Efficient, cooling high-tech desert flowers for the Enlightened City
FE2owlet bionic fan in use all over the world
The idea of the blooms of 250 enormous and magnificent desert flowers opening fully automatically in the early dawn at the Medina Haram Piazza in Saudi Arabia is not some fable from a Thousand and One Nights.
Cutting-edge HIGH-TECH
This is cutting-edge high-tech. This huge oasis of parasols was conceived by the designer and architect SL-Rasch. The challenge with this project, located in the middle of the desert, was to maintain a flow of cool air over an area of about 143,000 square metres in order to provide shade and protection against the sun and heat in future for thousands of pilgrims during prayers in the Medina al-Munawwarah. The experienced firm of architects from Baden-Württemberg found a solution to this demanding task working in conjunction with expert and committed partners, including ZIEHL-ABEGG as well as Liebherr, the well-known German firm of parasol builders who, in the truest sense of the word, also functioned as the ‘umbrella’ company for the gigantic parasols and the overall project itself.
Al-Madīna al-Munawwarah – the Enlightened City
Gigantic parasols create an expansive sea of flowers decorated in the typically Middle Eastern style to span the 143,000 square metres of the finest marble floor. In order to meet the most extreme requirements and create the perfect project, the shade-giving parasols were also expected to provide an ideal cool atmosphere at the same time. As an experienced specialist in air control and drive technology, this is where ZIEHL-ABEGG was able to bring its know-how to bear in ensuring the most effective solution. With the globally unique FE2owlet bionic high-tech fan, the company employed high-efficiency fan technology that meets all requirements and in this way provides the finishing touch to turn the gigantic parasols into perfect cooling desert flowers.
Devised using meticulously precise calculations and a masterpiece of design, two FE2owlet or, to be more accurate, high-tech fans from ZIEHL-ABEGG, now keep the atmosphere beneath the parasols about 10 degrees cooler beneath the opened desert flowers on each long stem. Powered by state-of-the-art motor technology, the globally unique fans with a serrated biomimetic profile reliably go about their business, virtually silent and yet highly efficient and climate-friendly, positioned about 6 metres high up on the parasol mast.
Parasol architecture with FE2owlet bionic axial fan
The extraordinary parasol architecture not only withstands the extreme temperatures and very strong winds but simultaneously also cools the air beneath the fantastic parasols.
Highly constructive desert flower systems
Every morning during the extremely hot, summer months the highly constructive 250 ventilated desert flower systems unfold within 3 minutes, meticulously programmed to avoid collisions between the moving parts. Every individual parasol spans an area of over 600 square metres so each one provides around 800 pilgrims with the opportunity to meditate and pray in a pleasant atmosphere.
The city of the Prophet “al-Medina -Munawwarah” or Medina in short, is the second holiest city of Islam after Mecca. The sheer, incredible size of the large-scale project of the 20-metre-tall high-tech desert flowers came about due to the natural changes in the lunar calendar. Whereas in the past the classic pilgrimage season took place during the autumn or winter months, based on the lunar calendar this is gradually changing towards the hot summer period. By being well-prepared and acting in wise foresight, thousands upon thousands of pilgrims will in future be able to continue visiting their holiest site in peace.
More on the FE2owlet high-tech fan and its wide range of potential applications here >>https://www.ziehl-abegg.com/en/products/fe2owlet#overview