San Marino World Trade Centre,

San Marino
Norman Foster and Partners
Co-architects: Studio Antao
Arman Tugnawat 11110014 | Divya Khandelwal 11110020 | B.ARCH
IV

Project: San Marino World Trade Centre

Client: Gruppo Gecos. Spa Rimini
Location: San Marino, SM 47890, Italy
Architects: Norman Foster and Partners, (Co-architects: Studio
Antao)
Surface Built:13,000 square meters , (with another 12,000 square
meters of parking and plaza space.)
Date of Project:1999-2004

Green Roof-trails

Conceptual Sketches

The structure is organised on 12 levels with a

number of different uses, from executive offices to
commercial space and parking.
Two blocks of executive offices rise eight levels
above the plaza.
The Foster design is sensitive to the culture of
climate and place.
The building draws on the vernacular of this winegrowing region, incorporating such touches as a
pergola or plant-covered roof trellis to cover the
car parking facilities, providing both natural shade
for the vehicles and an attractive visual shield.
Serves the development, but also the larger local
community.

The metal structure with its steel cables is one of the biggest of its
kind in the world, and the architects intend it to provide a support
for vines to create a "green hill" that will reduce the visual impact
of the hundreds of cars that will park in the complex.

Special innovative
technologies were
used in the project
Reduced
environmental impact
and high structural
quality.
A form of concrete
was used which, cast
in formworks of steel
sheeting, permitted
construction of highly
resistant pillars with
very little bulk.
mobile aluminium
sunshades to control
sunlight entering the
building, designed to
adapt to changes in
the sun's position.

Placement of artificial light sources to accentuate the

aesthetics of the building skin and also to create places of
interest and interaction.

CHANNEL 4
HEADQUART
ERS

PUBLIC
GARDEN

RESIDENTI
AL UNITS

SERVICES ON OUTSIDE

Channel 4 Television Headquarters, London Richard

Rogers (1990)

The design reinforces the existing street pattern,

encloses a new public square, and creates a
striking headquarters building which is light,
energy efficient and rationally organized.
Two four-storey wings containing mainly office
space are arranged in an L shape, which addresses
the corner of the street with a curved connecting

A triumph of day lighting, it uses a variety of

prefabricated elements and materials . Metal
skin, bright colors, bold graphics
The entrance, striking space in the building, is
defined by the first hanging curved curtain
wall, up to full height of the building
This atrium forms the main entrance space to the
building
with glazed walls that look through to the offices.
Tiers of lightweight walkways at each level allow
access from one wing to the other and animate the
space.
These walkways are of concrete and punctured by
glass lenses that serve to create a dynamic
Channel
4 Television
London Richard
geometric
pattern Headquarters,
when viewed from

Channel Four
Contrast simple
rectangular floor plan vs.
complex, technically
expressive exterior

Most complex piece of

glass structural
engineering the entire
wall is supported by tie
rods which
arehanging( not dead
loaded).

Vertical circulation elements

are particularly celebrated,
including exterior lifts and
interior stairways

Basic interior elements incl. massive trusses remain same

whatever the function design committed to idea of

Initial sketches

CONCLUSION
San Marino WTC
It is a energy efficient building by using both
passive and active strategies while providing
context enough justification through incorporating
Vernacular features of wine growing region such as
pergolas and plant covered roof-trails.
CHANNEL 4 HEADQUARTERS
creates a striking headquarters building
which is light, energy efficient and rationally
organized . The design is highly functional and
with a sense of flexibility . Use of
characteristic material glass & steel