The same Italian design firm that designed a fleet of eco-schools for Gaza has won an international competition to design the headquarters of Algeria’s telecommunications firm ARPT (Autorité de Régulation de la Poste et des Télécommunications).
Mario Cucinella Architects combined tradition and modernity in his striking design of the ARPT Headquarters that is slated for construction along a busy highway in the Algerian capital.
The aerodynamic shape culminates in something of a pointed arch regularly found in Mediterranean architecture, except Cucinella pushed the northern side out in a convex shape to force fierce desert winds to roll off the building’s back.
He then sunk the southern side in a concave that captures the nighttime breeze.
By using bioclimatic design to cool the interior naturally, Cucinella reduces the program’s energy load since less air conditioning will be required to maintain a comfortable interior environment.
Having made a study of cooling techniques employed by the ancient people who lived in the desert regions, the Italian designer brings a sense of Islamic identity to his modern new structures.
|