Students fly high with unique skyscraper design

The Koliber Hummingbird Skyscraper, a student design concept from Poland, serves as the headquarters of a company manufacturing multi-core processors. Its architectural form is directly linked with its function – it refers to the wing of the hummingbird, symbolizing speed and microscopic dimensions. The facades are made mostly of non-transparent glass panels and transparent glass-covered staircases, providing a large amount of natural light.

Flying high with BIM

The main structure of the building is a flat slab. Loads are transferred by columns and concrete core directly onto the slab foundation and to the ground by a system of pile foundations. Spatial stiffness is provided by a concrete core, localized in the higher part of the building, and by a steel truss made of rectangular hollow sections which also supports the glass facades of the staircases and roof. In the lower part of the building, longitudinal concrete walls were designed to add stiffness to the structure. The skyscraper has 23 above-ground levels and one underground level. The lower part of the building has a height of 21 m above ground level, whereas the highest point of the building is at 119.6 m above ground level. At the top, there is an observation deck, with the technical floors are in the basement and the upper part of the building.

The building’s ventilation was designed as a mechanical supply and exhaust system with heat recovery. Two ventilation centers will be located on the underground level, at the opposite ends of the building. This solution reduces the diameters of ventilation ducts and the velocity of airflow, so as not to cause additional noise in the installation. Outside air is drawn from vents open to the exterior. The main ventilation ducts are located in opposite areas of the building, and smaller ducts are situated in the area of the suspended ceiling. Fresh air will be supplied near windows while exhaust ducts will be located near walls in order to force the natural circulation of air caused by temperature difference. The amount of air supplied is designed so as not to cause any thermal discomfort for people inside the building.

Koliber’s combination of the architecture model, structure model and MEP model results in an exceptionally high Level of Development (LoD).

Feel inspired? The 2020 Tekla Global Student BIM Awards are open for submissions until June 30th. Enter your designs in the competition, showcasing your Tekla and BIM skills among the most iconic projects in the industry.