On the Influence of Shade in Improving Thermal Comfort in Courtyards

This study analyzes the thermal performance of courtyards in traditional buildings in the city center of Córdoba (South of Spain), one of them displaying a shading component, to determine the influence of this precise element. The courtyards have been monitored simultaneously during a summer period when temperatures during the day reached over 45 °C. The obtained data was contrasted, and we confirmed that the shading element provided an improvement of the thermal performance of the courtyard which doubled the thermal leap between outdoor and inside the courtyard temperatures when the shading element was installed, in comparison to the courtyard without shade. Therefore, the tempering effect of courtyards can be significantly improved by means of using these simple elements

Crossing the threshold: a critical analysis of Levantine domestic architecture

Archaeologists studying ancient domestic architecture are often confronted with highly fragmentary architectural remains. This lack of data could lead to a focus on the visual comparison of floor plans as the most reliable and accessible source of information, or the exclusion of fragmentary structures altogether. It is argued, however, that all architectural remains carry a wide range of possibly meaningful information, which can be analyzed using an equally wide range of approaches. As an example, a set of highly fragmentary houses from the Northern Levantine region, dated to the Iron Age I period, was subjected to a quantitative, formal, technological, contextual and urban analysis, offering a diverse picture of the ancient architecture and its inhabitant

Regenerating Barcelona: re-inhabiting the city and reusing its buildings

This communication is about the capacity that historical architectures have for housing new activities which are distinct to the original ones, maintaining their structural char- acteristics; while at the same time allowing, thanks to the diversity of uses, a greater public ac- cessibility to these entities. Barcelona possesses a few paradigmatic examples that demonstrate the regenerative potential of these strategies: historical complexes converted into tree-lined pas- sageways, cloisters used as arched squares, the interior area of residential blocks transformed into parks or markets used as transit zones. The need to come upon the right selection of activi- ties that these old buildings currently in disuse have to accommodate, maximizing a more po- rous relationship with the city, are necessary tactics in order to keep them standing and at the same time regenerate the indispensable bonds between architecture and urban space, offering in this manner new spheres of social relationship which contribute to their good functioning.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Water management assessment in a historic garden: the case study of the Real Alcazar (Seville, Spain)

Irrigation plays a very important role in a Mediterranean garden. In spite of this, there are not many studies assessing irrigation water management of landscapes. Moreover, historic gardens represent a special challenge due to their unique characteristics. The aim of this work is the characterization and evaluation of water management in a historic garden. For that, the gardens of The Real Alcazar of Seville were used as a case study. They comprise a total of 20 gardens of different styles with a total area of nearly 7 ha. Landscape water requirements and irrigation volume applied were estimated and used in conjunction with other descriptive and financial variables to calculate 6 performance indicators. Only 20% of gardens showed adequate irrigation in the spring-autumn period, being 10% during summer. However, the two well-watered gardens represent 30% of the total irrigated area. Management, operation and maintenance costs are 0.63 €·m−2 representing 0.58 € per volume of irrigation water used (m−3). Results obtained support the need of improving irrigation management. For that, simple solutions such as installing metering devices, calculating actual water requirements or optimizing irrigation schedules can be implemented. Other more complex actions such as modifying the irrigation network or creating hydrozones might also be explored

Post-occupancy evaluation of architecturally-designed low-income housing in Ahmadabad, India

This paper presents post-occupancy evaluation of low-income houses that have been built through the DMU: Square Mile India Programme in Ahmedabad, India. Questionnaire and interviews were conducted which elicited information on respondents’ socio-cultural and environmental experiences in the new houses compared to the existing dwellings in the community. Findings include: 1. increased expectations and higher demands for space and facilities in the new houses, 2. discontent with integrated courtyard/ open spaces, 3. prioritising flood protection over environmental quality and thermal comfort conditions in the existing houses and 4. Significant change in the perception of social status of families in the new homes. The findings highlight residents’ need for adequate sleeping area, thermal comfort, safety from animals and security. These aspects must be critically considered in future design of similar houses. The paper produces empirical evidence on users’ perception that will provide better knowledge and understanding to the designer and policy-makers to identify important factors to improve residents’ quality of life in a low-income housing context

Progetti per la città compatta. Il caso di San Salvario a Torino

La presente ricerca nasce da una duplice esigenza. La prima, che esprime una necessità contingente, è quella legata ad un caso studio specifico, la riqualificazione e trasformazione del quartiere San Salvario a Torino. Un settore di ampliamento urbano costituito da una maglia ortogonale di isolati edificati tra la fine dell'Ottocento e la prima metà del Novecento, che presentano una struttura a tratti discontinua a causa di parcelle mai edificate o distrutte durante la seconda guerra mondiale e che per incuria o indecisioni urbanistiche sono rimaste irrisolte. La seconda, che esprime un'idea permanente, è il concetto di continuità della città della storia e costituisce occasione per una riflessione sul tema del quartiere e dell'isolato urbano attraverso il progetto contemporaneo. La ricerca ha come obiettivo generale quello di confermare il ruolo della città compatta come principio insediativo di grande valore culturale e sociale e di dimostrarne la validità anche in termini di sostenibilità ambientale attraverso progetti che si inseriscono nel tessuto costruito a completamento e trasformazione della struttura esistent

Optimization of courtyards design factors in the hot humid climate: energy and thermal assessment / Abdul Basit Ali Ahmed Almhafdy

Courtyards are regarded as a microclimate modifier, and their application has become popular in various forms of public buildings. This thesis reviews design factors of courtyards in hospitals in Malaysia, and assesses the resulting thermal performance of the courtyard space and energy performance of the attached built volume. The study took a sequential approach whereby knowledge gained from each phase of research,served to inform the direction for the next phase of the study. It began with the initialinquiry on what are the courtyard characteristics applied in hospitals in Malaysia. Data were gathered through field survey, followed by a typology analysis involving 34 courtyards in 19 government hospitals. The survey revealed extensive use of OEnclosure Courtyard (OEC) and U-Enclosure Courtyard (UEC), and that although the spaces inside the surveyed courtyards appeared as appealing, activities inside these courtyards were rather limited. This led to the next research inquiry on the thermal condition inside the courtyard and the adjacent rooms / built volumes. A field measurement was conducted on a case study hospital, where the thermal condition in the OEC and UEC were collected, analysed and compared

Sustainability and the Urban Planning Context: Housing Development in Algeria

This paper describes research into the development of housing in Algeria. It focuses on the history of traditional dwellings and the importance of outdoor space located inside the building: typically in the form of a courtyard. Courtyard dwellings in the city of Constantine are examined in some detail. The rapid urbanisation process taking place in Algeria in recent years together with difficulties in the planning system since colonial times has caused difficulties in responding to housing needs. The concentration of the population in smaller areas of cities has led to the need for more compact yet comfortable dwellings. The paper describes how the situation might be dealt with in the township of Jijel. A number of stakeholders are being consulted and the key results of in-depth interviews with architects are reported. The findings from the review of the existing housing areas and survey are then interpreted to make suggestions for development in the future