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The CUBE
The Cube is located on Richmond Hill Road, Christchurch New Zealand. The projects fundamental philosophy is addressing building aesthetic whilst having a parallel relationship to sustainability.
The key focus was on having a building that provides good indoor air quality without the need for active solutions. Along with passive heating using thermal mass through the laws of thermodynamics using the buildings concrete materiality and large windows to act as solar collectors by orienting the building North. Passive cooling during summer through cross ventilation.
The buildings active methods of power generation include photovoltaic cells and a wind turbine to capture the sites natural resources of sun and wind to generate power. As part of the projects vegetation initiative the building is also equipped with a green roof that can improve stormwater management by reducing runoff and improving water quality, conserve energy, mitigate the urban heat island effect, increase longevity of roofing membranes, reduce noise and air pollution and lastly sequester carbon and increase urban biodiversity by providing habitat for wildlife. The site is only planted with New Zealand native vegetation that provides protection from the wind for its occupants and also help with drainage.
The buildings philosophy to aesthetically look good taking into consideration large windows to provide visual comfort for its occupants making use of the sites natural views. To prevent heat loss, the buildings triple glazed windows with argon fill are the first defence against heat loss, coupled with externally insulated louvres that are fitted with solar and temperature sensors which reduce heat loss and provide solar shading. The buildings externally clad using recycled material from houses destroyed in the earthquake, thus symbolic to that the building’s window and external skin are shaped as a traditional house representing the hope for the rebuild of Christchurch.
Lastly the buildings innate consideration to its natural landscape, the air seismic system is fitted to protect the building and its occupants from Christchurch’s earthquakes.
