Masterful Wooden Pavilion Uses Digitally Fabricated Solar Panels
Project: Endesa Pavilion
Location: Smart City Expo, Barcelona, Spain
Architects: Institute for advanced architecture of Catalonia (IaaC)
Completion: 2012
NON-ALPOLIC
The Endesa Pavilion, designed by the Institute for advanced architecture of Catalonia (IaaC) for the 2012 Smart City Expo, sits seaside at the Marina Pier in Barcelona, Spain.
Wood was chosen as the primary material for the project due its organic qualities as an exhaustible natural resource as well as its easy workability. The wooden exterior captures solar energy using photovoltaic panels that also function as a protective visor from over exposure. Ultimately, the pavilion is shielded from solar radiation in the summer months and then consumes solar radiation throughout the winter. Indirect sunlight produces a subtle ambiance in the interior.
In order to guarantee high quality, performance, and project efficiency, the architects at IAAC used digital fabrication software. Designed to be fabricated using CNC machines, mathematical equations determined the precise orientation of the panels for the most beneficial solar penetration. Due to the precision of digital fabrication, the project was assembled with incredible ease on site.
As an alternative to wood, aluminum composite panels would have made an interesting exterior product. What other exterior materials could be used for this interesting application?
photos © Adria Goula
information © Institute for advanced architecture of Catalonia (IaaC)
DISCLAIMER: This project does not feature ALPOLIC Materials. The Architecture, Design and Sustainability sections of our blog are for global projects that we find remarkable.
