Ábalos + Sentkiewicz

Huafa Contemporary Art Museum . Zhuhai

Ábalos + Sentkiewicz arquitectos . + bustler

"Shading: The tree canopies offer protection from high, uncomfortable, solar radiation - especially in the summertime - with controlled passage of dappled daylight.

Water collection:
RAIN. During the monsoon season, the canopy directs rain down the hollow branches, into the trunk, to the water storage level beneath the courtyard. This water is kept cool and is used to serve the courtyard water features in the summer time.
DEW. On clear humid nights, the canopy surface drops below the dew point temperature by the effect of atmospheric radiative cooling. Vapour condenses on the canopy as dew droplets, which form into rivulets, trickling down the hollow branches towards the trunk. Up to half a litre of dew per square meter can be produced each night."
"Air movement:
WIND DRIVEN DOWNDRAFT. The canopy directs the cool NE night breeze down the hollow branches to the trunk at the courtyard level, precooling the surrounding thermal mass. This process is supplements by downdrafts driven by the radiative cooling effect at the canopy surface
SOLAR UPDRAFT. On drier days when the sun is especially strong, the canopy temperature rises, heating the air directly above the canopy, and lowering its pressure. This creates a buoyant updraft through the tree, promoting air movement at the trunk level."
"Passive air conditioning:
RADIATIVE COOLING DOWNDRAFT(RCD) (Night). On clear, still nights, the canopy surface cools by the effect of atmospheric radiation. The air in contact with the surface cools, and drops down naturally through the hollow branches, collecting at the trunk to provide a stream of air that pre- cools the courtyard."
"EVAPORATIVE COOLING DOWNDRAFT (ECD) (Day). After a rain shower, or on a morning after a dew harvest, the surfaces of the tree branches will be moist. As the day evolves and air temperatures begin to rise, this moisture will begin to evaporate, cooling and making denser the air inside the branches. A cool downdraft starts to form as the falling air from the branches collects at the trunk."

International competition by invitation: FIRST PRIZE
Client: Guangdong Huasheng Investment Group Co.,Ltd
Site: Zhuhai, Guangdong, China
Program:
Exhibition Space 11.212 m2
Art communication 1.854 m2
Research center 491 m2
Artist studio 924 m2
Administration 771 m2
Affiliated facilities 3673 m2
Storage 2380 m2
Circulation+Other services 3687 m2
Built area: 24.992 m2
Status: Project under development