Project – Dubai Metro Station
Architects – Aedas
Engineer – Atkins

The Component
The first image shows the skeletal roof structure of one of the entrances to one of the Dubai Metro stations. This web-like structure consists of radially positioned cylindrical beams that are connected by I-beams. The rib structure would then be cladded with aluminium panels in order to complete the construction of the roof of the station entrance, as seen in the second image.

The Material
Steel, due to it being an alloy of iron and carbon, is both strong and malleable, when heated to approximately 1200°C. Hence, it is used to produce beams of all varieties. Aluminium, used for the cladding of the roof structure is light and is much more resistant to corrosion than steel, which is why it is used to clad the steel structure.

Site Exercise

62 Buckingham Gate

62 Buckingham Gate is located on the north side of Victoria Street and will comprise 23,450 sqm of office space over 11 floors and 1,540 sqm of retail on the ground and upper basement floors. The twelve storey building, due for completion in 2013, offers practical and flexible floor plates in this burgeoning creative extension of the West End.

Architects : Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects
Architects : Swanke Hayden Connell Ltd
Consultants : Knight Frank
Developers : Land Securities

The 16,000 sqm all-glass surface uses Saint-Gobain’s Cool-Lite SKN154 in both laminated andheat-strengthened variants to ensure a consistent appearance between the vision and shadow box zones. For the ground floor glazing the recently launched Cool-Lite Xtreme was chosen for maximum transparency combined with low solar heat gain.

ts site investigation