This assignment related to our studio research of the Media TIC building and its sustainable design. Whilst the existing façade of the building is designed to absorb sunlight, we created an additional surface that would further enhance this feature. Therefore, the surface was placed on the buildings façade in order to absorb energy sunlight. This was achieved by implementing Galapagos in our design process, which optimized the most successful angle and shape, in order to receive the most sunlight. Dependant on the buildings existing surroundings, the skin is affected by light and shadow. As a result, our aim was to offer an additional sustainable feature to this existing building.

Abstract:

It is nowdays possible to track your own everyday movements through GPS technologies. This can be used to improve the efficiency of your transportation, saving you precious time. It is possible to compare several means of transport and perhaps, choose the ones that are healthier such as walking, bicycles, skate board, roller skaters, etc. This mean it is possible to turn your transportation into your own everyday gym, saving you even more time!

Preparation

Tracking App used: My Tracks, Android. This App tracks your movement and saves it as a KMZ file, which we turned to XML file to use it in Grasshopper.

Self-Stalking:

For this assignment, we decided to track our movement form our apartment to IAAC using three means of transportation: walking, long board and bicycle. The tracking was done between the corner of Napols and Pujades, to IAAC entrance in Pujades 102, Barcelona-Spain.

The distance between the apartment and IAAC is about 1km.

Image from Google Maps Direction: A- Carrer de Nàpols, 9-11, Barcelona
B- Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, Carrer de Pujades, Barcelona

Visualize:

Other References

The map of reference was done using Open Street Maps data.  http://www.openstreetmap.com/

“Human” (formerly “HDT utilities”) plug-in was used to adjust the line weight of the map drawing.

http://www.food4rhino.com/project/human

Climate and location are fundamental for architecture design. Beyond the cultural, religious, historical differences between different human groups, we all share common needs for food, clean air and water, socialization and a healthy habitat.

Plants have adapted to different climates all over the Earth’s surface, in a way that architecture can assimilate for itself. The Köppen–Geiger climate classification map is based on the concept that native vegetation is the best expression of climate. Thus, climate zone boundaries have been selected with vegetation distribution in mind. It combines average annual and monthly temperatures and precipitation, and the seasonality of precipitation. -Wikipedia.

The Köppen–Geiger climate classification map. Wikipedia.

Architecture is meant for the human wellbeing, improving the relation between people and their environment.

This project analyzes the idea that architecture can be theorized in a way that it can adapt to similar climates, in different places of the planet.

Can architecture develop a style for a specific climate that can adapt to different locations, in the same way that plants do?

The classic division for climate regions of the planet. Wikipedia.

Data Mining

Data =  population → arranged according to the The Köppen–Geiger climate map in the tropical zones of the planet.

The Köppen–Geiger climate map is crossed with the location and population of the main cities for each climate. In this way, it can be graphically appreciated where is the most important architecture development for each climate, and hopefully, the best adaptation to climate. The different architectures that share the same climate can transfer and share their knowledge to develop better architectural solutions adapted to the climatological reality of each region.

Tropical zone on the planet

According to the The Köppen–Geiger climate map, there are three climate zones inside the tropical zone of the planet:

AF – tropical rainforest climate.

AM – Tropical monsoon climate.

AW – Tropical savanna climate.

Tropical climate zones of the Earth where all twelve months have mean temperatures above 18 °C. Wikipedia.

The zone of interest for this analysis is focused on the Tropical savanna climate. The analysis will show which one is the major architectural development at one specific climate, by mapping the main cities of the Tropical savanna climate. The population of each city will be used as DATA to graphically show the development of each city, under the speculation that the more population, the best and more adapted solution of buildings for climate.

The chosen cities and regions, that share this same climate, are:

Data Visualization

Image generated using Rhinoceros and Grass Hopper, crossing the data as described above.