Holcim Prize 2009 - Low Energy Building
Second Prize

Sustainability design is the inevitable consideration in the modern era construction, given the current tense environmental and socio-economic reason. For some, sustainability is even the main driving force of designing process, dictating all aspect of approach, resolution, measures and deriving aesthetic effect. The project of BackKhoa University Sustainable Dormitory is one of that thinking.

The project take place in assumed reclaimed parcel of old dormitory land next to Back Khoa university. In this project,I proposed a comprehensive multiple-level solutions ranging from site planning principles, individual buildings design to interior & technical applications. All of those deliberately devised measures, not acting separately, rather interweave to maximize potentials. Moreover, this project also express profound concern about promoting sustainability to low-income and vulnerable people such as students, because they are the majority of future population to which sustainable measures have the largest impact and social resonance.

The initial design intent take inspiration from the perfect geometry, the circle. While ubiquitously found in nature, in practice geometry of circle offer distinguished advantage: being less exposure to direct sun, facilitating fluid movement and allowing most dense distribution.