Designed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects, Crystal has a crystal-like shape, and is located in the Borough of Newham, at the historic Royal Victoria Docks. It accommodates a conference centre, urban dialogue platform and technology and innovation centre.
The building houses a 270-seat auditorium as well as the world’s largest exhibition on urban sustainability. The exhibition area at Crystal has an area of 2,000 square meters; while the entire facility has an area of more than 6,300 square meters. The interactive exhibition will guide visitors through the urban infrastructure of the future, focusing on possibilities for sustainable mobility, building technologies, power and water supplies, and healthcare.
The facility, in comparison with similar office buildings, consumes 50% less power and emits 65% less carbon dioxide. The building uses renewable energy for its all heating and cooling needs. Further green energy is generated onsite by means of a photovoltaic system. It also harvests rainwater and uses it to meet a variety of purposes.
Crystal entailed an outlay of €35 million ($45 million). The facility will house experts from the Siemens Center of Competence Cities who will engage in research and development geared to technologies and innovations for tomorrow’s urban infrastructures.
