Chadwick International and Buro Happold win “Outstanding International Design Project of the Year 2016” award from British Expertise International, an NGO chaired by the Duke of Gloucester for their seminal aircon-less 1,000 person in Shimoga, India.
Essentially this ground-breaking building cuts out all direct sunlight eliminating solar gain, harvests natural daylight, self-ventilates through its atrium, directs the monsoon winds through it parametrically designed sunscreens and yet retains all the characteristics of a modern, deep-plan building.
The gardens are planned to control the temperature of the air entering the building and eliminate pollution from vehicles in immediate proximity to the building. Temperature reductions of 5-6˚ are achieved, significant with summer temperatures in the 30’s.
The natural ventilation makes for a very pleasant working environment and one that is particularly economic given that there are no mechanical services required other than the punkas to stir the air.