Absolute Towers
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
MAD Architects, China
Year: 2012
Photos: Iwan Baan, Tom Arban, MAD Architects
Descriptive memory on the project's article in ArchDaily:
"Throughout the process of urbanization, skyscrapers have been symbols of
technological bravado, prime capitals and the societal projections of
wealth and prosperity. This limited framework for skyscrapers often
results in solutions limited by homogenous, linear structures and
degenerative duplication in business districts across the globe. Forced
into an unnatural state of conformity, metropolitan life is negatively
affected by these unchecked, efficiency-centric development practices.
Without a challenge to the status quo, our cities will continue to lack
the cohesion of life as implied by the term: forest. A forest is a
thriving ecosystem wherein every organism survives only in a state of
symbiosis. New ambitions nurtured in a changing global consciousness
challenge the aging pattern of last century’s development and favor
fresh thoughtful, inspiring and eloquent solutions for tomorrow’s
high-rises.
What lies in the future of our cities? How should one grasp the concept
of emerging high-density cities? How can city dwellers be immersed with
an enriching experience of nature when its presence steadily diminishes
in the face of the ever intensifying concrete inundation? Faced with
these challenges, future high-rise buildings need to catalyze a higher
level of complexity in our cities for the sake of harmonious
civilization.
Fondly dubbed the Marylyn Monroe towers by local residents, the Absolute
Towers parallel the twisting fluidity or natural lines found in life.
This activation of flow forms an organic punctuation in the landscape
and a desire for an urban acknowledgement of enthusiasm. Here, we thrive
to challenge the sustenance of commonplace boxy skyscrapers. Our
ambition was to provide each resident a unique experience of the city, a
heterarchitical distribution. Continuous balconies widen individual
viewing angles and promote community at the micro scale of a single
floor. At the macro, the cadence of the floors rising into the sky echo
the modular rhythms of the human experience, yet emphasizes the movement
of an adoring figure. We hope this building can wake up metropolitans’
desires towards nature, such as sun and wind, and certainly, human
bodies.
Like other suburbs in North America, Mississauga, near Toronto, has been
quickly developing into an independent, urbanized area. Yet, the
cityscape lacked a unique character. In response, we wanted to add
something naturalistic, delicate and human in contrast to the backdrop
of listless, boxy buildings. Sited at the junction of two main streets
(Hurantario and Burnhamthorpe), the Absolute Towers gracefully bear
their landmark status and act as a gateway to the city beyond. As a
residential landmark that strives for more than simple efficiency, the
buildings provide residents an emotional connection to their hometown
and neighbors.
Eschewing the tradition of accentuated verticality in high-rises, the
Absolute Towers choose not to emphasize vertical lines. Instead, the
design features a smooth, unbroken balcony that wraps each floor of the
building. In addition, at each successive level, the floor plate rotates
in a range of one to eight degrees affording breathtaking panoramas of
the Mississauga skyline concluding in reverence to the principle street
intersection at its peak. By maximizing the viewing potentials inside
and out, creating a wonderful medium for social interaction throughout
the balconies, and connecting the city dwellers with naturalistic design
principles, Mississauga is infused with a new character.
In place of the basic, functional logic of an aging modernism, the
current trend of sustainable design is reminiscent of the sudden rise in
the glass-faced boxy buildings of last century. Sustainability, in
concept, is often unfortunately simplified to the lowest common
denominator. If we limit the scope of sustainable ecology to energy
savings, it will become merely a demand for comfort while the yearning
of a return to nature is ignored. This design practice remains the axiom
of the industrial revolution, man controls nature. We feel
sustainability is a much greater concept which can guide a new culture
of design resulting in real change.
For instance, in traditional Chinese gardens, building and nature
elements are integrated to create a spiritual and poetic environment
fostering great literature, poem and music, or simply life and
philosophy. Our approach, ergo, is to create a balanced environment that
evokes the feeling of exploring nature while simultaneously a
responsive model for the development of urban space in harmony with
nature. A sustainable architecture in modern concept. Real
sustainability results in a harmonious civilization. This is the biggest
challenge of our time. How do we rebuild urban environments with life
and emotion where people are connected and respected?
The torsional form of the towers is underpinned with a surprisingly
simply and inexpensive structural solution. The two residential towers
are supported by a grid of concrete load bearing walls. The bearing
walls extend and contract in response to the sectional fluctuation
created by the rotation of the floors while the balconies consist of
cantilevered concrete slabs. In order to ensure the elegant edge
profiles are as thin as possible, there is a thermal break in the slabs
at the exterior glazing such that the insulation need not wrap the
entirety of the balconies. Meanwhile, the dynamically fluid shaping of
the towers, naturally aerodynamic, adeptly handles wind loading and
ensures comfort throughout all the balconies. Besides providing every
resident with a nice exterior place to enjoy views of Mississauga, the
balconies naturally shade the interior from the summer sun while soaking
in the winter sun, reducing air conditioning costs."
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