Innovation and Sustainability in the Project of Skyscrapers: A Case Study Focusing an Educational Approach

SOUZA, R. C. F.
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais rcesar@pesquisador.cnpq.br

Abstract
This paper describes a experiment of proposing the early stages of design of s yscraper, !"estioning ho# those mega$str"ct"res #ill interfere o%er contemporary and f"t"re li%ing and respecti%e "rban scene. A politic and economical bac gro"nd framed the context b"t #as also flexible eno"gh to not narro# st"dents& imaginations and decisions. 't starts describing the main problems s yscrapers in the ()th Cent"ry, proposing ne# approaches #ith ne# technologies and programmatic interpretations of those str"ct"res. A case st"dy presents three significant pro*ects #hich #ere considered satisfactory as to represent the pedagogical bias adopted, #hich #as describe as +,roblem based -earning. 't ends obser%ing that /)0 of the pro*ects collect d"ring 1 years adopted traditional approaches to pro*ect, despite the scenario described. 't finally s"ggests that ne# research sho"ld ta e in consideration not only the mod"le, b"t the stages #here the st"dents are, comprising other mod"les that can be highly infl"ential.
Keywords: architectural projects, skyscrapers, technolo ical innovation, sustainable buildin s, education to!ards cleaner production

1 Introduction
'n the last cent"ry s yscrapers #ere considered a challenge as to parta e in the "rban scene #ithin the main de%eloped cities in the #orld. Alexander stated that those tall b"ildings #ere transformed into "nhealthf"l str"ct"res 2Alexander 34//, Alexander 34/45, good only to increase the profit of their b"ilders. According to that a"thor, s yscrapers disconnect people from "rban places, negati%ely interferes o%er the s"rro"ndings, pro%iding more shado#, less s"nlight and o%er#helming "rban infrastr"ct"res. To that a"thor, s yscrapers ma e mentally ill people as they are forced to li%e detached from the social life in the "rban scene.

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'n the last cent"ry s yscrapers #ere considered a challenge as to parta e in the "rban scene #ithin the main de%eloped cities in the #orld. Alexander stated that those tall b"ildings #ere transformed into "nhealthf"l str"ct"res 2Alexander 34//, Alexander 34/45, good only to increase the profit of their b"ilders. According to that a"thor, s yscrapers disconnect people from "rban places, negati%ely interferes o%er the s"rro"ndings, pro%iding more shado#, less s"nlight and o%er#helming "rban infrastr"ct"res. To that a"thor, s yscrapers ma e mentally ill people as they are forced to li%e detached from the social life in the "rban scene. 6hen tho"ght as places to ho"se ser%ices and commerce, s yscrapers can be compared to the big sheds, according to the definition of 7artin ,a#ley 234485. 9ig sheds also interr"pt en%ironmental contin"ity to#ards others meaningf"l places in the city, spreading disorientation and detachment. Therefore, they can be seen as anonymo"s monstrosities in the landscape. :espite big sheds constit"te inno%ations by the "sage of massi%e amo"nt of comp"tational reso"rces to s"pport its acti%ities 2,a#ley mentioned the proportion of ten comp"ters to each #or ing man5 that a"thor claimed that architects and "rban designers sho"ld change their %isions to cope #ith these phenomena as to decide ho# contemporary technology co"ld be transformed into a ne# and s"stainable paradigm. 'n this article it #ill be described a case st"dy foc"sing a teaching experience #ith st"dents of the mod"le called +flexible planning., part of the co"rse of Architect"re of Federal Uni%ersity of 7inas ;erais by the years ())4 to ()3(. 'n this mod"le the st"dents #ere as ed to de%elop cleaner and s"stainable pro*ects of s yscrapers near the 7inas ;erais Co"nty co"ncil. The go%ernment has appro%ed a g"idance "rban plan that #ill be accomplished in 1) years from no# on, aiming the global "rban and ind"strial de%elopment, as sho#n in the fig. 1. A proposed <conomic landscape in () years from no# on incl"des a goal of materiali=ing a m"ltimodal corridor of economic %al"e s"stained by fo"r pillars> <lectronic Components 'nd"stry, 'nfo$Tech, -ife Sciences 'nd"stry and Aerospace and :efence 'nd"stry. S"pporting those pillars, it #as imagined a infrastr"ct"re composed by three strong layers> to"rism 'nd"stry, <d"cation 'nd"stry, :istrib"tion -ogistics and 6holesale trading 'nd"stry 2see fig. ?5.

Belo Horizonte City Centre

Fig !: site for the pro*ect of the s yscraper, referred as +<l$centro..

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Fig &: ,rospection of in%estments in the m"ltimodal corridor 't is noticeable that the plan also contemplates cleaner and s"stainable ind"stries, mainly aero spatial and electronic, caref"lly mixed #ith residential and instit"tional areas. The st"dents #ere challenged to concei%e ne# approaches in the design of s yscrapers considering the (3st Cent"ry technological ad%ances, aiming to change the mentioned conflicts and #ondering #hat are the ne# responsibilities that those mega$str"ct"res bring together. The problem that #ill be described concern the diffic"lties to teach and learn "nder the attempt to create s"ch ne# paradigm, as mentioned, foc"sing on cleaner and s"stainable b"ildings and their process.

" #he Proble$ and the %ethod

The debate concerning the characteri=ation of #hat is Science and #hat is Technology @ ma ing clear their similarities and differences $ has the essential problem of not gi%ing an explication on ho# the %isible form of Technology $ the artefact $ comes o"t from the relation of a #ide %ariety of approaches in Sciences 2Ta ahashi ())45. For instance, in the ,hysics Sciences 2,eirce 34)15 the goal is to disco%er f"ndamental principles of an nat"ral phenomena, probably re!"iring a different type of creati%ity #hich is more related to the conception of hypotheses to be tested by an experiment, and later, necessarily to be ref"ted by ne#er hypotheses, as defended by ,opper 2,opper 34A(, ())(5. Technological inno%ations, ho#e%er, do not ha%e principles to g"ide the man"fact"ring steps, for instance, there is no pre%io"s correlation to one in p"tting together elements as electronic components, principles of electromagnetism, and no#ledge abo"t mo"lding plastics materials in order to create the telly, for instance. 9y the reasoning abo%e, teaching architect"ral pro*ects sho"ld as for creati%ity in the matter of Technology of Constr"ction more than in the design of formal aspects of a 9"ilding, neither in the interpretation of its f"nctional re!"ests. Therefore, o"r problem #as "sing the early stages of design of s yscrapers to reach principles to a pro*ect g"idance in order to achie%e cleaner and s"stainable b"ildings. That #o"ld demand a research

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of ne# technologies, e%en some anno"nced by the speciali=ed media b"t not ready to "se yet. 'n doing so, it #as expected that this process #o"ld re%eal the main diffic"lties that the st"dents #o"ld ha%e. Those diffic"lties and the criticisms and reflections abo"t them #ill be fig"re here the concl"sions section. <ach mod"le #as r"n bimestrial, by 8 ho"rs a #ee , #ith approximately () st"dents in each. The period of time to collect the material to do a case st"dy #as from the year ())4 to ()3(. The case st"dy method #as chosen since the type of obser%ed phenomenon 2pro*ect5 is impossible to be treated as di%orced from the context of the classroom and all diffic"lties this implies.

! Case Studies
Among nearly A) pro*ects d"ring 1 years #ere collected and here ' am chosen those that are more representati%e early stages of pro*ect ideas to elicit the res"lts in this paper. 1.3. 'rban Far$ing (esearch Centre

Bis a"thor explains that no#adays, to feed the #orldCs pop"lation of A.8 billion people, itCs needed an e!"i%alent area of entire So"th America. According to some st"dies, yet by ()D), #ith 4 billion people, #e may need an area e!"i%alent to 9ra=il. So, there is a clear necessity to loo for ne# de%elopments of agric"lt"re. Therefore, the proposal of his pro*ect does not ha%e intention to present a s yscraper that explores maxim"m deployment of reso"rces in smallest areas, b"t it constit"tes a first essay #here s yscrapers co"ld pop in the s yline of the cities as generic and disseminated reso"rce. Bis s yscraper #as concei%ed to be a po#erf"l tool to local city farmers, #ho #ill ma e their experiments and #ill find the best conditions to prod"ce %egetables and ease their labor. 'n the midst of many ob*ecti%es, the b"ilding aims to be a center of a local net#or of "rban farmers since the site is in front of a central local as the Co"nty Co"ncil of 9elo Bori=onte city, spreading after and establishing a #eb of distrib"tion of goods #ithin the mar ets of %egetables in the #hole city.

Fig ): Eertical Farmer aspects. A core of reinforced concrete s"pport the floors, and the external s"rfaces are made on a polymer so called <thylene tetrafl"oroethylene, <TF<, a fl"orine based plastic, #hich #as designed to ha%e high corrosion resistance and strength o%er a #ide temperat"re range. They #ere str"ct"red in irreg"lar frames as inflatable :iaphano"s #alls permitting s"nlight inside. Strategic opens #ere placed in order to "se directional #inds of the region.

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The s yscraper has (? floors #here research concerning hydroponics is de%eloped. 't has also an experimental greenho"se dedicated to research plants disease and other greenho"se #hich research no hydroponic farming. Since the main b"ilding is a centre of research in hydroponics, there is also a %isitor&s center, #ith resta"rant, stores, exposition hall and m"ltimedia roomF there is also an analysis center, #ith labs 2researching #ater, soil, genetic and others5 that can s"pport the comm"nityF as #ell there is a loading area and a #areho"se. :"e to o"r c"rrent technology today #e see for technological s"pport to b"ilt en%ironmental friendly to#ers and s"stainable b"ildings that create synergic infl"ences #ithin their en%ironment. 9eyond s"stainability, in this pro*ect the st"dent #as concerned of a research process that incl"de the b"ilding itself as an experiment to c"lti%ate hydroponics. 't is *"stified considering the massi%e amo"nt of potable #ater demanded by any traditional agric"lt"re and a giant si=e of lands "sed to c"lti%ate. 'f attention #as not paid on those bigger farms, #e #ill de%astate o"rs forests in the behalf of an expansion of agric"lt"ral areas. A lot are being spent in order to get these inds of b"ildings s"stainable. 9"t this one is not to t"rn other b"ildings more s"stainable, it is to t"rn life more s"stainable. 6e see food as something that has almost no impact on the planet, b"t the tr"th is that agric"lt"re "ses lots of nat"ral reso"rces. A good percentage of all potable #ater is "sed for agric"lt"re, and #e may also say that lots of forests are being de%astated. Bere in 9ra=il, the bo"nds of the Ama=on rainforest are being p"shed by big farmers. All the technology "sed in this b"ilding is de%eloped and ready to "se. That means that the pro*ect is not a prognosis of a technological state in the f"t"re. Three concerns #ere explored in the architect"ral sol"tions> all spatial elements #ere planned to permit plants to gro#n better, #ith light, #ater and temperat"re.

Fig +: The first b"ilding #ill ser%e as a prototype. A map of the city centre of 9elo Bori=onte sho#s sites #here next %ertical farms co"ld be b"ild since those sites are near strategic h"bs of distrib"tion.

3.2.

*ertical allot$ent

This b"ilding #as designed trying to sol%e many problems initially mentioned that affect tall b"ildings. 't #as concei%ed as a ho"sing enterprise, called here as +allotments. #hich is a reference to the 9ritish allotments created to s"pport the citi=ens since the Second 6orld 6ar. 't also stim"lates differentiate occ"pations by their inhabitants 2see figs. bello#5.

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Fig ,: :efining allotments #ith an non deterministic occ"pation> commerce and ser%ices #ere also planned in special floor. The metallic str"ct"re #as chosen to cope #ith the %ariety.

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Fig -: Eertical allotments> st"dies abo"t occ"pations. ,rospection of ho# families #ith different si=es and needs co"ld occ"py the floors 2technical st"dies5 and %isions of the ambience and formal aspects for the #hole b"ilding intended by the a"thor.

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3.3.

*ertical Aerotropolis

Aerotropolis are ne# "rban form placing airports in the center #ith cities gro#ing aro"nd them, connecting #or ers, s"ppliers, exec"ti%es, and goods to the global mar etplace. They aim to offer speed, agility and connecti%ity #ith the main h"bs all o%er the #ord. 'n this case, the t#o a"thors decide p"tting the airport in the top of the city, instead encaps"lating it s"rro"nding it by the city. They considered mo%ing the act"al airport Tancredo Ge%es to a frontal position #ith the Co"nty Co"ncil.

Fig .: Eertical airport and aerotropolis. A scheme in the right "p corner sho#s the position of city centre, Co"nty Co"ncil and the old airport.

Fig 1/: Eie#s of the Eertical airport and aerotropolis. Schemes sho# the b"ilding process stages and the f"nctional occ"pation by floors.

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The aerotropolis has a interlaced str"ct"re of composite material 2carbon fiber, glass fiber pl"s metallic str"ct"re5 creating the giant col"mns, inside #hich it is placed the others spaces needed. Since the planes r"na#ay are disposed as to conform holes in the str"ct"re, it #o"ld be possible occ"pying "nderneath the b"ilding #ith s"pporti%e ho"sing, commerce, hotels, distrib"tions centres among others. Those str"ct"res are connected #ith the rest of the co"nty by t"be or

& Conclusions 7any other pro*ects co"ld be incl"ded here as to o ill"strate the attempted of creating a teaching foc"sing on cleaner and more s"stainable b"ilding process. 9"t those examples can be described o%er a pedagogical bac gro"nd from #hich they help to clarify some important aspects. 't #as obser%ed that less than 1)0 of the s yscraperHs pro*ects coped satisfactorily #ith the challenges introd"ced in the three le%els, d"ring 1 years> the economic bac gro"nd, the challenges in the "se of ne# and sometimes not clearly defined technologies and the ability to go f"rther traditional programs to the b"ildings. 7any of the /)0 dedicated their programs to traditionalIcon%entional mixed "se, eeping the sense of a old ed"cational pro*ect training. So, in the range of /)0 #ere plenty of pro*ects depicting commerce mixed #ith hotels and ser%ices, all of them ta ing in consideration the act"al state of the proximity to the Co"nty Co"ncil. Rarely a pro*ect accepted the fact of being accomplished in the period of 1) years. So there #as an inertial force in the imagination of the st"dents, bloc ing their creati%ity. 'n terms of a pedagogical strategy and its didactical reflex, it #as considered the process no# #ell no# as ,roblem$based learning 2,9-5 #hich is a st"dent$centered pedagogy 27cJeachie ())A5. The st"dents learn abo"t a s"b*ect thro"gh the experience of problem sol%ing. St"dents learn both thin ing strategies and domain no#ledge. The goals of ,9are to help the st"dents de%elop flexible no#ledge, effecti%e problem sol%ing s ills, self$ directed learning, effecti%e collaboration s ills and intrinsic moti%ation. Gormally problem$ based learning is a style of acti%e learning. So, #or ing in gro"ps, st"dents identify #hat they already no#, #hat they need to no#, and ho# and #here to access ne# information that may lead to resol"tion of the problem. 't #as #hat happened mainly in the decisions of str"ct"ral and other material they sho"ld choose. Aerona"tic co"rse and the Centre of Technology of 7inas ;erais offered them s"pporti%e lessons in class as to gi%e them appropriate po#er of decisions. 'n ,9-, the role of the t"tor is to facilitate learning by s"pporting, g"iding, and monitoring the learning process. The t"tor m"st b"ild st"dentsC confidence to ta e on the problem, and enco"rage the st"dents, #hile also stretching their "nderstanding. <%en so, intrinsic problems pop d"ring the process> traditional pedagogy process, in other mod"les that #as r"nning at the same time, foc"sed in occl"si%e perspecti%es of 9ra=ilian b"ilding technology, gi%ing the lac of confidence as to "se the design as an imaginati%e orchestration of technologies and materials. The fact that only t#o months #ere ta en to st"dents prod"ce the pro*ects does not mean a limitation, since the schematics drafts #ere !"ite expressi%e and !"icly to create, exposing ideas. F"t"re research sho"ld expand the hori=on of this analysis considering the entire pedagogical bac gro"nd that s"bmit the st"dents in that moment, as to see their infl"ential capabilities o%er the creati%e sol"tion to cleaner and s"stainable sol"tions.

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'& ) 0ibliografy

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