Dubai Reveals Plans for Green Skyscraper Shaped Like a Wind Turbine

When it comes to eco-skyscrapers, Dubai’s definitely at the front of the pack, revealing plans for a new one practically once a month. Everything that’s been coming out of Dubai has been grand, innovative, and visually breathtaking, so it’s no surprise that the latest one – Anara Tower – is so spectacular.  It’s designed by Atkins Designs Studio and developed by Tameer Holding Investment, and will stand 2,150 feet tall. The developers are aiming for LEED silver certification.

From Inhabitat:

Shaped like super-massive wind turbine, Anara Tower is a mixed-use high-rise that will features residences, offices, retail spaces, a hotel, and a world-class art gallery. The 125 story structure will incorporate sky gardens every 27 floors and will boast a luxury restaurant situated within the glossy glass capsule in the center of the tower’s peak. Atkins Design Studio is aiming to maximize the skyscraper’s efficiency by incorporating water and energy efficiency strategies and potentially installing renewable sources of energy.

Construction is set to begin in 2009, so we’re not too far away from seeing it completed.

These designs coming out of Dubai make me feel like I’m looking into a portal at the future of green architecture. Everything seems so advanced. I guess that’s one perk of having so many billionaires eager to be at the forefront of the country’s environmental movement.

Link [Inhabitat]

United Arab Emirates Pledges to Pursue Sustainability

One million residents of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be coming together on October 17th, 18th and 19th to make a nationwide pledge to pursue policies that encourage sustainable living as part of the ‘Mission Green Earth – Stand Up and Take Action 2008’ campaign.  The campaign aims to mobilize and inspire people to go green through activities planned in schools, organizations and institutions across the emirates.

From Zawya:

In Her capacity as the UN Messenger of Peace and Patron of the campaign, Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein has asked UAE residents from all walks of life to join the campaign and take a stand in support of environmental sustainability.

“… Last year, over 43 million people stood up across the world at the same time to remind their leaders of the promise they made to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Those 43 million individuals represented a strong united voice against a plague that is threatening the future of our planet; poverty; reminding us of the responsibility we have towards the future of this earth.” She said, adding that “This year, our “Stand Up & Take Action” commitment is not only about mankind, it is also about our planet. Why? Because reducing poverty and achieving sustained development must be done in conjunction with a healthy planet, and because climate change must be addressed as a humanitarian emergency, the ‘environmental sustainability’ goal is the focus of our campaign this year. Let’s give the UAE’s voice to this global wake-up call and stand up altogether on October 17, 18 & 19.”

How exciting! This is a huge deal for the United Arab Emirates, since they have the world’s largest ecological footprint per capita. They definitely need to take action now, and just the fact that they’re recognizing that is a step in the right direction for sure. The people who pledge to work toward sustainability will be committing to conserve energy and water, reduce waste and plant trees and other landscaping with low water needs.

The ‘Stand Up’ in the UAE will be reported and photographed for inclusion in the global total, which will hopefully be added to the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest number of people standing up for a cause.

For more info on Mission Green Earth, check out the website at www.missiongreenearth.ae.

Link [Zawya] + [Mission Green Earth]

Rotating Wind Power Skyscraper to be Built in Dubai

Bloody hell! (Oh, how I wish I could use that in conversation without sounding like an asshole.) That is one sexy building in more ways than one. From David Fisher’s Dynamic Architecture firm comes the Rotating Tower, a self-sufficient sun and wind powered design that will be built in Dubai. Construction is set to begin this month.

Inhabitat has the details:

The Dynamic Architecture building has been aptly named Rotating Tower as the floors would be capable of rotating around a central axis. It will be continually in motion, changing shape and giving residents the ability to choose a new view at the touch of a button. The form of the building would constantly change as each floor rotates separately giving a new view of the building as it turns. According to Fisher, the building ensures a very high resistance to earthquakes as each floor rotates independently.

The new tower is the first building of its size to produced in a factory. Each floor, made up of 12 individual units, complete with plumbing, electric connections, air conditioning, etc., will be fabricated in a factory. These modular units will be fitted on the concrete core or spine of the building at the central tower.

With so much wealth concentrated in Dubai, I think we’re going to be seeing a lot more green innovation coming out of this little country. Imagine the possibilities that are still out there even after incredible inventions like this are conceived and built. This takes the shiny, cool sci-fi future of your childhood dreams and wraps it all up in a green package that can help take us out of the age of oil and into a new era.

Link [Inhabitat]