- Henning
- Larsen
The design team set out to create a smart, ecological water system that combines rainwater management and ecological restoration with the testing wind tunnels cooling system. Stormwater run-off from the roof and parking lots is collected and stored in the lake. Lake water is circulated under the VIP access road through a natural planted biotope system, and from there to the building heat-exchanger and back out through a stunning 200m long cascade. The natural cooling system eliminates the need for cooling towers and the landscape character of the site is protected. The adjacent stream is fed with clean water from the lake, a valuable ecological contribution in a country where streams are catastrophically running dry.
The yin-yang of the building and lake blurs the line between interior and exterior spaces, making views to and from the building unforgettable.