is an office building whose section was determined by the requirements of a snow-based cooling system and whose plan was arrived at by means of computer-based Metaball modeling. Corrugated polycarbonate panels are used on the exterior wall; glass was avoided because snowplows can send stones flying through the air along with snow. The main floor of the building is the second floor; the floor below it is used for storing snow, which serves as a heat source for the cooling system. A ramp and stairway zone is created around the building proper to provide access to the second floor. The ratio of the capacity of the snow storage, the volume of the room provided with air-type radiant cooling, and the volume of the room provided with chilled-water cooling by means of fan-coil units was calculated from the snow-based cooling system, and that in turn determined the ratio of the floor areas of rooms.

Collaborator : Masayoshi Kobiyama(Snow Cooling System）

Photo: Tsunejiro Watanabe