About
Architect: Eric Kuhne
Contractor: Bovis Lendlease
Sector: Retail
Overview
Since Bluewater opened its doors on March 16, 1999, it has set the benchmark for the ultimate shopping and leisure experience and the rest as they say is retail history. Rising out of a former chalk quarry among 50 metre-high cliffs, Bluewater’s striking architecture is simply unique. Located in Kent, traditionally known as the Garden of England, our overall site of 240 acres is surrounded by a 50 acre landscape of lakes, parkland and trees making it the perfect place for the whole family.
The Brief
The centre is constructed around three long open malls forming a continuous triangular thorough fare. The client wanted the whole ventilation design to be sustainable without the need to mechanically ventilate the shopping centre and visually to be themed and linked to the local area.
Our Solution
Vision was employed as part of the design team to invent a new way to deliver clean air into the shopping malls. We created a wind cowl loosely based on the famous oast house design seen throughout `Kent. Unlike normal roof turrets the 39 wind cowls are designed to rotate into the prevailing wind held in position with a rear wing that constantly alters the cowl position for optimum air movement. Air enters through the front aperture of the cowl and is directed through a circular clear damper into the void below delivering clean air an natural ventilation.
