Next the Emirates Air Line is at Victoria Dock is a rather startling new building – the Crystal, built by Siemens as part of their sustainable cities initiative.
The Crystal, which cost £30m to construct, is located in the middle of London’s new Green Enterprise District, and will house a permanent interactive exhibition in sustainable building and design, from transport infrastructure to housing. The building itself meets the highest environmental standards – you’ll note that one of the prominent features of this faceted structure are the unusual windows which provide airflow to cool the building during the summer months. At other times of year a ground source heat pump provides warmth, photovoltaic panels on the roof provide the energy for the lighting and there’s also a rainwater collection system – taken together these features mean that the building will be almost self-contained, drawing on very few resources from outside.
The Crystal opens with a launch event involving projections and a light show which will take place on 19 September, with the public being able to gain admission from 24 September. Having peered in through the windows at some of the displays it looks like it will be an interesting addition to London’s exhibition spaces, and they’ve also laid out some pleasant formal gardens which will be a nice spot to relax outside.
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