TOUR 3

Still under construction the UnipolSai Tower will become the new headquarters of the Unipol Group in the Porta Nuova area were designed by Mario Cucinella Architects and developed by CMB. It is new-generation building, an elliptical-shaped building spread over 23 floors above ground and 3 underground floors, for a total area of 31,000 sqm. that allows to fit harmoniously into an already heavily built environment. The double-skin external envelope, characterized by a diagrid steel structure and iconic triangle glass facade is represented by a mesh geometry using wood and glass. It is conceived as a dynamic system, insulating the building in winter, and limiting its overheating in summer and benefits of dynamic air flow,
increasing the thermal performances and air permeability. All these features, combined with the use of solar panels and a dual system for collecting rainwater, allow the building to aim for LEED® Platinum certification. A large vertical atrium of 75 meters high on the on the
southwest side acts as a bioclimatic buffer and becomes a space for “climate control” leveraging its exposure as an energy opportunity. It acts as a greenhouse, reducing heat loss from the envelope and retaining free solar gains during the winter, while in summer offers solar protection and uses the chimney effect to naturally ventilate the entire space.
The project has been developed with BIM methodology. The upper part of the tower serves as a sky-garden and houses the bioclimatic greenhouse. In winter, thanks to a mobile system of photovoltaic louvres, the greenhouse remains closed and stores solar gains. In summer, the louvers exclude direct solar radiation and provide adequate shading, maximising the production of electricity.