This article was taken from the January 2015 issue of WIRED magazine. Be the first to read WIRED's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
Despite standing 33 storeys tall, Sydney's One Central Park barely casts a shadow. On the roof of the block's lower tower are 40 heliostats -- motorised mirrors that track the Sun's movement and redirect its light up to a reflective frame cantilevered from the taller tower. "These 320 fixed mirrors then reflect the light in all directions," explains the project architect for the east tower, Mark Giles of Sydney-based PTW architects, who collaborated with Frenchman Jean Nouvel. "Half of it comes down to the park south of the building, providing sunlight to an area that would have been in shadow. The other half is directed through an atrium to the building below."
The second reflection serves an important purpose in de-intensifying the Sun's rays. "The double bounce of light, from the heliostat to the reflective frame, gives the effect of dappled sunlight, as though it were filtered through a tree canopy," explains Giles.
One Central Park is further camouflaged by a living skin of 180,000 plants that comprise the world's tallest vertical garden and provides natural shade to the apartments. Around 350 species were used to cater for the different climates, including the almost alpine environment at 100m up. "A lot of Sydney is densely urban," says Giles. "The idea with this planting is to give Central Park residents a green link to their own garden, whether they're at level five or level 30."