ARCH 653 Project-1

Description:

The project is based on Aldar Headquarters in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.  This iconic commercial building is the first circular building of its kind in Middle East, headquarters of Aldar Properties, Abu Dhabi. The concept of the building has been inspired by the clam shell that has a deep meaning for Abu Dhabi with its maritime heritage and symbolism of the geometric round shape. The architect Marwan Zgheib to whom the power of the monument is in its simplicity imagined two giant circular curved walls that evoke an open shell.

Fig (1): Aldar Headquarters Building, Abu Dhabi

Design Intent:

This building has a distinctive design and innovative architecture which is completely circular, fully glazed in the elevation view and also curved in all other directions. This building consists of two circular convex shaped facades joined by a thin skin of glass material. The important feature is to achieve the façade shape on which is the diagrid of steel and the glass skin.

Fig (2):3D-Model of the building in Revit

 To achieve the complete building model two different components mass model and the façade of the building must be created.

Mass Modelling:

The mass model of the building is created using three circles of varying radii and heights at each horizontal section, with their centers along the same vertical axis. A solid form is created with the three circles. Unlike the existing four façade structures, the two circular facades are connected by a thin continuous structural glass band.

Fig (3): Mass Model of the building

Façade:

The façade is modelled by creating a loft and void extrusions to achieve the desired façade shape of the building. It is created using following steps:

Step 1- Draw three reference lines with varying radii to create a form.

Fig (4): Create Reference Lines

Step 2-The form must be cut using void extrusion to achieve the desired shape. The parameters are assigned to vary the radii and width of the form.

Fig (5): Cut the form using Void Extrusion

        Fig (6):Screenshot1-Varying Radius 

  Fig (7): Screenshot2-Varying Width

Step 3-As the façade shape of the building is not completely circular in shape, create a void extrusion to get the shape by varying the parameters.

Fig (8): Create a Void Extrusion

          Fig (9): screenshot3-Varying Width    

                    

Fig (10): Screenshot4-Varying Radius

Curtain Panel:

In order to achieve the curved glass skin, the triangular glass panels are embedded into the diamond glass like shape. Therefore, it is created as a custom curtain panel pattern using the rhomboid pattern as a base. The rectangular glass panels with a divided surface are created and imported on to the surface of the rhomboid pattern to get the glazed façade curvature. The glazed curved façade is obtained by assigning this curtain panel to the surface of the facade shape created.

       Fig (11): Rectangular Glass Panel  

                Fig (12): Custom Curtain panel

Fig (13): Façade Shape

Renderings:

The mass model and the façade is loaded into the project and the exterior and interior renderings of the buildings are created.

 Fig (14): Interior Rendering of the Building-1

Fig (15): Interior Rendering of the Building-2

Fig (16): Exterior Rendering of the Building

Critics about Revit Application:

Revit cannot calculate the number of grids to be given on the divided surface for a particular curtain panel pattern. So, the user must try assigning with different number of grids which is time consuming when the pattern has more components. In Revit it is cumbersome to assign varying parameters such as appearance to the same element at different locations whereas it can be assigned easily using programming.

Project Video