permeable skin allowing for cross air
ventilation.
“The use of innovative ceramic frit-
ting for shading and creating the mono-
lithic vertical pattern of the façade al-
lowed us to maintain one predominant
material – glass – to achieve a multi-
tude of functions without the need to
add thick material layers that are costly
and which would obstruct the views,”
said Omari. “The glass-to-glass corner
detail also maximises the sought-after
dual aspect ‘corner’ views from the
inside, and gives the elegant appear-
ance of a seamless glass box from the
outside.”
Omari noted that the use of ceramic-
fritted glass is a passive design tech-
nique, as it allows for clear natural
light while providing shading to the
required degree and location.
“In most buildings, the glass is tinted
or mirrored to decrease the amount
of daylight,” he said. “Tinting makes
everything appear darker while mir-
ror glass reflects heat, exasperating the
problem for neighbours and the envi-
ronment...Fritted glass helps reduce
glare and the need of added physical
layers, such as louvers or screens. By
reducing heat gain, we reduce cooling
loads, which reduces the emission of
heat and harmful gases from AC ma-
chines, saving energy and lowering
running costs.”
The architects further embedded a
LED strip used for feature lighting into
the glass-to-glass corner, which high-
lights the edges of each box, creating a
contemporary visual impact.
The building is intended to appeal
to a wide spectrum of tenants, Omari
added, from corporates to start-ups
and individuals. Therefore, the design
of Big Box’s public and shared spaces
was kept “minimally elegant, flexible
and highly functional”.
To start construction in the next few
months, Big Box is expected to be com-
pleted by late 2020 or early 2021.36 / PROJECTS