Page 73 - Vertical City
P. 73
ARCHITECTURE OF TOWERS 73
The claustrophobia felt in most elevator cabins
disappears when they are glassed-in, illuminated by day-
light, and above all provide a view.
Vertigo provoked by floor-to-ceiling glassed walls is
easily diminished by an appropriate treatment of a type
of barrier of partial transparence, such as a perforated
metal sheet or the foreground that a large terrace can
provide.
The enjoyment of natural lighting imposes use of
extra-clear glass with high color rendering and light
transmission indexes, which is compatible with energy
economy as long as the logic of construction is respec-
ted 5.
Mastering the effects of wind 6 ensures comfort at
the foot of the towers, and also allows for installation
of terraces and opening windows, with the desired
acoustic calm, for natural ventilation in harmony with
the climate.
The pleasures of our sensations and our physiolo-
gical comfort are also a source of inspiration for the
architect and the engineer. The wood window frame,
for example, provides us with a satisfaction that no
other material can equal, and obviously can be used for
5 The new headquarters of AGC Glass at Louvain-la-Neuve, entirely
in extra-transparent glass, nonetheless a “nearly zero energy” build-
ing is a demonstration of this (see footnote n°16).
6 Wind pressure (in Pa) p = ρv²/2; where ρ = 1,225 kg/m³ (the specific
mass of air) and v the speed of the wind (in m/s), p (Pa) = 0,6125 v²
(m/s). The speed of the wind v at a height h, equals in relationship to
vth/ve0 s=pe(he/dhv0)01/a7.t height ho (typically for h = 10 m: 0 m/s < v0 < 20 m/s ):
