UK based studio Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) have opened what they describe as the “office of the future” for energy and waste management company BEEAH Group in Sharjah, UAE.
Inspired by sand dunes, the 9,000-sq-m building undulates to optimise daylight, solar power and to reduce sun glare.
The project’s two primary dunes contain reception and offices together with an administrative zone arranged around a courtyard modelled on an oasis.
Visitors enter beneath a 15m tall dome that adds natural ventilation and daylight.
Glass reinforced fibre panels reduce solar gain, while slab and glass cooling regulate temperatures inside.
On-site water treatment processes waste water to minimise consumption, while a solar farm charges the Tesla battery packs which provide the building’s energy.
A smart management system automatically adjusts lighting and temperature depending on occupancy and time of day.
ZHA worked with sustainability engineers and consultants Atelier Ten and Buro Happold on the project, as well as project managers Matthews Southwest, construction contractor Al Futtaim Construction and Microsoft, for the digital systems.
