The Design of a Wellbeing Center with an Advanced Parametric Roof in Jabel Hafeet Mountain Located in Al Ain City, United Arab Emirates

Abstract

Building construction in the UAE is a growing industry. While Abu Dhabi and Dubai have a majority of mid-rise and high-rise buildings, AL Ain has mostly low-rise and mid-rise buildings. Additionally, the construction industry in Al Ain has seen an increase in the recent years. The aim of this study is to design a wellness center with a parametric roof in the challenging topography of Jebel Hafeet Mountain in AL Ain. The building must be socially and environmentally sustainable and must align with the local culture. The methodology used includes the following steps: performing an analysis of the selected site and climate; building the design on challenging topography; creating a parametric roof design; conducting an energy and radiation analysis. Wellness is the act of practicing healthy habits to attain better physical and mental health outcomes. The center will be for females only to provide privacy and to achieve social sustainability (based on the local culture). It will be in Al Ain (Jabel Hafeet Mountain) because unlike the other cities in the UAE, Al Ain does not contain any wellness centers. The design of the parametric roof aims to adapt to the mountain and decrease solar radiation on the roof. Both of the above aim to bring innovation to the city, country, and region for the purpose of building a sustainable design that is adapted to the local culture and environment. The results show a significant energy and solar radiation after the use of such structure. These findings are relevant to local authorities and the private construction industry.