ABU DHABI | Stairscraper |

[M II A II R II K]

High-rise living with a twist


February 18, 2011

By Catriona Davies

Read More: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/TECH/inn...aper.abudhabi/

An eye-catching spiral skyscraper with a garden on every level is being planned for Abu Dhabi. The so-called Stairscraper was one of the winners of the Total Housing Competition run by New York's Storefront for Art and Architecture, a non-profit organization which promotes innovative architecture, and Architizer, an online platform for architects. The Barcelona-based architect Nabito that designed the Stairscraper said it is in negotiating to build it in Abu Dhabi, but that details are currently confidential.

Alessandra Faticanti, who founded Nabito with Roberto Ferlito, said: "We tried to join horizontal and vertical, designing a horizontal skyscraper, mixing the pragmatism of vertical buildings with the romantic idea of horizontal landscape cities." Faticanti said they were talking to engineers in Abu Dhabi about the possibility of creating a well to reach the underground water table in the center of the building, and using it to create a green oasis of gardens. "The building will be especially careful about sustainability using all the techniques, technologies and materials and method of construction to reach environmental sustainability," she said.

The concept of the Stairscraper is to combine housing, offices and public spaces in the most sustainable way possible. Ferlito, 37, said the concept for the Stairscraper came to them while looking at a spiral staircase in Istanbul and trying to imagine it as a building. "We were in Istanbul for the opening night of a building we recently built and while we were speaking we've been astonished by a spiral stair hanging from a building in front of us," said Ferlito. "We started joking about the form, playing and imagining the possibilities of transforming it into a building."

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http://www.greenmuze.com/build/desig...rscraper-.html

[Infernal_Elf]

what can i say Abu Dhabi does it again

i love the way they just realised that we cant just do skycrapers like Dubai did and be special. we need to hawe the edge and do a mind Blowing design every time. Capital gate and Aldar headquarters are very good examples of this.

wicked design its a Fantastic new take on the Turning torso design u can hawe public park on this also spanning several stories with stairs in between. only problem really is the thin core meaning that certain things like water and sewage must be laid under the out rigged parts of the building. while the elevator and stair occupy all of the midsection

And with Abu Dhabi`s big expansion plans and need to make an unique mark this might very well get pulled through. And money and regulations aint exactly a problem neither.

here is a link to the leaning capital Gate project wich Abu dhabi Pulled off recently http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=182325

[patriotizzy]

Hmmm, whatever rocks their boat I suppose...

[M II A II R II K]

This design would only work out in warm climates, and with less hurricanes and stuff too.

[SkyscrapersOfNewYork]

that just looks....bad....

[Plokoon11]

Imagine living in one of those when a F5 tornado, or hurricane stops by.

[northbay]

neat idea, but i wonder how the structure works against earthquakes. doesn't look like the sturdiest design.

[M II A II R II K]

Don't think there are any earthquakes or hurricanes in UAE.

[northbay]

^ of course i was just thinking if such design could work here in the bay area. (like that would ever happen)

in abu dhabi, this kind of innovative design would work well. i actually think this could look really cool, i really like the idea that every floor has a terrace. i think its going to be important how the core and the "underside" of the floors look from below - the renderings just show blank white surfaces. i think they need to add some 'texture' there, maybe with glass.

a spire might be nice too. overall a great design.

[Lecom]

Looks cool in detailing, stupid in execution. It's a very static structure, and... just a big ol' staircase. Stagger those floors in a more dynamic pattern and I'd love that structure.

[BStyles]

Originally Posted by Plokoon11

Imagine living in one of those when a F5 tornado, or hurricane stops by.

It'll make for a great fire escape, then!

[Gdoggy]

YUCK...


Where's a NIMBY when you need one ?

[Infernal_Elf]

northbay

a spire might be nice too. overall a great design.

the top shrinking into a cone would definitley do this design very good i think adds more of a finishing touch. Or the stairs could shrink into a spire or just a regular stair size at top

[JDRCRASH]

This thing is stupid. There's obviously only one elevator, so that in itself makes this thing crap.
Good thing that first rendering isn't reality. That would be verrry bad for NY.

[Starship Catvern]

Who on Satan's green earth would build something this ugly?