The Windwheel Corporation recently revealed their concepts for a type of building called the Dutch Windwheel, an oval shaped building which would harness clean energy and house public venues as well as private homes. Initially conceptualized for Rotterdam, the new green building design seeks to set the standard for sustainable design with a unique aesthetic.
The Dutch Windwheel 2.0 was hinted at back in 2015, and new details shed light on the energy systems, circulation patterns, and programmatic functions of the building. The project was developed by Windwheel Corporation alongside a team of engineers and researchers from groups like Royal BAM Group, Arup, Deltares and more.
The Windwheel is composed of both private and commercial space, with apartments, hotel, event venues, cruise terminal, a sky lobby and more. It will have multiple cabins which take visitors to the highest point of the structure, similar to a Ferris wheel. Certain cabins will come with specialized features, like a Bar cabin for food and drink, or perhaps even a cabin which would go underwater to allow visitors to view aquatic life up close.
The building is to be constructed with materials sourced from the local area, and it will be wrapped in a plant-covered “skin” to reflect unwanted solar heat gain yet simultaneously allowing ventilation and natural light. Rainwater will be captured by the building and then reused while artificial wetlands would provide options for water filtration and habitat. The building’s façade will have solar panels installed on it and will also be able to harness wind energy, while organic waste will be collected for the production of biogas.
A green deal was recently signed at the World Trade Center in Rotterdam by Dutch Minister Henk Kamp and others to increase the chances that the project will actually be constructed.
You can follow the project on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/DutchWindwheel
