« J’ai mon coeur au poing.
Comme un faucon aveugle. »
« I have my heart on my fist.
Like a blind falcon. »
Le Tombeau des Rois, Anne Hebert (French-Canadian poet and writer).
In a wish to both capture the essence of the Arabian culture, and to present architecture as the absolute praise to the outstanding and unique horizon of a specific context, is proposed the TOWER OF SPACE. Herein is both integrated tradition and created a transitional space preparing upcoming opportunities, all at once reaffirming the remarkably ancient origin of Arabian culture and philosophy and its eager launching into the future.
Thus, beyond the twofold incorporation of the landscape’s character into the project and the integration of the tower into the surrounding, and the prominent concern is to create a unique spatial experience and attractive architectural object; this project first revisits major symbols of the Arab culture which have numerous times placed it as a prominent civilization throughout history, thus using these assets as stepping stones for a present cartography and future positioning of Dubai within a global world culture.
The TOWER OF SPACE stands as an iconic statement on what is the essence of the past and future space, time and culture in which it is erected. It repeatedly expresses both simplicity and labyrinthine qualities, reaffirming the horizon of time and space, of tradition and of the desert within the delicate skin of an empty vertical shaft filled with emptiness of vertigo. We value the qualities of immateriality and emptiness.
This tower stands as a local and international particular collage and proposition of a powerful space of experience, standing thus as a center in its outstanding qualities.
This tower, small among the multitude of risen emblems of modernity, totally transparent stands out in its mysterious difference, towering as a pride gem of tradition and uniqueness.
The falcon or interior blindness
Arabian civilization stands out as the cradle and main location for falconry. Over 8,000 years ago, before even the emergence of writing, a bird of prey appeared as carrier of divine power in the midst of these sands, its power since then having been universally recognized and passed on. Today over half of the world’s falconry practitioners reside in the Arab Emirates.
Flying at two hundred kilometers per hour and seeing a hundred images a second this emblem of ancient Arab culture, the fastest among all birds, also stands out as a symbol of modernity’s speed, throwing itself full speed into the future. The new practice of falcon breeding requires baby falcons to develop their preying and flying skills when perched for a period of three months eight at a time in nests above sixty meters high before they are handed to their falconry trainers. Thus the TOWER OF SPACE will have the outside skin of its shaft inserted with ten cribs. These can be occupied year round, managed by experts and observable from inside the tower by passersby, all invisible to the falcons. Thereof, the tower encompasses the futuristic character of the falcon in its takeoff.
Furthermore, the site of the competition proves to be an ideal location for falcons, in a less than five kilometer radius distance from the port, a favorite source of water, fish and grain; from a wildlife reserve; and from the airport. Falconry is recognized worldwide as one of the most secure way to clean airport areas of other birds which represent potential plane flight danger. The presence of a few dozen falcons on the site of the tower has been confirmed by experts as incapable of harming or unbalancing the natural environment.
Zaabeel Tower of Space - Isometric
Falconry was initially a practice of capturing migrating birds, training them to hunt then freeing them after a few months. However, to get them accustomed to life with humans, required the falcons to be temporarily blinded. The TOWER OF SPACE proposes the experience of momentary blindness, a totally enclosed windowless experience of a flaneur. One thus learns how to see, walking through the tower with the necessary tameness of the falcon. The focus of this tower is to offer an experience from the open horizon of the desert through a long and vertical labyrinth of total loss of perception of the surrounding, then arriving upon an open view. Within a city without limits, the tower is an intimate space of confinement, an architecture of separation, and thus, shelter. The falcon, traditionally used for protection, now surrounds the tower.
Once reached, the full view at the top of the tower stands as a metaphor of the power and insight gained by emerging from temporary blindness.
Arabesque & Alphabet blend
Arabian culture has long praised language as a tool to bridge cultures and is known for its long-established full dedication to translating manuscripts and extensive public libraries. Arab calligraphy and architecture meet in the tradition of the arabesque. This motif, inviting an continuous contemplation, is the base for an eight sided, revolving, three dimensional structure built of a cyclically piled up set of eight modules of concrete. This three dimensional arabesque structure which fills up the whole tower, hovers above the library, guiding the elevation of the mind and leading one in a physical rise to the restaurant.
LABYRINTHE and Elevation
The tower, in isolation from the rest of the world totally condenses the true meaning of elevation. The landscape surrounding the site, an open horizon punctuated with isolated skyscrapers in the near and far distance, dictates the strategy which builds up the tower from the ground up, both inside and outside. Thus the proportion and disposition by intervals of a set of eight concrete blocks are a literal transfer of the environment inside the project. These blocks set along a repeated pilled up arabesque pattern from ground up accompany the visitor within a dense disorienting elevating labyrinth.
This inside mass configuration is balanced on the outside and inner perimeter by two stairs linked by catwalks at seemingly irregular intervals. The whole façade is consequently in a cascade suspended from the intricate network of blocks, catwalks, and the outer stairs, both a labyrinth and architecture of encounters. The TOWER OF SPACE also integrates into the surrounding landscape by its blend of sky and sand color, its overall locally blended concrete texture, and even by its aura.
The TOWER OF SPACE rises from the desert, thus marking repeated transitional rituals from the traditional ground of the desert soil to elevated heights of the future ending into the precious enclosure of a vertical garden at the top of the inner facade. The tower is thus a contemporary equivalent to the traditional Arab garden enclosed and hidden away. A concrete vertical labyrinth imbedded within a skin. A contrasting monolithic daedal within a delicate skin, crumbling from the ground up, a perceptual disorientation play of light tumbling inside this cavernous enclosure within which light infinitely reflects upon all surfaces of polished concrete.
Tower of observation, tower of descent, tower of the wind
LEED Platinum implications
In this extreme context, it would be very difficult to achieve the LEED Platinum 64 points mark. It is never the less possible. In this proposal we include all of the following systems: grass replacing cactus type vegetation at ground level; a full area rain-fluid and facade water caption-filtration system; State of the art energy reducing electrical system including LED point lighting; passive ice based air cooling system; locally made concrete; gray water treatment technology within the building; tower outdoor black water treatment technology at ground lever. Next to the rooftop restaurant kitchen, a herb and vegetable garden would produce basic elements for the restaurant’s meals.
Ventilation system
In its shape and function, this project draws its inspiration from the traditional desert tower of winds. Most of the building’s facade would be opaque. Most of the building’s interior is void. During most days of the year, the difference between the warm sunny exterior and the shaded opaque interior tube-like vertical space will create a strong upward cool breeze. During the warmest hours of the warmest days, ice rooms would free up cooled air by way of traps in floors slabs for main functions: restaurant, kitchen, and library.
Falcons will profit from the gliding air current.
Zaabeel Tower of Space close-up with falcon nests
The surrounding site
Around the tower, we choose to create a new grid (landscape) of blocks like waves of datum, a type of labyrinthine-threshold. This first threshold brings the approaching user to either the open air base of the tower or a ramp to the 10 meter level library lobby. By creating a new mostly solid landscape, we replace the grass based surface with a mineral cactus low water usage composition. Two dozen of the blocks would be used as marsh-like containers for the black water treatment. Other landscape blocks would be used for rain storm water storage. Those same blocks could house more luscious plants on their top surface and sides directly using the contained water. Materials locally made concrete, and regionally transported stone are ideal.
Vertical circulation and fire safety considerations
We have planned two structural U shaped elevator shafts. One would carry users by way of two high speed elevators. In the opposite shaft, a large service elevator would function for the use of restaurant employees and deliveries. Next to the service elevator would be the main vertical conduit shaft. Both shafts go from the underground parking up to the entrance of the spherical restaurant – kitchen level. The U shape of the elevator shafts permit users to see the inside of the tower as they go up and down. The outward part of the elevators would be made of Fireglass and house special smoke resistant ventilation devices.
Egress
Two stairs permit egress to ground level. Both of expressive shapes, they have the dual function of closed concrete egress stairs and grand public stairs above that.
- All rights reserved, Cécile Martin and Claude Boullevraye de Passillé, 2009
Claude Boullevraye de Passillé - Architecture & Urbanism 