Hall 26

by Thomas Herzog

Published 1 July 1996
Hall 26 is a futuristic, environment-friendly exhibition hall, the first to be built for Expo 2000 which will be hosted by Hanover, Germany. This book illustrates the building's many state-of-the-art and aesthetic qualities using photographs, supplemented by plans and energy charts. The building measures 220 x 116 metres and uses a natural air conditioning system that reduces energy requirements by 50%. The construction benefits from restful, non-direct, natural lighting, achieved by extensive north-facing glazing. The suspended wooden roofs act as vast reflectors to diffuse light throughout the exhibition space which is left free of technical installations. The author is the editor of "Solar Energy in Architecture and Urban Planning". Together with Sir Norman Foster, Norbert Kaiser, Renzo Piano and Sir Richard Rogers, he is one of the core members of an international group of architects committed to incorporating ecologically sound materials and practices in the architecture of the future. The text is written in English and German.