Monday, July 20. 2009Comfort in a Lower Carbon SocietyThe following are a collection of abstracts from a 2008 Special Issue of Building Information and Research entitled "Comfort in a Lower Carbon Society". The issue establishes a sound theoretical argument for revising current building comfort standards, which can be traced back to the rise of artificial air conditioning in the early 20th century United States. This area of focus has been given short shrift in architecture schools and amongst architecture circles, but seems important given the fact that the addiction to air conditioning over the past fifty years has essentially relegated architects to designers of fully controllable, sealed containers.
Please read and discuss. For more information on obtaining the full articles, feel free to e-mail me at jared.langevin@gmail.com.
Air-conditioning and the 'homogenization' of people and built environments. Healy, Stephen
Recent research contests dominant conceptions of thermal comfort and the forms of life these constitute motivated by the energy-intensive character of thermal monotony. Thermal monotony is maintained via scientifically delineated norms of thermal comfort that configure a standardized, homogenous 'comfort zone'. The homogeneity of this zone is reflected in complementarily homogenous embodied dispositions, cultural norms, buildings and built environments that increasingly displace heterogeneous alternatives. The complex interdependencies among these things is explored by investigating how thermal comfort standards fundamentally shape forms of life and the built environments supportive of them. The analysis applies a, primarily, Foucauldian perspective to historical accounts of the emergence of air-conditioning to illuminate how the power of thermal comfort standards can be explained in terms of how they are constructed. The final section explores the relevance of these insights for the promotion of alternative approaches to thermal comfort.
Cole, Raymond J.,
Robinson, John,
Brown, Zosia
To what extent can the urgency of climate change and an evolving concept of agency (at the individual and social levels of building users) create a new context for rethinking the notion of comfort? A new, emerging notion of comfort is explored that embraces engagement with new conditions, new experiences, and new types of interactions between inhabitants and building systems and unfamiliar technologies. The emphasis is on communication and dialogue as two dynamic and adaptive processes necessary to achieve optimal building performance while valuing and responding to inhabitant knowledge and agency, and enhancing indoor environmental quality from the standpoint of the inhabitants. A primary conclusion is that the goal of shifting into a lower carbon society has created a new context for comfort, from its conventional emphasis as automated, uniform and predictable, to a broader notion that takes into consideration dynamic, integrated, and participatory aspects. The key dimensions of this emergent broader view of comfort are examined and the relationships between them revealed.
Harris, Howell John
The history of the revolution in heating and cooking technology in the United States in the first half of the 19th century is explored along with the resulting transformation of the American indoor wintertime climate. It is argued, contra William Meyer (2000, 2002), that the reasons for this massive behavioural change are traceable to an underlying demand for greater comfort, and to the complex market forces involved in the development of the technology to satisfy it and an industry to create and sell the resulting appliances, rather than simply to the increase in the price of the prevailing fuel: firewood. An attempt is made to extract 'lessons' from this history - plausible parallels with later transformations in the technology of comfort.
Parkhurst, Graham,
Parnaby, Richard
The recent growth in European use of mobile air-conditioning (MAC) in transport is examined with reference to the experience of the longer-established trend in the buildings sector and to experience in the US. Air-conditioning is identified as significantly undermining improvements in energy efficiency, whilst the penetration of MAC is observed as having been particularly rapid and deep compared with static air-conditioning (SAC). A conceptual framework for the adoption of MAC is then proposed, which draws on sociological and psychological concepts as well as technical considerations in characterizing the processes influencing the adoption and use of MAC. The availability of empirical evidence to validate this model is then considered, with the finding that significant gaps in knowledge exist about why MAC is adopted, who benefits from its adoption, how the systems are used in practice, and the extent of satisfaction of travellers with the comfort of the environments of 'mobile buildings'. Although social norms and behaviour with respect to MAC are flexible, and hence subject to influence by climate change policy, significant further research is required to inform the specification of that policy.
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Via Jargon, etc.
Related Links:Personal comment: Ici je ne peux que renvoyer à RealRoom(s) (2005)... La monotonie thermale (mais aussi celle du confort), décrit comme une forme d'espace abstrait global, y était le thème central du projet.
Posted by Patrick Keller
in Architecture, Sustainability
at
13:15
Defined tags for this entry: architecture, artificial reality, climate, conditioning, energy, research, sustainability
Inverted Infrastructural Monuments, pt.1As the looming threat of global warming persists, one of the most prominent effects has been the erratic nature of weather patterns with pronounced emphasis on weather extremes. Some areas of the world are accustomed to such polarity. In Western India, for instance, three months of a healthy monsoon is followed by nine continuous months of arid weather. The polarization of weather promotes renewed interest in ancient infrastructures that could mitigate these extremes through sustainable means. In the case of the dry weather in Western India, this was done with Stepwells. Dated to 600 AD, stepwells are essentially inverted ziggurats excavated from the earth, producing an infrastructural monument to water collection. Like most great inventions, the concept driving a stepwell is surprisingly simple and composed of two parts – a well and access route. The large well is used to collect monsoon rain, which then percolates through layers of fine silt (to screen particulates), eventually reaching a layer of impermeable clay. Eroded rock from the Western Himalaya, further refined through several centuries of farming has produced a fine alluvium soil for the wells, which acts as an ideal filter. With larger sediment gathering at the top, the stepwell operates like an underground aquifer. The second component of the stepwell, are the steps or access passages to collect the water. Unlike traditional wells, stepwells allow one to enter, manage and maintain the well, creating a spatial occupation of the infrastructure. Some stepwells contain continuous transport infrastructure, such as ramps, to allow cattle to reach and transport water. More elaborated stepwells host galleries and chambers surrounding the passageways that were ornamentally sculpted. It is no surprise that these wells that allowed communities to sustain their crops during the arid months, eventually became religious temples dedicated to water. The functional characteristics of stepwells, soon made them a metaphor for the Ganges – the largest and most divine river in India. What is intriguing about stepwells is that they were both an infrastructure to collect water as well a space of gathering and leisure. As a subterranean landscape, the base of the inverted pyramids provided a cool microclimate to escape the hot conditions at grade. As such, these became central public spaces of gathering and architectural significance. The collection of water also attracted large ecosystems of bees, fish, lizards, parrots, pigeons, and turtles amongst other species. Each monsoon would reinvigorate these stepwells and promote new life. As a functional, religious and social infrastructure, these became the central spaces for many communities to gather, bathe and converse. The British Raj phased out the use of stepwells during the 19th century due to concerns over water borne parasites. Beyond the architectural beauty of stepwells, was an infrastructural intelligence, which is of importance today. These wells acted as water filters as well as mega storage and irrigation tanks in a completely sustainable manner. As weather patterns continue to polarize, these local infrastructures could provide clues on how to handle and store water for irrigation. For further reading, Morna Livingston has a great book on Stepwells, which I highly recommend. ----- Via InfraNet Lab Personal comment:
Etonnant encore une fois de constater à quel point les architectures vernaculaires, antiques, etc. (pour faire simple, les architectures pré-industrielles et surtout pré-climatisation) fonctionnait comme des systèmes socio-climatiques, économes avec les ressources et souvent intelligents. Des systèmes générant par ailleurs parfois des formes assez hallucinantes et radicales, comme ici. Capacitive Bodycapacitive body from Andreas Muxel on Vimeo. "The installation „capacitive body“ reacts to the sound of its environment. Each custom built module consists of a high bright electroluminescent wire, a piezoelectric sensor and a microcontroller. For a first setup at the Tschumi Pavilion (Groningen, NL) a sensor was attached on each side of the pavilion‘s glass shell, whose vibrations are triggered by the ambient noise of its surroundings. The sensor data is transformed into the light behaviour of each wire. A dynamic light space is thereby created, which gives visual feedback of the aural activity around the installation." ----- Via File Festival Related Links:Personal comment: L'aspect interactif du projet ("transcrit l'activité alentour" -en utilisant ici aussi les vibrations-) est peut-être aujourd'hui à proscrire: on a vu en effet siffisamment de projets qui "transcrivent l'activité alentours" (y compris des projets de fabric | ch). Par contre, l'aspect visuel de la densité du mesh me fait penser un peu à quelques idées de projets que nous av(i)ons. Je pense à Electroscape 005 ou plutôt Camera & Gunshot Tracking Pavilion!
Posted by Patrick Keller
in Architecture, Design
at
10:06
Defined tags for this entry: architecture, artificial reality, design, design (environments), design (interactions), exhibitions
Friday, July 17. 2009ResoNetDesigned by Mark Francis Tynan & William Hailiang Chen, ResoNet visualises the resonant frequencies inherent in the natural environment, via the interaction of the public and surrounding elements detected by a LED net. By using Low-Fi techniques ResoNet creates a cascade of light triggered by the vibrations detected across the structure. ResoNet’s tensile web structure is stretched across a space, like a spider web. A series of vibration sensors & LED circuit components are fixed at key intersections on the tensile network, to detect minute vibrations as a result of human and natural activity. Be it a brush of a hand, or a passing breeze, the energy is converted into light that resonates across the structure, immersing the public in a cascading visual of flashing LED’s ----- Personal comment:
J'aime bien l'idée que le "sensor network" réagisse à des vibrations (d'une structure, d'un lieux, etc.), révélant ainsi comme des pulsations cachées, des courants d'air, ... Pour une fois que la structure ne réagit pas aux "utilisateurs". Cela à tendance alors à ouvrir vers d'autres paysages ou environnements.
Posted by Patrick Keller
in Architecture, Interaction design
at
09:53
Defined tags for this entry: architecture, artists, installations, interaction design, lighting, monitoring
Wednesday, July 15. 2009Plantagon’s Vertical FarmWe have shared architects’ different approaches to addressing the pressing food issue, from the highly conceptual designs to the more classical ideas. It seems that more competitions and clients require architects to implement gardens for harvesting food, or create an available food solution to accompany the structure. Statistics estimate that more than 80% of the population will live in cities by 2050 and the oil transportation needed to ship food from rural areas will only become more expensive. Soon, adding alternative farming methods won’t be an option; it will be a necessity if food for cities is to remain cost-efficient. Plantagon, a Swedish-American company, has recently created their take on the vertical farm idea: a geodesic dome containing an urban Plantagon® greenhouse. The farm “will dramatically change the way we produce organic and functional food. It allows us to produce ecological with clean air and water inside urban environments, even major cities, cutting costs and environmental damage by eliminating transportation and deliver directly to consumers,” explained Plantagon. More about the dome after the break. As the images illustrated, Plantagon envisions major cities adopting their greenhouse solution. The project features a large spiraling ramp that will provide the necessary space for food growth and production. The glass dome covering the ramped space will provide the necessary light needed to nurture the gardens. Since the glass is curved, varying amounts of sunlight will penetrate according to the angle of incidence. The company is presently working with Sweco, a consulting engineering firm, to calculate how much sun will reach the interior ramps as the seasons and the sun’s position in the sky change. “It has been a considerable challenge for us at Sweco. Our goal has been to find technical solutions that make it possible to grow crops with high quality and good operating economy,” stated Stephan Stålered, a consultant at Sweco. While a lot of areas still need to be figured out, Plantagon hopes to have the first farm fully functioning within 3 years. As seen on Inhabitat and Treehugger. ----- Via ArchDaily Personal comment: Une autre approche de l'"urban farming", plus "artificielle" que celle à ciel ouvert (jardins familiaux, jardins en toitures, etc.). Si la question de la production de nourriture en milieu urbain ne va pas tarder à s'imposer (d'elle-même probablement, chiffres à l'appui), les options sur la façon de la réaliser restent quant à elles ouvertes. Et il n'y aura certainement pas qu'une seule façon de faire: si la production à ciel ouvert semble relativement logique pour des villes de moyenne importance ou peu poluées, la solution en milieu maîtrisé semble elle plus "logique" (ou disons plutôt presque obligatoire, dans certains cas) pour les métro-/mégapoles.
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fabric | rblgThis blog is the survey website of fabric | ch - studio for architecture, interaction and research. We curate and reblog articles, researches, writings, exhibitions and projects that we notice and find interesting during our everyday practice and readings. Most articles concern the intertwined fields of architecture, territory, art, interaction design, thinking and science. From time to time, we also publish documentation about our own work and research, immersed among these related resources and inspirations. This website is used by fabric | ch as archive, references and resources. It is shared with all those interested in the same topics as we are, in the hope that they will also find valuable references and content in it.
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