Soya's blog

2013/12/14

Daylight - South-facing windows?

In the northern hemisphere, buildings normally has south-facing windows to face sun and obtain maximum solar gain during the winter. It really depend on your daylight control and purpose. Some of buildings are not primarily consider the daylighting, for example hotels, night clubs, hospitals. Some of buildings have specific requirements for illumination and may use artificial light to instead control daylight source, for example museums, art gallery.
Museum Ludwig, Köln

Museum Ludwig uses of north-facing monitors and blinds provides daylight control appropriate for the illumination of art objects to minimise potential damage to exhibits.

Different purpose will change architecture design, the south-facing orientation is not the only way to obtain solar gain. I think it's really important to understand your context and site restriction before you start designing.

source:
http://www.museum-ludwig.de/en/museum/ueber-das-museum/architektur.html
Baker and Steemers, Daylight design of buildings, 2002

Daylight - Orientation

In high latitude areas, the angle sun in the sky is low so solar energy is spread over a wide area and some of this is immediately reflected back into the atmosphere from snow and ice, on the other hand, it's why high latitude areas have lower temperature than low latitude.

lower winter sun's path.

That's why in the high latitude areas (the northern hemisphere) typically use south-facing orientation and the biggest glazing to obtain maximum solar.

source:
http://bgrg.org/pages/education/alevel/coldenvirons/Coldinsol.htm

2013/12/10

cube house - Habitat 67 vs Kubuswoningen

Habitat 67 , is a model community and housing complex in Montreal, Canada, designed by architect Moshe Safdie. His concept from a book, Terre des hommes by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, talked about how to integrate with habitat, he propose combine habitat and architecture that new form and different ideas at that time.

unitize house and compact floor plan

Kubuswoningen, are the different cube house Habitat 67 in The Netherlands, designed by architect Piet Blom and based on the concept of "living as an urban roof".
The cubes contain three floors. The ground level is public space for living/dining/kitchen.The first level is private space for bedrooms/bathroom. The top floor is pyramid-shaped with windows can be used a lounge space, playroom, or bedroom.

Above architectures all base on cube design, but rotate some angle...It's totally different design. This give me a good thinking..design not only vertical and horizontal...

Source:
http://www.mmag.com.tw/ad/20130913-architectural_design-782
http://www.archdaily.com/404803/
http://www.explorra.com/attractions/kubuswoningen_9506#photo-0

http://architecturelinked.com/profiles/blogs/cubehouses

2013/12/8

combinative function thinking

Interesting lamp ...

lighting designer - Masahiko Uchiyama combines different tools let it's funny and functional. Use combine different functions to solve problems or inspire new ideas. We can find many similar ideas in house.
For instance, staircase not only provide a bridge between two vertical distance, but also could be store space.

Open kitchen link dining room let chef can connect with other people.

Even combination of daylight(toplight) and artificial light (sidelight) to create a sense of dynamic..

(Asplund Goteborg Town Hall)

Those ideas let me think about how to create different use and face for different space.

Sources:
http://contemporarybedroomdesigns.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/under-stair-storage-ideas.html
http://www.homedesignfind.com/green/a-floor-to-ceiling-chest-of-drawers-becomes-stairs-to-reach-the-top/

2013/12/2

Flatz House by Baumschlager Eberle

Different orientation provides different views.

Plans:

sources:

http://www.baumschlager-eberle.com/en/projects/chronological/details-of-project/project/wohnhaus-flatz.html

Villa Lucy by WPA inc

In Villa Lucy an attention to economy and organization was essential. The house is divided into two distinct zones, an opaque and a transparent zone.
The opaque zone is the service areas (i.e., the bathrooms, the kitchen, and all utilities).This organization saves both time and space and economical.
The stage zone houses the sleeping and living/dining quarters and stylish furnishes.

Plans:

The compact design saves resources and more economic and divided into different zones can separate different function more effective.

sources:

http://www.wpastudio.com/project.php?project=61

http://www.dwell.com/my-house/article/setting-stage

Villa E-1027 by Eileen Gray

Eileen Gray designed and constructed E.1027 in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, Alpes-Maritimes, in southern France (near Monaco) from 1926 to 1929 with her lover at the time, Jean Badovici, and everything about it was premised on her love of the sea and sun, like its floor-to-ceiling windows and sunken solarium lined with iridescent tiles. The meaning of E-1027 : "E" was for "Eileen," the "10" and "2" represented Badovici's initials—according to their place in the alphabet—and the "7" was for "G".

Eileen was a furniture designer and E-1027 was her first foray into architecture
Now well-know as the L-shaped concrete house, flat-roofed with floor-to-ceiling windows,built on stilts, is filled with Gray's Transat chairs and pivoting and folding cabinets, and has wall murals painted by Le Corbusier.