by Brianna Crandall — May 15, 2013—Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture’s (AS+GG) winning design for Mumbai’s Imperial Tower competition could become the city’s tallest as well as greenest tower. The 400-meter, aerodynamic Imperial Tower was designed to “confuse the wind” by mitigating the negative effects of wind in the Indian city. At 116 stories tall, Imperial Tower is also a green prototype for Mumbai, a densely developed but mostly low-rise metropolis whose urban future revolves around tall residential towers, says the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH).
In addition to the “softly curvilinear form” of the “elegantly slender tower,” the effects of wind currents are minimized by sky gardens facing north and south. The sky gardens also provide access to light, views and a connection with the natural world that AS+GG says are “unprecedented” in Mumbai.
Imperial Tower will also provide “the most spacious and luxurious residences in Mumbai,” according to the firm. The 76,272-square-meter tower includes 132 residential units of between 195 and 1,115 square meters, along with serviced apartments of between 72 and 252 square meters. All of the upper-story condominiums will offer “breathtaking” views of the Arabian Sea.
A major sustainable feature of Imperial Tower is its treatment of water, a locally scarce resource. According to AS+GG, water from mechanical systems is collected and treated as greywater; rainfall is also collected for re-use by the units.
In addition, the exterior wall is designed to be highly sustainable, blocking heat gain and diffusing direct sunlight in the hot and humid climate. High-efficiency mechanical systems, a green-wall podium and the use of native plants in the landscaping and sky gardens also add to the project’s sustainability. AS+GG is also exploring the use of kitchens and bathrooms to be pre-fabricated at a nearby mini-factory.
