2024 - UNDER THE STARRY
MANTLE

Architectural trends increasingly point to a future dominated by glass skyscrapers, or as we call them “glass boxes”, which intentionally break with the identity of cities by forming a monotonous and characterless environment. That’s why we believe that the idea of incorporating a “second skin” into glass skyscrapers is a fascinating proposition that combines aesthetics, sustainability, and functionality. This architectural trend seeks not only to improve the energy efficiency of buildings but also to enrich the visual and sensory experience in urban environments.

The implementation of a second skin on the façades of these buildings is proposed, which seeks to differentiate them and mark a milestone in cities of high skyscrapers where starry nights are not a common sight. This skin will be able to capture solar energy during the day, transforming it into electrical energy to be used at night as lighting or heating or for any other required use. On the other hand, the façade will be made up of several layers of different materials, crossed by hollow acrylic cylinders presenting passive ventilation that will be useful during the day given the high temperatures, along with the possibility that through the fibers it will be possible to project the exterior inside. During the night, and using the same energy captured during the day, the façade will filter the light coming from the interior and project the illusion of a starry night in the middle of the city, transforming the buildings into luminous canvases that reflect the poetry of a star-studded sky, allowing inhabitants to experience the magic and romance of a starry firmament even in the urban heart.