Oculus Complex in Dubai

Oculus Complex is designed as a contemporary reinterpretation of traditional elements of Arab vernacular architecture. A sustainable environmental concept determines the orientation, lay-out and design of the building envelope. The volume faces the prevailing wind being developed around a circular opening that houses a giant wind turbine. Building’s form directs air through the opening and speeds it up, increasing power production. Building’s footprint is a shard orientated to Mecca. Inside, a cavernous space –the “nest”– functions as a prayer hall. Cool water from the seabed is spread through a pipe network embedded inside the concrete slabs. Since seawater temperature is always lower than the ambient temperature, this network creates a system of ambient cooling, minimizing energy strain on the mechanical systems. Building’s skin develops as a mechanism that controls the amount of sunlight and heat enter-ing - an effect used in Islamic architecture with its climate-oriented strategies.