Aero Hive: A Sustainable Office Tower Redefining Skyscraper Design

Suraksha Acharya's Innovative Approach to Natural Ventilation in High-Rise Buildings

Aero Hive's unique design approach was inspired by the desire to create a building that breathes. This concept is realized through vertical diaphragms in the form of green sky atriums that behave like lungs, performing the intake of oxygen and removal of carbon dioxide. This natural ventilation method is preferred due to its low energy requirements. The wind flow to the indoor spaces is facilitated by wind-scooping through the traversing green diaphragms.

The design process involved an algorithmic approach, creating a differentiated array of hexagonal floor plates that change scale based on environmental criteria. Computational modeling and environmental testing, including solar insolation and CFD analysis, were utilized. The hexagonal cylinder produces low values of drag and lift, comparable to a circular cylinder cross section. This shape was chosen for its aerodynamic and packing efficiency, achieving an efficiency of 90% with hexagonal packing.

The building's structure is anchored by a central triangulated core, with towers rising 290m above ground level. The towers' rotational and scaling aspects create a folding form that results in an amorphous geometry with atriums. The dynamic towers connect at three distinct levels with structural bridges formed by triangulated trusses.

Aero Hive's design also considers the building's interaction with its environment. The building has been optimized to carefully control sunlight, avoiding direct solar heat. Each three-story semi-enclosed atrium contains office spaces on either side of the exterior hexagonal arms. The green areas serve not only as recreational spaces but also protect from strong winds and avoid glare within office spaces. The flared roof-line at the architectural top is designed to accommodate a Sky Park, a public green observatory that addresses the urban heat island effect.

The Aero Hive project was located at the Kai Tak area of Kowloon, Hong Kong, envisioned to be redeveloped into a distinguished neighborhood. The design process involved overcoming creative, technical, and research challenges, including the use of parametric modeling and computational simulations to verify the climatic effects of twisting geometries. The design was awarded Silver in A' Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award in 2018, recognized for its outstanding expertise and innovation.