systems are accommodated within the roof tile system, which allows the integration of sun tubes to let diffuse daylight into the center of the internal spaces and the ability to use integrated photovoltaic cells to achieve the client’s 25% renewable energy requirement. An LED system is integrated into the roof and offers the Expo a fifth elevation, the roof.
Four exhibits function as a series of interconnected spaces that link the exposition’s themes, “Empowering People through Mobility,” “Distributing Goods and Resources,” “Connecting through Data and Information,” and “The Future 2020,” by a series of ramps, bridges and escalators that are internal to each exhibit. In this way, the people within are both in Motion – active within the space, and in Mobility – moving from one space to another. The record of their movement is documented by their point of light on the ceiling.
