Motion Environment: Flows of Movement, Social Diversity and Natural Ventilation Integrated in a Wind Pressure Based Parametric Building Design

Abstract

In my MSc3 I have designed an adaptive facade component that uses pressure difference, created by the wind forces upon the building and the temperature difference between inside and outside, to filter carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides from the desired oxygen and to change the temperature to a desired level. This research has been extended to the entire building, which is optimized in shape to deal with changing wind directions throughout the year to create a minimum amount of turbulence zones around the building and to set up a system for natural ventilation on the building scale. A minimum of turbulence around the building is desired to enhance walking opportunities in a city that is known as the Windy City. This is achieved by adding curvature to the entire body of the building and placing sharp edges on strategic points to maximize the influence on each wind direction. Entrance zones and walking routes around the building turn into more pedestrian friendly environments. The shape of the tower is modeled to maximize the pressure differences upon the facade to use the facade components to their full capabilities. The obtained shape minimizes the air streams downwards when hitting straight upon the facade, which increases the amount of turbulence on ground floor. (Something that is seen here in Delft at the EWI building, which constantly creates turbulence zones at walking routes.) The air entering through the facade components is distributed around the building before entering the individual functions. The outlet of air is in the middle of the building where the heated air rises up to the grand openings in the building. These two openings decrease even more the amount of air traveling to the ground floor and accelerate the air passing through them. The acceleration of air implies a decreasing in pressure and through this suction the heated air is drawn out of the atrium. With the increasing wind speed being directed linked to the decreasing in pressure, it is seen that there is only a limit to the amount of overpressure on the building to 1 when wind speeds decrease to 0, while this doesn’t go for the amount of suction, as the wind speed could increase to infinity. Another theme determining the architecture of the building is the social interaction that is obtained by the placement of functions throughout the building. The social interaction is achieved by the different groups using various functions in the building, which also functions as a transportation hub to the city. The users are varying from residents to commuters and from employees to visitors. The amount of social interaction has different gradations according to the functions placed on various heights with peaks on the first few levels and the shopping mall with food court from the 16th floor up. The interior architecture is focused on its place in the natural ventilation scheme and the different functions defined for the building. Functions are not merely linked by elevators, but mainly by the spiraling inner organization that links different floors together and allows for social interaction. The placement of each individual function is determined by its interaction to other functions, its need for daylight and its need for speed.HyperbodyArchitectureArchitectur