new york breathing machine vertical garden superskyscraper by IAD
image © independent architectural diplomacy
all images courtesy of independent architectural diplomacy

 

 

 european firm independent architectural diplomacy (IAD) has designed the ‘new york breathing machine‘, a net-positive energy ‘superskyscraper’ in uptown manhattan. the sustainably designed building links indoor and outdoor spaces within an gridded armature: separated in one side of the structure, three core modules house private offices and a hotel; these are interwoven by spiral pathways of public vertical gardens that serve as a ‘lung’ for the mixed use building. at street level, an urban mall and conference center open the corner of west 125th street and broadway to expanded commercial and public use, without losing the facade typology typical to broadway of clear connections between sidewalk and building.

 

 

 

new york breathing machine superskyscraper by IAD
in a 65m wide site, separate volumes allow light and air reach the enclosed program through the ETFE and PV skin
image © independent architectural diplomacy

 

 

the ‘new york breathing machine‘ takes its name seriously: the structure achieves carbon neutrality through the use of solar panels and microturbines in an architectural plan that takes advantage of natural conduction flows. a ventilated ETFE skin within the structural framework of the facade takes active advantage of favourable meteorological conditions, permitting the management of interior and exterior air currents to modulate temperature and the flow of cool air in the semi-open spaces between programmatic blocks. the foliage of the vertical garden includes perennial trees and conifers to protect against winds and avoid a wind-tunnel effect within the structural voids created by the gaps among the three modules.

 

the conceptual vision behind the ‘new york breathing machine’ superskyscraper is to anchor a ‘green corridor’ in new york city, wherein the open spaces of central park, the manhattan waterfront, and parks of morningside heights are channeled into a single vertical garden.

 

 

 

new york breathing machine superskyscraper by IAD
the ‘NYBM’ superskyscraper dominates the skyline, serving as an axis in a ‘green corridor’ through the city
image © independent architectural diplomacy

 

 

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project info:

 

project name: new york breathing machine
program: office, hotel and sky garden superskyscraper
location: w125th / broadway, new york city, new york, USA
architectes iad | s.cottrell, j.michelangeli, r.sá
iad team:
project manager & 3d modeling: iván gutierrez
assistants: izabela boron, jolanta ostaszewska
offices (52m – 156m) typical floor plan area: 4,287 m2
global area: 94,314 m2
number of floors: 22
number of elevator cores: 3 (18 elevators)
number of emergency cores: 3
volume of atrium: 43,704 m3
hotel (208m – 312m) typical floor plan area: 3,283 m2
global area: 83,075 m2
number of rooms: 850
number of floors: 25
number of elevator cores: 3 (18 elevators)
number of emergency cores: 3
volume of atrium: 151,786 m3
sky suites (364m – 468m) typical floor plan area: 817 m2
global area: 20,425 m2
number of rooms: 200
number of floors: 25
number of elevator cores: 2 (12 elevators)
number of emergency cores: 2
vertical park length of paths: 12.5 km
general height of skyscraper: 468 m
volume of vertical park: 3,319,497 m3
volume of skyscraper: 5,398,806 m3
project completion: november 2012