Bioclimatic Lessons from Luis Barragan's Architecture

ATHENS JOURNAL OF ARCHITECTURE, 2015

The link between architecture and nature, from the standpoint of the relation of architecture with its place and, in a broader sense, with the landscape it integrates, is one of the main concerns explicit in Alvar Aalto's and Álvaro Siza's design processes, works and writings. We propose to explore it as an existing parallelism between both architects' practices and as a problem whose understanding has a constancy in each one's career related both to their methodological approach and to their continuous postponement of the theoretical systematization of their convictions. Aalto and Siza seek a cohesive balance between man's interventions and pre-existing nature. For both, architecture is something that contrasts with nature by alterity, but that also adapts and complements it. The relation with place and landscape has a propellant role in their design processes, enhanced by their distrust of an a priori theory. Their projects are born from the place they simultaneously define by a pondered search, developed case by case, for naturalness, for the same sense of evidence, proportion and simplicity they find in nature. Therefore, we explore the use they make of conceptual analogies with nature's formative processes, and even of formal analogies with the surrounding nature, which Bruno Zevi considered the naturalist misconception of organic architecture. To better understand and relate Aalto's and Siza's approaches to the problems outlined, a comparison was made with other architects whenever relevant, like Le Corbusier and Aldo Rossi, whose practices and positions towards project theory are thought to be distinctive.

2018

Catalonia is a country with a wide variety of landscapes resulting from the continuous relationship between humans and the environment, traditional architecture being the result of this interaction. Thus, the different built elements, their distribution around the land and their forms and materials are key factors in the configuration of the landscape. Traditional architecture is constructed by the members of a given society based on the local building traditions. It is the outcome of shared knowledge passed on from one generation to the next and enriched by the personal experiences of the builders. For this reason, the traditional architecture of each society is linked both to the ecological, socioeconomic and cultural context and to local historical processes. It is adapted to the environment but is not merely the outcome of natural or technical conditions. The natural factors-climate, land morphology, materials-and technology limit the possibilities of building forms and adopting structures which have to do with society and culture. Constructions and land occupation reflect the economic system, the social organisation-social relations, politics, norms-and the culture-ideas on the relationship between humans and the environment, on ways of living and on aesthetic tastes.

unige.ch

ABSTRACT: This work aims to analyze the bioclimatic behavior of traditional architecture for future constructions in Mexico. The focus of this study is in Tecozautla, México, located in a hot dry climate where an important number of traditional and historical houses still exist. ...

2018

ARChive, 2019

Vernacular architecture typifies a majority of constraints from places where it belongs, where the use of local materials and techniques is one of the key features. In comparison to industrially-produced materials, vernacular materials have low ecological effects, being an alternate for sustainable construction. The expanding utilization of new industrially-produced and standardized materials resulted in the homogenization of the several used construction approaches, and spawned a universal architecture that oftentimes has gone out of the environment context and it is very reliant on energy and other resources. Vernacular architecture predicated on bioclimatism concepts was developed and used through the ages by many civilizations around the world. Different civilizations have produced their own architectural styles predicated on the local conditions. This paper addresses via an analytical study to indicate the relationship between vernacular architecture, locally sourced materials and structure by relating them with bioclimatic zones. To assess the contribution of these materials for sustainability, an evaluation with industrial materials at level of environmental indicators was established. This paper highlights the advantages of using local materials and techniques as a factor of local socio-economic development. Also, indicating different solar passive features that are available in Vernacular architecture, related to temperature control and promoting natural ventilation by using locally available materials in their construction. Through this methodology, this study will introduce a new approach Bioclimatism and Vernacular architecture as a pass for new sustainable structure.

Journal of Civil Engineering and Architecture, 2017

The contemporary demand for reducing carbon emission is changing the way architects design buildings, thus influencing a wide range of new solutions. In this paper, the author presents a method that intends to contribute for the discussion of recent strategies that lower the buildings' consumption of energy. The study establishes three priority parameters to analyze the façades based on the materials, the practices and the thermal behavior. Each parameter is measured separately scaled from artificial to natural building materials, local to distant practices and insulation to inertia. The design of façades has been evolving to follow complex regulations that aim to increase the required sustainable performance of buildings. Scientific data is measurable individually by each parameter, though the cross influence between parameters raise the level of complexity. Shading systems, solar passive energy influence the measurement but the growing use of renewable energies affects the measurements of energy consumption. Each design responds differently to climatic conditions, and requires complex analyses considering the specificity of the natural environment and cultural context. The discussion makes use of scientific data that influences architectural design, the research requires a broader perception thus including cultural aspects. Recent high tech insulating systems have an effect on design solutions that characterize biophilia (human love of nature). The wisdom of traditional local solutions tested over generations holds cultural aspects of biomimicry (nature as model). The aim is to discuss whether the framework based on biophilia and biomimicry is useful for the research.

IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering

In architecture, Nature has always been a perennial source of inspiration-both in architectural writing and in architectural design. This paper explores the architecture of the 20 th century, especially the Santiago Calatrava's works that were inspired by the human body. Calatrava (born 1951) inheriting the achievements of the art of engineering, following his significant predecessors, goes far beyond their approach. His displaying the beauty that often comes with metaphorical captures of floral and faunal structures, as well as the statics and dynamics of the human body. These references to the forms of Nature, are easily recognizable in Calatrava's works. The first part of the paper presents concepts imitation and mimesis within Western traditions of aesthetic. Selected research work and methods in design developed in 20 th century, as well as current digital techniques of imitation processes form-finding in Nature also will be presented. The second part deals with the human body as a source of inspiration in architecture and engineering. This part is focused on Calatrava's works such as:

Etudes urbaines, 2019

Keywords : architecture, biodiversity, ecological connectivity, landscape architecture, open space planning Mots-clés : architecture, biodiversité, connectivité écologique, architecture du paysage, aménagement de l'espace ouvert

American Journal of Civil Engineering and Architecture, 2022

Nature serves as a compass for all the sciences. Nature was and continues to be the first teacher for humanity. A certain area of study advances through observing and copying nature. This area of research, known as biomimicry, can be characterized as the imitation of organic biological processes. Just like scientists and designers, architects can find inspiration in nature. Like many other professions, the realm of architectural design holds that behavior resembles nature. For instance, it is used as a source of inspiration for architectural designs, building materials, and aesthetic and environmental systems. To draw conclusions and develop solutions from nature to all fields of science and architecture, there are not enough investigations. A new field of study known as "Biomimicry" has emerged, and it is an innovation strategy that seeks sustainable solutions by modeling nature's time-tested patterns. In this context, the research paper discusses biomimicry, a recent development in the field of architecture, the idea of nature as inspiration; the concept of biomimicry, its levels, its application to architecture, and how to think about design and nature in the context of architectural sustainability.