Introduction

A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building. There is no official definition or height above which a building may clearly be classified as a skyscraper. The most highlighted factor which the skyscrapers have followed during their history has been to re-defining the life-style regarding the futuristic need of Human!!!

This, article deals with a new hypothetical design done by AKID Ltd, based in Sheffield, United Kingdom. The design group in this project involved some PhD candidates of Architecture at The University of Sheffield, UK, namely : Ali Kashkooli (from Iran, Team-leader), Xi Wang (from China), and Sahar Zahiri (From Iran) in January 2010 for EVOLO Skyscraper competition.

The design work aimed to propose a new futuristic human life-style, based on some natural problems threatening human life in close future.

Problems

Some problems sound significant in tomorrow world much more than today. Global Warming increases in the average temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans since the mid-20th century and its projected continuation. Global surface temperature increased 0.74 ± 0.18 °C (1.33 ± 0.32 °F) between the start and the end of the 20th century.

Other natural hazards as Earthquake, Flood, and Volcano are demolishing the houses and killing the people. By increasing the temperature of Earth the rate of these hazards are being grown up.

Moreover, the increase of population in the world is limiting the urban movements and growing up a new hazard for tomorrow: Traffic!!!!

Needs for new lifestyle

The aforementioned problems call for new Human life-style, and to find a new place for a longer life without afraid of temperature, earthquake, flood, volcano, and traffic. Maybe, it is time to leave the surface of Earth; but where to live!!!??

Design process

In the last few years we have seen hundreds of new skyscrapers been developed around the world without careful consideration to the context or environment. There is a constant lack of urban planning and poor architectural design without intellectual or perceptual enjoyment.

According to evolo, the aim of the competition is to push our imagination to redefine the term skyscraper through the use of new materials, technology, aesthetics, programs, and spatial organizations. Globalization, environmental warming, flexibility, adaptability, and the digital revolution are just some of the multi-layered elements that should be taken in consideration.

The objective is to provide maximum freedom to propose the most innovative projects for this fascinating architectural genre. Ultimately, the designs should help the environment, restructure our cities and improve our way of life.

Consequently, the design process of this project has been done in two phases:

1- Research

During the research phase, the team intended to some related terms as: definitions and backgrounds, design questions in social sciences, global design, global warming, flexible structures, sustainable design, cultural analysis, economic analysis and classification, Material and technical analysis etc.

2- Design

The design phase has been done in two stages:

A: theatrical design, and brain storming; analyzing the guidelines of the project.

The key points of investigation at this stage where as follows:

· Bionic Design: as an approach of using the solutions of ‘nature’ to solve the problem of human life.

· Environmental friendly and energy efficient design, and to employ the renewable energies.

· Safety in terms of natural hazards, regarding the principles of design in tall buildings.

The consequence of this stage was to change the place of Human life from surface of the Earth into the ‘Ocean’!!! which is place to save all the creatures from heat and coldness (because of the stability in temperature of oceans), moreover from earthquake, volcano, flood (because we are within the water).

It also, solves the traffic problem by providing an opportunity move in 3Dimentional sides (because of the lower gravity in the water)

Hence, the team named the concept as ‘OCEAN SCRAPER’!!!

Ocean Scraper is proposed to be a sustainable, flexible easy developable, futuristic, and a powerful structure; which responds the future needs of Human being in a new safe, lovely, and sustainable life-style.

B: Design in action

This stage has been done by preparing the sketches, 3D models, and poster established on the previous phases and the guidelines of theoretical design stage. Furthermore, all the buildings have been designed to provide their own energy from sources as: wind, solar energy, recycling the waste of materials (biomass), and wave power (wave of ocean), and geothermal energy.

Ali Kashkooli; 30 March 2010

PhD Candidate of Architecture, School of Architecture, The University of Sheffied, United Kingdom

Emai: alik188@yahoo.com

Tel: (+44) 784 904 4635

Website: www.akid.ltd.uk

* Copyright warning: This project, idea and design work has been internationally registered by UKCS Registration Services (http://www.copyrightservice.co.uk/) in the United Kingdom - all right reserved- registration number 328633- Any copy of ideas, design, concept, and images without the official authorisation of copyright owners (Mr. Ali M. S. Kashkooli, and Mr. Xi Wang) would have serious consequences of getting sued by UK international copyright laws.