URB GEO focuses on transforming Honolulu into an efficient pedestrian friendly city. Like other major cities in the world, Honolulu should cater to the user by developing a positive urban experience where pedestrian traffic is viewed as a higher priority over vehicular traffic. Rather than replacing existing infrastructure to make way for a new transit system, URB GEO takes the approach of moving the street atmosphere up to the low-rise building tops and creating a new membrane for the city.

Third Award |  RTFA 2014 Awards
Category: Commercial Concept

©Kaoru Lovett

The Sky Tower is the icon to the URB GEO network. The tower’s orientation is influenced on the solar and wind conditions of Honolulu, Hawaii. The tower’s atrium is pointed towards the flowing trade winds so that it will capture it to flow into the building. The facade skin reacts to the sun to provide shade for the tenants.

The Sky Tower features a unique dia-grid paneled triple skin system in which allows for the building to be shaded as well as capture the winds that are passively pulled through the center of the two towers. This system allows for the building to remain cool without the use of any electricity or fossil fuel. Lastly the distribution of the greenery healing centers upon the Canopy system allows for workers to relieve stress and connect with the natural environment during their workdays.

©Kaoru Lovett

URB GEO retrofits the existing Honolulu, Hawaii city into an efficient and enjoyable working city without the means of completely rebuilding infrastructure from ground up.