By Liz Eve / Source: Inhabitat

jst

With this extension of the JST Malaysia factory, Japanese architect Ryuichi Ashizawa has worked with nature, capturing sunlight, wind, rainwater and geothermal energy to build a living green factory that sits lightly on the earth. With elegant Islamic architectural elements and forward thinking engineering, the complex completely transcends the usual factory typology. Read on to find out how the unique structures work in harmony with nature to create an enviable work environment.

A large green roof covers the ground floor and rises up from the surrounding landscape to meet a central tower. Roof soil protects the building from the sun and stops the factory from becoming uncomfortably hot. Underneath, a forest of hexagonal topped pillars support the roof. Within these arabesque columns, pipes funnel water from the roof into an underground storage tank, used regularly to water plants. The motion of the water also pulls in air from outside which naturally cools and ventilates the spaces below.

Read more @ Inhabitat