-MEMORY CHIP-
Environment and Architecture
Course Outline
The course was about understanding different climatic zones through various analytical approaches like : using a software to infer the weather data. And how the data affected actually works with the context. We learnt a lot about the behaviour of the weather in each of the given sites and also how the weather cycles differ from each other based on the geographical location and other such factors. Studying the weather patterns helped us understand how to orient a built form in accordance with the weather and the climate and weather largely helped us decide on the materiality of the proposed built form.
We studied and researched on passive strategies to make a space comfortable for living. And how we could implement these strategies into different built forms in order to acheive a satisfactory comfort level. It was challenging in it's own way for everyone since every climatic zone had various factors which altered the natural cofort level and had to design in a way that tackled the situation.
Site, Site forces, Context and Climatic study
The site which i had gotten was : Sarkhej, Ahmedabad
Sarkhej has a hot and dry climate
The site suffers from high temperatures with low humidity almost throughout the year except during the months of monsoon. I had to design a built form based on the given analytical data
The wind starts off from North East in January and then shifts gradually to South West till September. After September it moves back to North East.
Like this the wind cycles from NE to SW over a period of time.
This data helps us to design elements which can manipulate the wind, since we know where they are coming from, if they are hot or cold, and what is their average speed.
Design Intent, drawings, 3D
A house for me is a place where i feel most at peace and i can rest as much as i want to. The space makes me feel like i can let my guard down and let nature do it's own thing and i'm just an entity that's living in the world. I thought of almost opening the entire house up to the surroundings whilst insuring that my form is providing the right amount of shade to the interior and the exterior, opening the house makes an individual feel one with the environment even though they may be residing in a human made shelter. I wanted to capture and hold that feeling into the house. So i tried designing a house using that philosophy and also implementing different passive strategies in order to face the weather of Sarkhej.
The sun was relentless, its scorching heat stinging my nape as I hurried home. But there it was—my sanctuary, with its curved, undulating roof draped in a lush blanket of vegetation. The inviting curves seemed to beckon me inside. As I opened the door and stepped in, the harsh light from outside was beautifully softened by the buffering arches on either side. The strong light was diffused by the voluminous forms, illuminating the space without overwhelming my eyes. The arch on the left facing the west side acted as a conduit for cool air, refreshing the interior with a gentle breeze.
I sank into the couch, taking a moment to let the space work its magic. The floor was bathed in calming, distorted rays of sunlight, filtered through a skylight above. Water trickled through the skylight, flowing out to form a waterfall in front of the arch, creating a soft, soothing symphony. The sound of the falling water filled the room with a sense of tranquility, elevating the space.
Every element of the house was designed to harness the natural elements, transforming them into an order of calmness and peace, making the home a true retreat from the outside world.
