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• Hyperbody TU Delft

Like the eye of a storm the eyeOcean pavilion is a stable center in a dynamic oceanic world. The eyeOcean feels like a window to the elements, looking down into the rich underwater life of the ocean and forming an opening to the sky, looking up to the clouds. The Iris of the eyeOcean pavilion represents a virtual anchor point of the global water cycle, from the salty seas up to the clouds and down again to the fresh water rivers, flowing back to the seas.

Floating Body The 2012 Yeosu Expo eyeOcean pavilion is conceived as a floating body, quietly resting on the waves. The body is stabilized by programmable water jets securing the exact position and balance of the pavilion. This enables the public to walk freely on the back of the body enjoying a phenomenal view to the surrounding mountains. The public paths on the body's back follow the internal soap bubble structure, the paths are shaped like miniature valleys between the upward curving membranes of the internal cell structure and are highlighted for orientation during the night. The dark skinned body is kept wet by the cyclic eruptions of the exhalation opening in the central Iris, making it shine and reflect the sunlight. Water is continuously dripping from its edges to create a cooling effect on the dark surface.

Shipbuilding Technology The body of the eyeOcean pavilion is built using ship building technology. The two exhibition wings are lifted to find the proper balance between its own weight and the buoyancy of the ocean. The bottom floor and the roof structure are designed as a double skin structure using subdivision in separate chambers as to secure being seaworthy. By selectively pumping water in and out the chambers the whole floating structure calibrates itself continuously.

The structural concept is that of flattened clusters of soap bubbles, each cluster representing a group of functional spaces of the water pavilion program. Shipbuilding technology is applied to both the upper part of the body, the lower part of the body and the connecting composite columns. Sheets of pressure formed steel are welded together to the steel skin of the body.

Distributed cell sytem The skin of the body is populated by activated cells. Every cell has a specific expertise in the maintenance of the microclimate of the pavilion. The individual cell performs optimally for the position and condition they are in. A cell in the roof is different from a cell in the bottom.

Sun The solar energy is captured by PhotoVoltaic cells that transforms the heat into electricity

Water A netweork of cells establishes a loop of water piping. The suns heat is thus pumped from the roof to the bottom and vice versa. Doing so the buildings skin will auto balance it's temperature. The sea water is pumped through the columns of the structure to katalyse this process. The roof skin will be cooled in summer. In winter the skin can be heated by a minimal impact of the sun. The radiant is captured in the closed water system. Additional heat can be generated by the electricity provided by the Solar cells.

Ventilation The interior air volume is naturally refreshed by a chimney effect that is established by the lifted wing tips and an air inlet around the Ocean Eye. The air inlet can be pre heated or cooled using the heat exchangers of the skins piping system.

Tidal energy The anchoring cables have balancing springs in them to equalize the building in an optimal horizontal position. By dealing with the shocks of the waves the sprins function as Magnetic generators and provide energy. During the day the shift in tides is also extracted in energy. For the cable to slowly stretch the generator will provide electrical energy.

Algea The water pumped up thrhough the colums of the structure is warmed up while apssing the building volume. The roof and floor structure is populated with a web of pipes. These extract heat from the interior in summer situation, by exchanging the warmth energy with the pumped ocean water. The ocean water is enriched with Co2 from the building and pumped over the buildings exterior roofscape. Thus cooling the roof and increasing it's refelctivity. The pumped water is poured over the buildings exterior skin and drips in the surrounding ocean.

In the shade of the EyeOcean pavilion Algea can reproduce themselves very effectively because of the enriched water that is delivered by the building. The production of Algea will be used to break down the biological elements in the waste production. The breakdown of waste will be used as fertile component in the aquatic food chain. Alge in turn are an essential element in the starting point of the ocean's balanced ecosystem.

Almost all Algea perform photosynthetic processes producing oxygen. More complex structure of algeas are seaweeds. The seaweeds establish a welcome habitat for organisms populating the shallow water of the Yeosu Bay.

The food chain is ignited by the initial induction of Co2 in the water. The coral however construct themselves by the consumption of sugar and oxygen. Sugar can be extracted from the biomass which process is being katalysed by the Algea. The enriched water will provide good conditions for coral to grow. The metabolism of a coral reef functions as a purification mechanism of water.

architect: ONL [Oosterhuis_Lénárd]

lead designer: Kas Oosterhuis

design team: Ilona Lénárd, Marthijn Pool, Illaria Giardiello, Christian Tschersich, Yvonne Beying, Gijs Joosen