Recently, we brought you the first place winner of this year’s eVolo Magazine Skyscraper Competition, the LO2P Recycling Skycraper from Atelier CMJN of France.
Now, we bring you the second place winner, the Flat Tower by Yoann Mescam, Paul-Eric Schirr-Bonnans, and Xavier Schirr-Bonnans, also from France.
This dome-like horizontal skyscraper harvests solar energy and collects rainwater while preserving the existing urban landscape at ground level, thanks to its large skylights and small footprint.
Eschewing the “race to the top” that has characterized skyscraper construction since the inception of this architectural form, this team created a medium-height dome structure that covers a large area while preserving its natural beauty and functions.
The Flat Tower’s dome is perforated with cell-like skylights that provide direct sunlight to the landscape below, while offering a large up-top surface for harvesting solar energy and rainwater.
The Flat Tower’s residential and office units are located in the upper “cells,” while the natural landscape down below is reserved for recreational activities/agriculture. A convenient automated transportation system connects all units, which differ in size and shape according to their function. Rooms in the upper dome may also be clustered to create larger areas for other activities, such as public presentations.
The Flat Tower was designed specifically for an industrial area of Rennes, France, but its designers believe it could easily be adapted for any medium-sized city.
