RIBA Award
Winner of the Sterling Prize
American Air Museum
American Air Museum, Duxford
The American Air Museum is the largest pre-cast concrete torus-shaped structure in Britain - a single span 90m by 70m space encompassing 6,400m² of exhibition space.
Conventional air conditioning solutions would have been high cost, high energy and high point. Using computer simulation, it was shown that temperatures would be maintained within an acceptable range, by harnessing the effect of the exposed building mass and stratification in the high space. Humidity is controlled to approximately 55% using high efficiency gas fired desicant units. Daylight simulation was carried out to optimise the window design and minimise the use of electric lighting which is delivered by indirectly lighting the inside of the structured shell to dramatic effect.