Architecture firm Foster + Partners won an international competition to design a green complex that will fill an entire city block in downtown Singapore. This complex will be on the leading edge of green design. It will incorporate arrays of solar cells on the buildings’ facades. Ribbon-like canopies (also covered with thin-film solar cells) will start at the base of the complex, and rise up the exposed east and west elevations of the towers, where they form a series of vertical louvers. These will filter the sun and will transform the towers into a series of vertically linked green spaces. The buildings’ slanted facades are oriented to catch the prevailing winds and direct air flow down to cool the ground level spaces.

The canopy will protect a series of internal streets, sunken courtyards and tiered gardens lined shops and cafes. Extensive sky gardens create a lush interior at the top of the towers.

Many other green elements are incorporated into this complex: there’s a rainwater harvesting system, a geothermal heating system, chilled beams and ceilings, and a huge ice storage system for cooling (see diagram above)

[via]