Urban verticalities in the context of transition
Double skin façade of the OFS Tower in Neuchâtel © Bauart / Ruedi Walti
Prof. Emmanuel Rey of the Laboratory of Architecture and Sustainable Technologies (LAST) was invited on October 18th to give a lecture to the members of the Habitat Durable association. Based on both theoretical issues and field experiences, his lecture was devoted to the interactions between the typology of the tower as an architectural object and contemporary ecological challenges.
Habitat Durable is an association that brings together owners who take into account environmental and socio-cultural issues in the management of their built heritage. It aims at efficient land management, promotion of climate-friendly construction, healthy housing, and fair relations in terms of rents and neighbors.
Professor Rey's lecture focused specifically on issues related to urban verticalities in the context of transition. His argument made it possible to identify the specific characteristics of the construction of towers over the past century and clarify some morphological issues. The presentation of the renovation of a high-rise building from the 1970s and the design of a bioclimatic tower also provided a concrete illustration of the ecological challenges facing this type of building today.