Architectural Elegy
The Cubitum tower designed by young Lebanese architect living ihn Europe - Joy Alexandre Harb is
poised to become a new landmark of Sydney, the building embodies beauty and sophistication. The tower can be recognized from afar as it stands distinguished from its surrounding, yet from a closer perspective, it extends to the pedestrian neighborhood through a new layer of commercial area which makes a smoother transition between private and public place. Those retail outlets and restaurants provide an active streetscape and public forecourt area, creating a new amenity for locals and visitors.
Unlike the other twisted towers, the design of the Cubitum tower is born by merging two squared twisted elements, which gave an elegant double rotated façade with parallel balconies: The original design started with a square geometry in which the edges were rounded to fit the north-east side of the setback of the side. The 90 degrees twist of the square allows having the same floor plan at the top and the bottom level. The element was mirrored to meet the required built up area of the sites rules and regulations. The void resulting between the elements gave birth to balconies.
The use of parametric software involved in the structure gives the building different depth to appreciate. The quality outcome corresponds with privacy and natural lighting requirements. The resulting geometry was then contoured to generate horizontal plates which encompass a collection of predefined open habitable spaces. Corner edges with a twist of the element were proposed to meet a radial geometry which facilitated a 360 degree view for each apartment to the surrounding urban and natural environment.
The façade of each apartment consists of an articulated and curved glass, where double glazing guarantees a competent isolation system that maximizes the control of heat and sound between the indoor and outdoor space. The curtain walls also help mitigate solar heat while exploiting the daylight.
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Materials provided by Joy Alexandre Harb