2019 - Singapore - Espalande Threatre Dome
Solar shading panels on the Espalande Theatres on the Bay.
Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay (also known as the Esplanade Theatres or simply The Esplanade) is a performing arts centre located in Downtown Core near the mouth of the Singapore River. The theatre is named after the nearby Esplanade Park.
The building was designed by two architectural firms working in conjunction: DP Architects (DPA) of Singapore and London-based Michael Wilford & Partners (MWP).
The design consists of two rounded space frames fitted with triangulated glass elements and sunshades, which balance outward views with solar shading.
The original design, presented to the public in 1994, consisted of unadorned glass cases over the theatres, and initially elicited criticisms from the public, including calling it "two copulating aardvarks".
Critics also accused that the design was insensitive to Singapore's location and climate as it would have created a greenhouse in the tropical climate of Singapore.
According to DPA director Vikas Gore some form of shading was always intended and a cladding of aluminium sunshades was added to the final design.
The unique architectural design has been said to have an appearance similar to either a durian (a tropical fruit) or the eyes of a fly. Hence, the building is colloquially known to locals as "the big durians”.
More than 7,000 triangular aluminium sunshades that cover its two circular glass shell structures looked somewhat like
The structure wasn’t meant to be a durian; it ended up being like that because it seemed to the architects the most interesting way of doing sunshades. They wanted to use glass because the views from Esplanade are beautiful in all directions, but since Singapore is so close to the equator, the structure also had to be protected from the sunshine and heat radiation.
2019 - Singapore - Espalande Threatre Dome
Solar shading panels on the Espalande Theatres on the Bay.
Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay (also known as the Esplanade Theatres or simply The Esplanade) is a performing arts centre located in Downtown Core near the mouth of the Singapore River. The theatre is named after the nearby Esplanade Park.
The building was designed by two architectural firms working in conjunction: DP Architects (DPA) of Singapore and London-based Michael Wilford & Partners (MWP).
The design consists of two rounded space frames fitted with triangulated glass elements and sunshades, which balance outward views with solar shading.
The original design, presented to the public in 1994, consisted of unadorned glass cases over the theatres, and initially elicited criticisms from the public, including calling it "two copulating aardvarks".
Critics also accused that the design was insensitive to Singapore's location and climate as it would have created a greenhouse in the tropical climate of Singapore.
According to DPA director Vikas Gore some form of shading was always intended and a cladding of aluminium sunshades was added to the final design.
The unique architectural design has been said to have an appearance similar to either a durian (a tropical fruit) or the eyes of a fly. Hence, the building is colloquially known to locals as "the big durians”.
More than 7,000 triangular aluminium sunshades that cover its two circular glass shell structures looked somewhat like
The structure wasn’t meant to be a durian; it ended up being like that because it seemed to the architects the most interesting way of doing sunshades. They wanted to use glass because the views from Esplanade are beautiful in all directions, but since Singapore is so close to the equator, the structure also had to be protected from the sunshine and heat radiation.