Singapore’s South Beach complex designed by Foster + Partners for City Developments Ltd., on April 27.
Photographer: Lauryn Ishak/BloombergFrom Singapore to Rio Green Buildings Keep Tropical Tenants Cool
The climate presents unique challenges and opportunities to architects, from constant heat and humidity to intense downpours
On a typically hot and humid afternoon in Singapore, a fresh breeze blows beneath the canopy of the South Beach development, keeping temperatures several degrees cooler than on the surrounding streets.
The rippling 280-meter (919 feet) wave of steel-and-aluminum runs the length of the Norman Foster-designed complex, funneling prevailing winds over outdoor patrons of restaurants and bars and saving on air conditioning for the mixed-use complex. The canopy is covered with solar panels and catches rainwater to irrigate the gardens.