Details of the winning proposal for the Zhuhai Huafa Contemporary Art Museum in China

Ábalos + Sentkiewicz arquitectos shared the details behind their 1st prize winning proposal to design the Zhuhai Huafa Contemporary Art Museum in Zhuhai, China.

The canopy trees on top of the museum not only add charm, they're built with sustainable technology to provide a comfortable environment from harsh sunlight and other local weather conditions.

Check out the team's proposal right below.

Project description:

"Shading: The tree canopies offer protection from high, uncomfortable, solar radiation - especially in the summertime - with controlled passage of dappled daylight.  

Water collection:  

RAIN. During the monsoon season, the canopy directs rain down the hollow branches, into the trunk, to the water storage level beneath the courtyard. This water is kept cool and is used to serve the courtyard water features in the summer time. 

DEW. On clear humid nights, the canopy surface drops below the dew point temperature by the effect of atmospheric radiative cooling. Vapour condenses on the canopy as dew droplets, which form into rivulets, trickling down the hollow branches towards the trunk. Up to half a litre of dew per square meter can be produced each night."

"Air movement:

WIND DRIVEN DOWNDRAFT. The canopy directs the cool NE night breeze down the hollow   branches to the trunk at the courtyard level, precooling the surrounding thermal mass. This process   is supplements by downdrafts driven by the radiative cooling effect at the canopy surface  

SOLAR UPDRAFT. On drier days when the sun is especially strong, the canopy temperature rises,   heating the air directly above the canopy, and lowering its pressure. This creates a buoyant updraft   through the tree, promoting air movement at the trunk level."

"Passive air conditioning: 

RADIATIVE COOLING DOWNDRAFT(RCD) (Night). On clear, still nights, the canopy surface cools by the effect of atmospheric radiation. The air in contact with the surface cools, and drops down naturally through the hollow branches, collecting at the trunk to provide a stream of air that pre- cools the courtyard."

"EVAPORATIVE COOLING DOWNDRAFT (ECD) (Day). After a rain shower, or on a morning after a dew harvest, the surfaces of the tree branches will be moist. As the day evolves and air temperatures begin to rise, this moisture will begin to evaporate, cooling and making denser the air inside the branches. A cool downdraft starts to form as the falling air from the branches collects at the trunk."

Project credits:

COMPETITION 

Architecture: Ábalos + Sentkiewicz arquitectos
Local Architects: Atelier L+ (Linxue Li)
Project directors: Iñaki Ábalos, Renata Sentkiewicz

Collaborators: Timothy Brennan, Chenchen Hu, Weilun Tsui (Cambridge), María Auxiliadora Gálvez, Juan Enríquez, Ana Fernández, Elena Vallejo, Alvaro Maján, Marina Bicca (Madrid) (Ábalos+Sentkiewicz arquitectos), Yin Hongde, Li Huanhuan, Ni Runer, Liu Jieling, Wangyiqing (Atelier L+)

Energy and sustainability: Bing Wang/ Salmaan Craig
Structure: Hanif Kara

SCHEMATIC DESIGN

Architecture: Ábalos + Sentkiewicz arquitectos

Project directors: Iñaki Ábalos, Renata Sentkiewicz

Collaborators: Timothy Brennan, Chenchen Hu (Cambridge) Juan Enríquez, Alvaro Maján (Madrid) (Ábalos+Sentkiewicz arquitectos)

Local consultants: TJAD (Tongji University Architectural Design and Research Institute)

All images courtesy of Ábalos + Sentkiewicz arquitectos.

Click the thumbnails below to see more images.