Make the Design to be Meaningful !!!

Indeed, the model generated by me last week, with the environmental data is nothing relationship. Therefore, I began to try in another way, to make the relationship between the building facade and the environmental data. One of them is combining the concept i got, such as louver system; as well as photo-chromic coating glass like tree shadow images.
At the same time, my research focused on the interior lighting and shading effects. I had put the testing model into DIALux software and simulate the original interior of the light and shade; and also simulate interior light and shade effects after add the new facade outside the building.

Use the False Color to see the differerence between day and night.

And then put the new facade into analysis.

In my opinion from the current view, this kind of design could solve the environmental problems.

Grasshopper

I try to use the grasshopper to help me design. First, I set up a grid structure as a basic system of the new facade, then translate the numbers of humidity, temperature, carbon dioxide concentrations, respectively, as x, y, z axises in Rhino/Grasshopper, each node of the grid is defined as data on different time points. Input the average difference of temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide concentration to each time point. Then the model had been generated.

Midterm Presentation

The Midterm Presentation, 1st March 2009
We have briefly introduce the hypothesis and related design problem we are working on. Focus on updating the instructors on the state of our work, then what we intend to do to complete the work.
So I made a overall review of the design development for the past 5 weeks, from the initial idea, the feedback from instructor and research tutor, to the proposals till now, as well as the direction of future work.
Here’s a link to my presentation :
Midterm Presentation 1st March 2009

Design Development

After viewing the environmental measurement data of the lab, I confirmed my design direction.
Originally, in my opinion, the most serious problems were the temperature and humidity, but by the measurement data, it seems not the greatest impact. In contrast, the most serious problem is the ventilation; and shading problem is serious as well, but could be resolved in many ways.
Therefore, the design is for me the two main questions; proposed solutions.
I have proposed five different options to address these issues (the following 6 sketch)

Search for the problems

Yesterday and today afternoon I had the second and third meetings with my Research tutor. Regina introduce two students who are doing the graduation design to me, they are also studying the interior environment of the faculty, which has a lot of common ground with my plan to study, and I therefore get a lot of the information contained measuring temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide concentrations as well as the heating system temperature data in the building, that can help me understand the current physical environment disadvantage of the buildings, but also an important foundation information for the development of design.

Case Study:"Tower of Wind"

I provided a case study which i think is similar to my preliminary concept; the "Tower of wind" design by Toyo Ito, built in 1986 near the central railway station in Yokohama, Japan. This case for me has a large lesson, the project was not a new construction, but transformation of an existing reinforced concrete tower. Not to undermine the premise under to give old buildings a new look, and combine the function of the original old buildings at the same time, the use of new technology so that there is no characteristic appearance of the original into a new local landmark.


Here is the link to my analysis:
Toyo Ito_1986 Tower of Wind

As I selected the project, the existing facade of Faculty of Architecture, there is no particular impression on people, while in the interior space, there are also some problems of the physical environment, such as sunlight, temperature and ventilation, etc. Therefore, I hope be able to address these environmental issues, also can give the building a distinctive appearance. After all, this is the Faculty of Architecture,it should be something different, something interesting.

Search for the topic of interesting

Last Thursday I have the first meeting with my Research tutor, Regina. During the meeting, i indicated the idea of renovating the old facade or make a new skin to improve the quality of interior space. In this way, i would like to focus on some environmental issues like sunlight, temperature, humidity, and for analysis to find out the problems. Then figure out the solution, suppose to be a new facade system.
Regina also make a number of recommendations for my ideas about improving the quality of indoor environment. She noticed that the effects of the sunlight is not the most serious problem, with a focus on improving the overall temperature, humidity are more important; and there are now many ways to renovate can achieve my purpose, she suggested that I must clarify the ideas for improving the facade system in this regard.
In addition, Regina also think I can try to compare the performance of new facade under different climate system conditions, such as comparative European and Asian climate patterns.
Here’s a link to my presentation :
Stand Up Architecture 20090212

Presentation

We presented the research and the main question yesterday.
Although my presentation is not very well, but the instructors and tutors are still gave me a lots of comments about my subject.
Here is the link to my presentation:
Feb09th-2009_StandUpArchitecture

I think the comments from Andre and Michela yesterday were really helpful.
I have to focus on one aspect of the facade performance. It's not so clear which the problem i interested most in my presentation, but the environmental issues.
According to my own experience in the building of the Architecture Department, I think the natural light in building is very interesting. And i discover a daylight problem in the building, the sun light will directly through the existing facade and occur indoors in the morning and afternoon, this would be the main problem i need to solve.

Subjects and Questions (2009-02-05)

Subject
I plan to be able to compare with the old building's facade and the facade of new buildings. Try to explore the differences between new and old buildings facade, as well as the environmental conditions changes of the interior space.
About the relationship between facade and interior of old buildings; I intend to present the faculty of Architecture of TU Delft as the object to do the research. And about the relationship of the new buildings; I am going to take the library of TU Delft as the object.
In understanding the difference between, I will create a new facade system, a combination of the advantages from new and old buildings.

Main Question
Can the new facade system be better than the existing facade?

Stand Up Architecture Topic (2009-02-03)

Research motivation
After a semester of courses, I understand something new and different view of design for the facade, not only with the design concepts from the designers, more importantly, to meet their basic needs to the physical environment. This is a very different point of view from the education I got before, and also aroused my interest in facade design. In addition, by learning the theory of building physics, like heat and moisture, acoustic, such courses, and knowing how to use the software i had ever seem before, gave me many new ways of thinking. Particularly the software about building physics analysis; the software to provide adequate information to help designers to solve the problem of many of the physical environment, makes me more deeply interested in the design of facade and to solve the facade and interior space physics environmental issues.
It is because of these reasons, I hope I can continue in this semester of study in this regard.

Topic of interest
I come from an Asian country, therefore, exposed to the different ways solving the physical environment problems of different areas. Therefore, I hope to combine the previous concepts learned in Asia; and the new knowledge from my last semester here in Delft, to try to solve some practical problems. Preliminary ideas based on the existing building facade as an example, find out the solution of the physical environment problems; so as to provide the basis for an extension of the facade and another new system.
Tentative ideas to improve the old building facade mainly by using the analysis software, to identify the problems. The heat, moisture and sunlight as the main direction of research and improvement, and may try to use new materials or natural ways to improve the facade system.