Digging Deep
Identity|October 2018

The new V&A Dundee utilises geothermal energy drawn from boreholes that extend 200 metres below the surface, the faade of the Oasia Hotel in Singapore is to be covered by 21 species of creepers and vines, and Meli Hotels International has announced its intention to eliminate all single-use plastics in its properties within a year.

Steve Hill
Digging Deep

WOW FACTOR

The spectacular new Dhs376 million V&A Dundee, designed by award-winning Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, utilises geothermal energy drawn from 30 boreholes that extend 200 metres deep below ground.

The 8000-square metre building opened last month and has already been compared to Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim in Bilbao for the way in which it has created the wow factor.

There are no straight external walls; two-and-a-half thousand pre-cast rough stone panels, each weighing up to 3000 kilograms and spanning up to four metres, create the appearance of a Scottish cliffface.

The V&A’s first outpost outside London, and Scotland’s first design museum, the V&A Dundee will feature 1650 square metres of gallery space with exhibits, including a 15th century Book of Hours and a 13.5-metre-long oak panelled room designed by the celebrated Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

But equal care has been paid to identifying the most appropriate form of renewable energy for the museum.

The use of wind turbines, solar panels, photovoltaic cells, biomass and river source heat pumps were all analysed before geothermal was identified as the most appropriate option for heating and cooling the building, supplemented by air source heat pumps on the roof.

These provide direct renewable energy for V&A Dundee, with 800,000 kilowatt hours per annum of heating and 500,000 kWh/annum of cooling.

Around 500,000 people are expected to visit V&A Dundee in its first year.

TOP GEAR

Season 5 of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship gets underway in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 15 December, when a new Batmobile-esque all-electric racing car will hit the track in anger for the first time.

Bu hikaye Identity dergisinin October 2018 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye Identity dergisinin October 2018 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

IDENTITY DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
Breaking the mould
Identity

Breaking the mould

A collision of forces has given birth to a new project called The Great Design Disaster. Led by a passionate duo – interior architect Gregory Gatserelia and design enthusiast Joy Herro – its aim is nothing short of shaking up the traditional boundaries of the contemporary design market. identity catches up with Herro to learn more.

time-read
2 dak  |
June 2021
A taste for luxury
Identity

A taste for luxury

Häcker Kitchens is on a mission to 'disrupt the kitchen industry' in the Middle East

time-read
2 dak  |
June 2021
An Italian affair
Identity

An Italian affair

An exclusive collection by online retail platform Artemest has been curated by Dubai-based interior designer and founder of Styled Habitat, Rabah Saeid, and combines Italian handcrafted pieces inspired by cosy nights in.

time-read
1 min  |
June 2021
At the nexus of design and function
Identity

At the nexus of design and function

Casamia is home to truly contemporary kitchens for lovers of elegance and understated style

time-read
1 min  |
June 2021
DESIGN FOCUS: A FEAST FOR THE EYES
Identity

DESIGN FOCUS: A FEAST FOR THE EYES

As a place for everything from cooking and eating to entertaining and gathering with family and friends, the kitchen is the heart of any home. It can be a space that invites creativity as well, not only with food but also with design. Contemporary or traditional, urban-inspired or with a countryside feel, adorned with neutral colours or noble materials, bespoke or modular: there are many options to reflect your own style.

time-read
4 dak  |
June 2021
Contemporary heritage
Identity

Contemporary heritage

Launched just a few months ago, new brand and gallery Don Tanani revives the past with a contemporary eye, through objects that are at the crossroads of design and art

time-read
2 dak  |
June 2021
Distant voices
Identity

Distant voices

The voices of 4000 Lebanese citizens have travelled to the Venice Architecture Biennale as part of Beirut-based architecture and design duo T SAKHI’s installation, ‘Letters from Beirut’. With the hope of fostering dialogue and honouring the Lebanese community, the installation shares narratives in the wake of the city’s ongoing reconstruction following the explosion in Beirut on 4 August last year.

time-read
2 dak  |
June 2021
An urban legacy
Identity

An urban legacy

A new book chronicling Sharjah’s modern urban landscape offers a wide-ranging view of the UAE’s third-largest city

time-read
2 dak  |
June 2021
WEEKEND LIFESTYLE
Identity

WEEKEND LIFESTYLE

This Sydney home achieves harmony through the perfect balance of proportions, materials and colours

time-read
3 dak  |
June 2021
A labour of love
Identity

A labour of love

The House of Today platform has supported emerging design talent and students in Lebanon for nearly a decade. Today, in the face of ongoing challenges, their efforts remain as solid as ever.

time-read
5 dak  |
June 2021