March 31, 2006

Green Buildings

A green solution for a black hole

IAN HARVEY

correspondent

A unique and bold design proposed for the basement “atrium” of the Engineers Society seeks to put life back into a black hole.

It’s no mean feat: The Sandford Fleming building “atrium” is devoid of natural light, blocked in by four immovable walls with two floors of classrooms above it.

The challenge for architect Tania Bortolotto of Bortolotto Design, Greg Allen of Sustainable Edge and Dave Bowick of Blackwell Bowick Engineering was how to bring the outside inside and to give the students a sense of what was going on in the real world.

The result is a virtrium – a virtual atrium – and an unconventional approach to creating the illusion of space using technology and biology.

BORTOLOTTO DESIGN ARCHITECT INC.

The vitrium concept for U of T Scarborough boasts a green wall made up of a cascading fall of plants fed by water.

The most obvious aspects of the $3 million concept are the giant LCD screens which cover the ceiling and relay images of the changing firmaments above via a camera on the roof — or to Hockey Night in Canada, as the students desire.

More subtle is the “Alien Harp,” a virtual wind chime created by a stream of air blowing across beer bottles from a compressor powered by a wind turbine on the roof.

But the most striking feature may be the green wall — a cascading fall of plants fed by falling water and energized by a series of fibre-optic cables which channel sunlight to create photosynthesis.

The virtrium even has its own artificial sun constructed from an intense bundle of fibre-optic cables which flares and wanes with the rising and setting of the real thing, further adding a concept of passing time to the otherwise insulated space.

The concept was arrived at following a design competition about a year ago, sponsored by the U of T, to find a renovation solution for the space.

“The first thing I saw was that it was a dark, dreary and windowless space in need of an overhaul,” said Bortolotto, noting the next challenge was literally running into the walls and ceiling which couldn’t be moved or opened up to allow in light or create more space.

“The images from the sky are very important because these students can spend 24 hours a day there studying and working, and we felt they should be connected to the outside world.

“It’s really a beta application because this is the first time it’s been done,” said Bortolotto of using fibre-optics to channel the sun.

The concept is more than cosmetic. In addition to sustaining the plants, it will also save about 56,000 kW of power over a year in reduced lighting for the virtrium.

Allen said the underlying thought is to challenge the notion that engineers must always battle the forces of nature to create structures. Instead, he said, the virtrium brings nature into a structured space in an integrated and harmonious way.

The green plants, of course, provide oxygen, the most essential of human nutrients, while the waters feeding the plants is recycled and diverted to a couple of aquariums with marine flora and fauna.

Integral to the design, though not immediately apparent, are the structural touches furnished by Bowick.

“The first is this structural tension grid laid across the top of the virtium, which allows the space to be animated,” said Bowick.

“Students can walk on the wires, string lights, whatever they want without impacting on the view of the screens, since those three-eighths cables are pretty much invisible at that distance.”

Also, he said, the stairs are moveable, swinging up to form a balcony during events such as pub night to allow organizers to better control the space and performing double duty as a moveable work platform to access the plant wall for maintenance.

“It’s always a challenge, but this especially,” said Bowick. “We had to work outside of our comfort zone.”

Brine solution is also trickled down the wall to counteract the humidity which would otherwise make the space uncomfortable. It too is recycled and reused.

In the meantime, the Engineering Society is working with the U of T administration to get some fundraising in motion.

“We’re very excited since this has been talked about for seven years or more, but it’s getting off the ground,” said Jason Chang, a joint engineering-MBA student who is chair of the building committee. “We are very hopeful this will get built.”

It is hoped companies would be willing to donate much of the needed technology which represents the bulk of construction costs.

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