Spiral Tower In Nagoya

Mode-Gakuen Spiral Towers is a structure that instantly stand out in the city of Nagoya, Japan. This shimmering tower spirals 36 stories [170 m] above the busy streets of Nagoya, Japan, and house educational facilities for three different disciplines – fashion design, computer programming and medical support. Architectural group Nikken Sekkei incorporated a host of green design features in the tower including a double-glazed air flow window system and natural ventilation system.

Due to significant political, social and practical constraints, building green can be a challenge in major metropolitan areas. A typical double-glazed air flow system significantly reduces heating and cooling loads by the passage of indoor/outdoor air (exhaust air/return air) between two panes of glass. The cavity between the panes typically has blinds which can be operated according to heating/cooling requirements at particular time. It’s a system that has been hugely successful at significantly reducing heating and cooling loads in large buildings and one that continues to spread across the globe.

The Spiral Towers appears quite precarious from the street especially when it is erected in an earthquake prone location. The structural ingenuity of this tower has simple structure; a pivotal inner truss tube acts as a central pillar supporting the three, gently tapering wings. The truss tube is constructed of concrete-filled, steel tubular columns with structural braces affixed around the base. The entire structure is designed and fitted with some of the most robust seismic engineering features in the region. Students from the three schools: Nagoya Mode Gakuen , HAL Nagoya and Nagoya Isen —are sure to benefit from the both the gorgeous design and the green measures that have gone into this great new building.