December 18th, 2012
For immediate release:

BUILT BY ASSOCIATIVE DATA has been awarded the commission by Hassan Hachem to construct a mixed used, environmentally responsive building in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.  The project will add approximately 5,000 square meters of office and furnished apartment spaces to the Malabo Dos development, on the island of Bioko.  Construction is set to begin in the second quarter of 2013.

Project Images

9º is a modern, mixed use (office, residential) project in the city of Malabo, Equatorial Guinea designed through the careful observation of environmental data. The unique localization of this project, only 3.7º north of the Equator, meant that orientation and form were crucial to obtaining optimum climactic performance and a reduced energy footprint.  Once constructed, the 9º project will set the standard for designing and constructing high quality environments in this African region.

BAD_RX, the research unit at Built by Associative Data, established a series of benchmarks to test various design strategies.   These benchmarks included computational models to test the effects of winds, temperature, humidity, and solar radiation on the project.  This process ultimately yielded the simple elliptical shape we see in the 9º project, oriented 9º from East in order to reduce solar exposure and maximize the potential to receive the prevailing winds from the south-west. The data study was complemented by an architecture language which responds to all sustainable aspects and gives its tenants access to the great views of the surrounding nature and new development.

The 9º project adds quality spaces for conducting business in a zone which is undergoing rapid economic change.  Furthermore, all aspects of the design, from the orientation, to the facade treatments, to the interior finishes, have been designed and implemented to ensure the most optimum environmental performance of the project at its opening, and for many years to come.

Project Name:  9º
Location:  Malabo, Equatorial Guinea
Client:   Hassan Hachem
Area:   5,000 m²
Date:   Construction Begins 2013
Type:   Mixed use
Budget:  N.D.
Status:   Design Development
Team:   Ali Basbous, Luis E. Fraguada, Jacek Markusiewicz, Ander Gortazar, Roland Bosbach, Raffy Doulian

BUILT BY ASSOCIATIVE DATA is a young international design and architectural practice with offices in Spain (Barcelona), Lebanon (Beirut), Ireland (Dublin, and China (Chengdu). Our expanding list of international clients feature ongoing projects located in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.  The international team at Built By Associative Data is comprised of talented designers and technical experts with experience from critically acclaimed offices throughout the world. This dynamic creates an active and exciting environment for talented emergent architects.

Our design methodology focuses on the careful generation, processing, and analyzing of project specific data for the purpose of optimizing important design decisions. Our designers are leading experts in the application of computational design techniques in the architectural design and construction industry.

Our main objective is to provide clients with a full range of design services by using the latest knowledge offered by digital technologies, sustainable practices, and networked processes. We believe that each project offers a unique opportunity to create aware, intelligent, and efficient architectural solutions. We strive to provide creative solutions for each particular client while paying close attention to their economic benefit.

The unique combination of intelligent architectural solutions through data management makes Built by Associative Data a crucial partner in the current economic landscape.

BAD_RX  is the computational design and research department unit within Built by Associative Data. BAD_RX is tasked with investigating, prototyping, and implementing leading edge design strategies and technologies within the projects in Built by Associative Data.