Za’abeel Commercial Tower
The Za’abeel Commercial Tower is an office building that was designed as part of the conceptual Energy City Master Plan in Dubai.
The main design concept was to achieve a unique circular form that responds to the local environment with solar protection on the south, east, and west sides. The north-facing exterior has a smooth appearance, contrasting with the integrated building PVs on the other sides.
The non-directional shape of the building’s footprint provides the design basis for the tower. When extruded, the circle becomes a cylinder, which features the highest volume to surface to area ratio, making it the most efficient building typology to clad. A structural solution allows the floors to be primarily cantilevered with slender perimeter columns, so the office spaces can be as open as possible.
Each side of a leaf performs different functions. The top receives the sun’s rays for photosynthesis while protecting the light-sensitive underside that is responsible for carbon dioxide uptake. The tower reflects a similar symbiosis.
There is a performative outer shell that receives direct sunlight and converts it into energy with photovoltaic panels that also protect the interior of the building from solar radiation. The southern “shell” of the tower mimics the protective properties found in nature. Creatures with shells are typically slow-moving or stationary animals that have developed a shell as a safeguard against the elements and/or predators. Buildings are stationary so the development of protective measures becomes an opportunity for innovation.
The form’s circular shape creates a complex and dynamic relationship to the sun. In a desert climate like Dubai, protection from the sun becomes as critical as conserving energy. The diagram below shows the path of the sun in Dubai from July to December.
To achieve maximum efficiency, the circle is divided into two parts: the southern shell that protects the building from direct solar radiation and the northern face, which protected and therefore allowed for taking full advantage of views without any need for sun-shading devices.
