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4 The space is designed to promote mobility, encouraging walking, biking and alternative transportation, as well as offering close access to high schools, colleges, kindergartens, health centers, private clinics, banks, pharmacies, and more.

As residents and visitors walk through the site, they are surrounded by denser green spaces offering a sense of escape into an urban oasis.

Opinion piece: Repurpose, Reuse, Recycle.

1 Below is just one example of the fleeting life some purpose-built structures have; The Rio Olympic Aquatics Stadium began construction in the second half of 2014 and opened in April 2016 (in time for the 2016 Olympics). Just seven months after Rio hosted the first Olympic Games in South America, on March 18, 2017, we see brown water fill the once practice pool, and weeds grow in front of an abandoned and already decomposing Olympic Aquatics stadium located at what was once the official Olympic Park, which has also faced the same desolate fate.

2 Purpose-built structures are constructed with specific events and purposes in mind, and as these buildings are often designed to cater to the unique needs of an event and as such their longevity isn’t typically a primary design consideration. This, in turn, means that after the event is over, the building’s fate is often uncertain. As shown above, it is not uncommon for purpose-built structures such as Olympic stadiums or EXPO buildings to be left unused, abandoned or even demolished, which is a significant waste of resources.

In recent years a plethora of articles have been published, investigating the unsustainable nature of purpose built architecture. This is for a variety of reasons including the aforementioned waste of resources, but also now more than ever, designing for longevity is one of the biggest steps in sustainable design we can take.

3 Designers and architects today are working as part of a society that is aware of the long-term repercussions of short-term decisions and at RMJM we are taking steps to strategically extend the life cycle of our projects. whether it is a purpose built olympic stadium or a mixed-use skyscraper. Repurposing purpose-built sites is an excellent way of extending the building’s life cycle while maximising the use of the resources that have gone into building them.

And as such, it is good news that research conducted by the IOC, following the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, found that 85% of all permanent venues used at the Olympic Games (from Athens in 1896 to PyeongChang in 2018) - as well as 92% of permanent venues used in the 21st century, including EXPOs and other similar sites- remain in use, long after the various Games editions finished, bringing social and economic benefits to local communities

4 Repurposing as a method of implementing environmentally sustainable practices is one of the primary benefits of the practice. Constructing new buildings from scratch requires an enormous amount of resources, including energy, materials, and manpower. Repurposing an existing building significantly reduces the amount of waste and environmental impact that would be generated during the construction of a new site. Rather, the costs saved can be channelled into green features to further the sustainability of the site, such as solar panels, green roofs, and rainwater harvesting systems.

5 Furthermore, if in fact the site is unable to be fully repurposed, then the materials used in constructing the original building can also be recycled or repurposed if necessary. This would further reduce the carbon footprint of the project by lowering the need to produce fresh steel and other high CO2 construction materials. Alongside this, the environmental impact of transporting building materials to the site is minimised when using this alternative version of ‘locally sourced materials’.

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In a wider perspective, there is also an abundance of local and global socio-economic benefits when choosing to repurpose and extend the life cycle of purpose-built architecture. Firstly, structures such as Olympic stadiums are often located in areas that are in need of development and investment. Repurposing purpose-built buildings can revitalise the surrounding areas and provide economic opportunities for the local community. The repurposed building can attract new businesses, generate employment opportunities, and contribute to the local economyturning these sites into valuable community assets that continue to benefit society for years to come.

Olympic infrastructure has been transformed into public parks, museums, and convention centres, providing the community with valuable resources and attractions that bring people together and encourage community engagement while also creating opportunities for investment and development. A key example of this is the 2008 Beijing Olympic Village, first designed to comfortably accommodate over 16,000 athletes, which has since been redesigned as an expansive residential area (2).

8 Re-purposing purpose-built sites such as Olympic stadiums and EXPOs is a cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and socially responsible way to extend a building’s life cycle. By transforming these facilities into valuable community assets, we can create new opportunities for economic growth, community engagement, and environmental sustainability, while also extending the legacy of the sites and what they represent. Ultimately, repurposing these purpose-built buildings is a win-win situation for everyone involved, providing tangible benefits for the community and the environment while preserving valuable resources and assets for future generations.

7 Another prime example would be the UAE Pavilion which was project managed by RMJM Dubai for the Dubai Expo 2020, located close to the Al Wasl Plaza in central Dubai, UAE (3). A true amalgamation of tradition and innovation, the pavilion is inspired by the falcon- the country’s national bird. This energy efficient building has 28 movable wings in the roof, which can spread to harvest energy through integrated photovoltaic panels (which convert solar radiation into electricity). The intricately designed site consists of 8,000 square metres of exhibition space and continues to host a variety of large events since it was first constructed.

Ningbo Yongjiang Innovation Centre, Ningbo, China.

Currently under construction the Ningbo Yongjiang Innovation Centre spans across two plots of land and serves as a second phase extension of the built Yongjiang Talent Innovation Centre directly to the south of the site.

1 Currently under construction the Ningbo Yongjiang Innovation Centre spans across two plots of land and serves as a second phase extension of the built Yongjiang Talent Innovation Centre directly to the south of the site. As one of the important landmarks in the area, the project will work in conjunction with the completed Phase I of Yongjiang Talent Innovation Centre and the Ming Lake development to the east to form an exciting urban master planning framework for the future.

2 We envisaged the development as an archipelago of islands from which towers rise. This was a response the water network that is characteristic of Ningbo and the abundance of adjacent green spaces.

This approach reflects the flow of energy and interaction that makes a place and is essential to innovation and vitality. The planning of these islands created a high level of permeability at the ground level and a unique street level experience as the people meander through the development.

3 The sites are framed on three sides by landscaped parks, rivers and canals. These lush surroundings are allowed to flow uninterrupted into the site. The experience for occupants and shoppers is akin to a garden setting.

5 The sites are framed on three sides by landscaped parks, rivers and canals. These lush surroundings are allowed to flow uninterrupted into the site. The experience for occupants and shoppers is akin to a garden setting.

6 The masterplan is organised as an urban oasis with communal spaces nestled between the North and South buildings. Along the EastWest axis of the development, public spaces and parks become the focal point for the buildings. All the elements are tied together by a feature platform on the second level which provides a vehicle-free connection between the towers and offers access to elevated views out towards the Houtang River, Ming Lake and surrounding parks. The placement of the functions in the MLP was in direct response to the dual characteristic of site being contrasting urban conditions being sandwiched between a primary city road and a scenic river.

7 RMJM Red proposed an integrated 3 tower office complex to the south facing onto the major road of Zhongshan road. The office towers have heights ranging from 33 to 69 metres tall. The 9 residential towers are placed around the other edges and address the Houtang river and surrounding green parks. Their heights are from 44 to 70 metres. There are 2 retail pavilions that face the Houtang River. The proposed arrangement satisfied the various functional requirements and created communal spaces that added value to the residential component of the development.

8 The two plots are connected through an elevated landscape feature connected to the second-floor platform. Landscape elements extend into the towers through a series of open green platforms and sky gardens, forming a dynamic humanistic green social network that intertwines with the complex.

9 The challenge was to find the balance between privacy and permeability, between creating a development that sat harmoniously in its context and the desire to make the development a landmark. The design had to project a sense of urbanity but was made to be human and natural in scale and form. This was inspired by the position of the project being to the east of the New Financial District and being set within the natural surroundings of the nearby Ming Lake.

The brief called for 50% of the overall area to be residential and the remaining area to be allocated to offices and some supporting retail facilities.

The office functions are intended to serve small to mediumsized science, technology and innovation focused companies. The office design had to be adaptable and versatile to cater to the needs of growing companies. The residential units range from 90m² to 160m² with primarily saleable units and 20% units earmarked for rental to professionals working within the complex. There are 2 storeys of underground parking.

At the ground level there are lobbies to the towers and retail units. At level 2 there is a landscape platform that ties all the buildings together forming a network of covered walkways at ground floor. This landscape platform connects the two sites allowing end-users to move freely throughout the development without interacting with the vehicular traffic. The proposal’s seamless connectivity between plots and connection to the surroundings sat well with all the project stakeholders.

The second level platform provides cover for the retail on ground level and creates a separation between the open to public ground level circulation and the occupants of the buildings to ensure the privacy of the residential and office spaces. Various public and service facilities are located on the second floor as supporting facilities for the residential and office workers, including F&B, leisure activities and multipurpose spaces for startup businesses.

The level 2 platform provides an extensive network of covered walkways at the ground level. The level 2 platform extends across the entire site and span over 35 meters across the road.

The two taller office towers are also linked by bridges at different levels over the road with spans over 35 meters. These are single level bridges that are placed in opposing diagonal orientations to one another. These were structurally challenging to resolve whilst maintaining the architectural expression. The office towers and the bridges frame the road and create a gateway gesture that welcomes people from the urbanity of the south through to the riverside setting to the north.

A VRV air-conditioning system is used for the office towers, and this allows for much greater control of conditioned spaces and a higher energy efficiency. The VRV stack is placed on the west or east face of the towers to reduce low level solar penetration. The ventilation openings are integrated into the façade with glass louvres to create a seamless façade expression.

The suitable range for building orientation in Ningbo is 30° to the east and 15° to the west from true south. Within this range, the buildings can avoid the dominant wind direction in the winter and the harsh western sun in the summer. All residential towers within the project fall within this range which helps to ensure comfort and reduce the need for mechanical cooling and heating. Furthermore, the residential tower plans place the cores to the north, open to natural lighting and natural ventilation.

Ningbo Yongjiang

Innovation Centre:

Sketches

Ningbo Yongjiang Innovation Centre: Sketches