Ellipse Towers
earthquake protection and crisis management
Task:
The task was the design of a high-rise building which
offers a public zone with shops, restaurants and cafes
on the lower levels, a congress center, offices and a
hotel on the upper floors. To ensure additional fire
safety, alternative escape ways have to be provided. In
case of a natural disaster the building should offer
functions for the accommodation of around 1.000
victims. The construction must be earthquake resistant.
Solution:
Function:
The main entrance is located on the ground floor between the two towers and leads into a central entrance hall, which
provides access to the two cores, to a restaurant and to bars and shops which are situated in the public zone of the complex.
Two stairways and four elevators connect the entrance hall with the congress centre which offers a large plenary hall for more
than 450 participants, several seminar rooms, an exhibition space and a bar on the levels 2 and 3.
The smaller tower provides space for offices which can be used as open plan offices or can be split into two individual office
units. The hotel is situated in the higher tower and includes 12 double bed rooms, two suites, a sky lounge and a storage room
for the room service on each level. In total the hotel offers 72 suites and 432 barrier free double bed rooms.
Two bridges on the levels 16 and 28 not only serve as alternative escape ways from one tower to the other in case of fire but
also provide interesting recreation areas with restaurants and bars for hotel guests and office employees.
The rooftop areas on both towers include bars and panorama view terraces with an exceptional view over the city.
Crisis Management:
The first basement level can be transformed into a crisis center to fulfill the requirement of accommodating a large amount of
victims who have lost their homes due to a natural disaster. The central hall between the two cores serves an arrival hall and
provides access to the car park which can be equipped with family stands for 1.400 people.
Other functions include:
The medical center which can be converted into an emergency clinic.
A restaurant which can be extended by catering.
Two fitness centers with pools and sanitary facilities serves hygienic purposes
However, each function will also be used in normal case in order to maintain a cost-effective use of these areas.
Construction:
The vertical load bearing construction of the two towers consists of reinforced concrete cores, each including two escape
staircases, eight elevators and installation shafts, and a surrounding grid of reinforced concrete columns.
Both towers are equipped with construction floors which are mounted to the cores. Two large reinforced concrete walls in each
tower provide additional resistance against horizontal forces induced by earthquakes and strong wind.
Bridges equipped with dampers connect the two towers in longitudinal direction in order to dissipate kinetic energy and to
avoid a harmful resonance frequency of the building complex.
The annex building with the congress center is structurally independent from the tower buildings.
design studio
Disaster Mitigation and Security in Buildings 2012
architectural design
Maximilian Bauböck
project leader
Emmerich Simoncsics, Assoc.Prof. Dipl.Ing. Dr, Applied Aesthetics, VUT
consulting eingineers
Monika Klenovec, Dipl.Ing., Barrierfree Design, VUT
Frank Peter, Dipl.Ing., Fireprotection, VUT
Kamyar Tavoussi-Tafreshi, Univ.Ass. Dipl.Ing .Dr., Earthquake Engineering, VUT
Marcus Grundnigg, Dipl.Ing., Assistant
Iris Mach, Dipl.Ing. Dr., Assistant
Thomas Rief, Univ.Ass. Dipl.Ing., Assistant