The Spirit

The form of Torre de Cristal is intended to be both sculptural and iconic, a form that would come to life under the strong Iberian sun, and more importantly, a sculptural form carved out of glass. The faceted form of glass and anodized aluminum glistens and glows like a crystal. There are two features to the design of the exterior wall: first, it incorporates on-floor, on-demand air intake and air exhaust; and second, an active ventilated wall system. The exterior cladding is also equipped with automatic blinds for glare control, synchronized for each façade with the sun angle. We worked in collaboration with the engineers at Permasteelisa Group to develop details to accommodate the mechanism of a ‘living and breathing wall’ while maintaining the appearance of simplicity and elegance.

 

Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects