TROPICAL ARCHITECTURE SIMILAR OR EQUAL TO GREEN ARCHITECTURE?
Like many fellow architects, I have been studying and participating in all kind of seminars regarding green architecture because I want all my projects to be "green". However, I can see a similarity with tropical architecture, which has been with us for many, many decades and centuries.
The most evident to me is the orientation of the building so as to avoid direct sunlight in living areas. This brings me to the subject of future urban planning.
My thoughts are that future grids for new development, should consider the north-south axis so that the building we design be easier to attune to the sun's trajectory. I prefer to hace a long north side so that I don't have to protect it from the suns direct rays. With a long south side, a brisse-solei can protect from the sun's rays, and at the same time, provide for systems to provide heating in winter months.
Another element common in tropical architecture is the cross-wind ventilation, which avoids the use of air conditioning systems. Again, this works best if we consider orientation of the building to best utilize prevailing winds.
In the south of Spain, as in the original buildings constructed in Puerto Rico during the Spanish era, house had interior patios which acted as "chimneys" so that fresh air could enter the house or building and cool it.
Rain water was collected in cisterns and construction was primarily clay bricks with thick walls (22 inches;56 cm).
So, the question is, is tropical architecture as we know it, is also, or should be considered green architecture?
I know that there are many other elements regarding the greening of buildings, like materials and be self-sufficient in terms of energy and water needs.
The most evident to me is the orientation of the building so as to avoid direct sunlight in living areas. This brings me to the subject of future urban planning.
My thoughts are that future grids for new development, should consider the north-south axis so that the building we design be easier to attune to the sun's trajectory. I prefer to hace a long north side so that I don't have to protect it from the suns direct rays. With a long south side, a brisse-solei can protect from the sun's rays, and at the same time, provide for systems to provide heating in winter months.
Another element common in tropical architecture is the cross-wind ventilation, which avoids the use of air conditioning systems. Again, this works best if we consider orientation of the building to best utilize prevailing winds.
In the south of Spain, as in the original buildings constructed in Puerto Rico during the Spanish era, house had interior patios which acted as "chimneys" so that fresh air could enter the house or building and cool it.
Rain water was collected in cisterns and construction was primarily clay bricks with thick walls (22 inches;56 cm).
So, the question is, is tropical architecture as we know it, is also, or should be considered green architecture?
I know that there are many other elements regarding the greening of buildings, like materials and be self-sufficient in terms of energy and water needs.
Tags: Puerto, Rico, architecture, construction, green, in, spanish, tropical
Views: 53
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by oz on -
Early pioneers,( Ancient-Masters) in this area of... "Indigenous_Design".....where
able to create "long cycles of natural micro-climate control" ; these cycles would
and could be made into a precise Science .
Why precise?
As you know...the critical-element
of coincidental timing , angles ,and drafts which was known to the ancients then rediscovered
subsequently by the Masters.
having briefly been in residence at the delta moment of several master-designers'...homes
I can't begin to tell you how magical these factors ,[natural-design-elements] are,[or can be ] when
they are "all" .focused simultaneously ON ONE DESGN AREA. -
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Permalink Reply by JOE GARCÍA on -
How right you are! As I have always expressed, humanity must continuously look back if we want to learn and progress. Ancient civilizations, which we all admire and some are skeptics about their knowledge and still others can't find the answers to their work and writings, had resolved the problems we are facing today and in our future. So, lets get back to the manuscripts, they were written for something.And lets be humble. The problems we face today are old problems resolved by others. What's new?
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Permalink Reply by David F. Schmidt on -
Hi Joe,
I am currently teaching a course at the UNLV School of Architecture on environmental control systems with an emphasis on sustainable design using passive design strategies. Tropical architecture is certainly green in numerous respects, as it is a great example of design with nature, taking advantage of the natural rhythms of the environment. There is little new about the design strategies of green building, as it has been practiced for much of the history of man. Until the industrial revolution and the recent emphasis on unsustainable consumption of earths resources, passive design was the primary architectural design strategy throughout the earth's civilizations. It is hopeful that this design strategy is being rediscovered with our current concerns about environmental degradation and climate change. Passive design (green design and building ) is still the only sensible and sustainable approach to architectural design and construction.
David F. Schmidt -
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Permalink Reply by Ben on -
Excellent Clarification of verbage...Passive is sligthly more appropriate than Indigenous
and it is the very combination of these two words that define What we are hoping to rediscover !!!
Therefore , failing to have that correct word ; will not diminish the joy of climbing to the top of a Pyramid
in the provence near Chicen-netsa Mex ,( on a 112 degree day) - -only to find some mysterious air
conditioning system streaming up " Cool Air" to the top" pent house or alter " Enclosure from the center of
the vast stone Pryamid ?
Just one of 100 such discoveries waiting for proper scientific documentation .
a new method of land based sonar is being employed at this time on the site to determine what underground natural / passive structures will be found ..each xray takes from 6 months to a year to produce ...then starts the government clearing house ...we will see on this one . -
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