VERTICAL GREENING SYSTEM FOR ENVIRONMENT RESPONSIVE ARCHITECTURE

Vertical greening systems can help mitigate the urban heat islands, increase the thermal efficiency of the buildings, save cooling energy and enhance air quality by using the vegetation's natural processes. However, since vertical greening schemes need materials and energy to be built, there are questions about whether they actually deserve to be adopted and how their environmental efficiency can be improved. The study aims to evaluate verticalgreening systems' environmental efficiency and to study essential factors for efficient and sustainable building construction.

Arctic adaptive : responsive design in the Canadian north

Since the industrial revolution, architecture has become increasingly disconnected from its surrounding environment and the existence of regional vernacular architecture is dwindling. (Fathy, 1986; Ozkan, 1985) Modern technology coupled with globalization has resulted in universal architecture based on formal aesthetic and economy rather than local climatic factors. (Fathy, 1986; Frampton, 1983) The lack of regionally responsive design is nowhere more evident than in the Canadian Arctic (Dawson, 1997) Despite its immense cultural, economic and environmental importance to Canada and the world, Arctic communities have struggled with inadequate buildings and infrastructures since the creation of permanent settlements in the 1950's. (Bone, 2008; Dawson, 1997) Through the synthesis of modern technology and principles learned from nature and vernacular architecture this thesis explores new possibilities for a regionally responsive architecture in the Canadian Arctic; focusing on the building skin and its relationship between both indoor and outdoor environments.

Arctic adaptive : responsive design in the Canadian north

Since the industrial revolution, architecture has become increasingly disconnected from its surrounding environment and the existence of regional vernacular architecture is dwindling. (Fathy, 1986; Ozkan, 1985) Modern technology coupled with globalization has resulted in universal architecture based on formal aesthetic and economy rather than local climatic factors. (Fathy, 1986; Frampton, 1983) The lack of regionally responsive design is nowhere more evident than in the Canadian Arctic (Dawson, 1997) Despite its immense cultural, economic and environmental importance to Canada and the world, Arctic communities have struggled with inadequate buildings and infrastructures since the creation of permanent settlements in the 1950's. (Bone, 2008; Dawson, 1997) Through the synthesis of modern technology and principles learned from nature and vernacular architecture this thesis explores new possibilities for a regionally responsive architecture in the Canadian Arctic; focusing on the building skin and its relationship between both indoor and outdoor environments.

Redesigning the Iglu| ᐃᒡᓗ : towards an architecture of Inuit dwelling in the 21st century

The Canadian North has gained significant interest as of late due to expansive availability of natural resources, and the opening up of commercial shipping routes, resulting in economic and development potential. There is thus a demand to develop and build, but this has often occurred with little vision while the extreme conditions of this region make viable inhabitation a challenge. Presently, the Inuit who have maintained a sustainable way of life in the Canadian North have seen their lifestyle and culture erode due to rapid modernization, resulting in numerous challenges and no resolutions. One such challenge is the absence of affordable, adequate, and cultural appropriate housing, complicated by a housing shortage and a growing population. In order to ensure successful inhabitation in this region, a reinterpretation of the contemporary Inuit home is required. The following thesis project |explores how the adoption of a regionally responsive architecture responds not only to economic and environmental conditions, but reinforces the unique cultural identity of the Inuit.

Redesigning the Iglu| ᐃᒡᓗ : towards an architecture of Inuit dwelling in the 21st century

The Canadian North has gained significant interest as of late due to expansive availability of natural resources, and the opening up of commercial shipping routes, resulting in economic and development potential. There is thus a demand to develop and build, but this has often occurred with little vision while the extreme conditions of this region make viable inhabitation a challenge. Presently, the Inuit who have maintained a sustainable way of life in the Canadian North have seen their lifestyle and culture erode due to rapid modernization, resulting in numerous challenges and no resolutions. One such challenge is the absence of affordable, adequate, and cultural appropriate housing, complicated by a housing shortage and a growing population. In order to ensure successful inhabitation in this region, a reinterpretation of the contemporary Inuit home is required. The following thesis project |explores how the adoption of a regionally responsive architecture responds not only to economic and environmental conditions, but reinforces the unique cultural identity of the Inuit.

Characterizing Smart Environments as Interactive and Collective Platforms: A Review of the Key Behaviors of Responsive Architecture

Since architect Nicholas Negroponte first proposed a vision of responsive architecture smart environments have been widely investigated, especially in the fields of computer science and engineering. Despite growing interest in the topic, a comprehensive review of research about smart environments from the architectural perspective is largely missing. In order to provide a formal understanding of smart environments in architecture, this paper conducts a systematic literature review of scholarly sources over the last decade, focusing on four related subjects: (1) responsive architecture, (2) kinetic architecture, (3) adaptive architecture and (4) intelligent buildings. Through this review, the paper identifies and examines interactive and collective behaviors in smart environments, thereby contributing to defining the properties of creative, smart spaces in the contemporary digital ecosystem. In addition, this research offers a means of systematically characterizing and constructing smart environments as interactive and collective platforms, enabling occupants to sense, experience and understand smart spaces.

Traditional Acehnese House: Constructing Architecture by Responding to the Power of Nature in Relation to the Local Wisdom Values

The existence of traditional houses in Banda Aceh has been extinguished in modern times. With globalization's impact, the traditional house connotates as ‘old house style,’ and thus, the house style is not up to date. A large number of house owners demolish them and reconstruct them with new modern houses. Despite that, it is approved that the traditional houses of Aceh were survived the earthquake that frequently hit the region. As Banda Aceh is one of the regions resided on Sumatran's segment, the region has a large number of earthquakes. This paper, which is part of the previous study on the thermal comfort of traditional and modern houses in Aceh, explores a historical architectural example that reveals local experiences that involve local wisdom and expertise. This paper focuses on a traditional house located in a modern housing neighborhood in Banda Aceh city. In doing this, the paper identifies how Acehnese ancestors, through their local knowledge, have constructed a traditional Acehnese house. The article also shows how its architectural form's construction techniques respond to the region's geographical condition. In constructing this study, interview and observation toward the building as primary data collections are conducted. Also, several written sources, as secondary data, related to an Acehnese traditional house, are reviewed. This paper shows that constructing a conventional house is a responsive architecture toward hot climate and earthquake. Therefore, this architectural building type with the local wisdom value's involvement is worthy of being applied and adapted in modern life.