Have you ever thought about a building which may move? A building that tells its own story of evolution and the way its movement represents life? All those who are enthusiastic about technology must quite know that we humans have evolved and so has our lifestyle and dwelling places as to meet our daily requirements “change is vital”. With these perspectives in mind, the architect D.R David Fisher intended to build an 80-story skyscraper – The Dynamic Tower in Dubai. It features revolving floors, some of which can be moved on command, providing the building with an ever-changing shape along with a changing view for the residents. To sum it up it’s a building of the future representing the 4^th dimension that is time. The architect was inspired by the Suite Vollard in Brazil which has individual rotating floors.

The dynamic tower is also called as Dynamic Architectural Building or the Da Vinci Tower. It also precisely planned a 420-meter (1,378ft) 80-floor skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. However, the building provides spaces for Hotels, residential and offices.

Concept

if we talk about dynamics then this is what architect D.R. David Fisher quoted “Architecture as part of the environment, adjusting to the sun and the wind, to the view and to our momentary requirements” The true beauty of dynamics is the shape-shifting, ever-changing façade of a building which responses to nature and its surrounding almost tricking us as if it’s alive.

It’s very different from our traditional way of building rigid buildings and a bit challenging. But due to new technologies and advancement of construction techniques, Fisher had it sort out. Use of prefabricated modules that can assemble on-site resulting in 90% of the work done in the factory and the rest 10%, the core build on site. Apart from being dynamic and easy to built, this building has named itself as a green building as its rotation produces electricity for itself and the other buildings.

About The Dynamic Tower

The aim of the building is to make it sustainable so as to provide back to nature and maintain a healthy approach to satisfy the daily needs of humans. The plans design keeping in priority the quality and harmony of spaces according to the list of preferences as follows:-

1. Economical Feasibility.                                                                                                                                            
2. Functionality.                                                                                                                                                              
3. Environmentally sound.                                                                                                                                                                           
4. Quality & Engineering.                                                                                                                                                                                    
5. Maintenance.                                                                                                                                                                        
6. Design.

Also, Read Taipei 101 – Asian Aesthetics on Skyscraper

These are the principles of sustainability

The core serves each floor with a special, patented connection for clean water, based on technology used to refuel airplanes in mid-flight.

Moreover, that’s the world’s 1^st prefabricated skyscraper with 40- factory-built modules. And the entire building finished within 22 months and saved 30% more construction time than normal. The majority of the workers worked in factory resulting in low-risk construction. Pre-installed modules, including the bathroom and kitchen. With all the basic amenities like plumbing, electricity, and air conditioning inside the core right on the location. For independent rotation, the floors are connected with the core. And about 4kw of power is utilized to rotate the floors. For the rotation, steel bearings are combined with an air cushion which allows the floors to rotate smoothly with no vibrations. As a result, the steel floors will extend up to 15 meters cantilevered as a monolithic platform.

Construction

The main part of the construction of any skyscraper is the foundation, central core, and steel structure. Apart from this we also need to calculate the loads like dead load, live load, wind load, and earthquake load.  Through these observations and calculations, the architect decides to keep the core thick and used pile foundation. Also, the concrete used for construction grades C50/60.

As the part of the construction, the building construction is in two main phases and one is partly the four phases are as follows:

Construction of core of The Dynamic Tower

The central core took just six months to construct, using slip forms that allow the erection of a floor every two days. This structural solution of the massive single concrete core increases the building’s seismic resistance compared to additional skyscrapers. However, in This central core, the method used in all elevators and staircases is the traditional concrete reinforced method. Also, two months after the start of work, the time of completion for the first residential units with all their plumbing, electric, and air-conditioning system.  

      

1. Construction of central core.                                                                                                                                            
2. Prefabrication of floors.                                                                                                                                                                 
3. Assembling of units on site.
4. Finishing.                                                                        

Also, read Sustainably advanced tall building: Shanghai tower, China.

Prefabrication

Due to prefabrication, the finishing of the units was of high quality than they would have achieved on-site construction. They transferred the prefabricated units on-site and later installed them. It saved them 30% of the construction time as compared to a skyscraper.

Utilization of renewable energy at The Dynamic Tower

As a green building should be, the huge skyscraper generates electricity through the help of wind turbines located horizontally between the floors. As a result, there are almost 70 wind turbines throughout the building each generates 460,000kw/h of electricity. Electricity generated from one turbine is sufficient for 35 floors. The material used in wind turbines is carbon fibers. The building also provides sufficient sunlight inside the rooms, according to needs. As its rotations can adjust according to the sun’s orientation which allows light through the whole day. Also, to produce solar energy, the place photovoltaic ink is on each rotating floor. However, with 80 floors, the exposed areas for roofs are about 20% which is equivalent to 10 similar size buildings.

Also, Read The Sky Habitat – The matrix of homes by Safdie Architects.