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Ecophysiological Architecture

ted — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 03:57:01 +0000

Through evolution, animals and plants develop strategies to survive and thrive in their own environments. Survival mechanisms such as thermoregulation, water economy, and energy metabolism, are common to all organisms. Physiology, since the famed French scientist Claude Bernard, has become the study of how such mechanisms manifest under isolated and controlled conditions. Ecophysiology, on the other hand, pursues the studies in the subject’s own environment and allow for a much more natural observation and analysis of the organisms’ responses to the dynamics of resource availability and diurnal and seasonal switches. Architecture, often conceptualized as the third skin, can learn much from such physiological approach, particularly in the face of global climate change and energy crisis. Unlike conventional architectural practice, organisms do not deal with heliotropism separately from thermoregulation, nor would do they handle water economy separately from energy conservation and metabolism. To maintain a stable internal environment, organisms must rely on everything at their disposal as part of their survival strategy. Therefore, ecophysiological architecture posits the same fundamental basis and asks a simple question: “what if buildings have to develop heating, cooling, lighting, daylighting, and ventilation strategies as part of its morphology?”

The following are selected works from a studio investigation that attempts to reapply these highly coupled physiological systems with the building’s mechanical and morphological system to imbue a behavioral solution to address the ecology of our built environment.

Projects

Joe Hines | Active Thermoregulation

Shima Miabadi | Counter Current Heat Exchange

Nicholas Stipinovich | Wind Responsive Envelope

Lauren Thomsen | A Photoperiodic Envelope

Adam Petela | Adaptive Networking

insolar louver system

ted — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:00:48 +0000

This definition extends the GH powercopy to be parametrically associated with the solar geometry obtained through the insolar radiation algorithm. It is part of a larger series related to the idea of Environmental Parametrics.

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[vimeo 7077759 720 396]

thin film solar panel installation

ted — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 22:57:06 +0000

type: installation

location: milan, italy

status: proposed

collaboration: CASE [Principals : Anna Dyson, Jason Vollen, Ted Ngai] [Researchers: Christopher Lee, EmilyRae Brayton]

incident solar | day

ted — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 07:44:05 +0000

This is a re-written version of the sun position algorithm based on NOAA’s published algorithm. It is written in VB.net. This definition displays the accumulation of direct solar radiation throughout the day in false color. IMPORTANT NOTE: the values in the system do not consider the scattering and absorption effects such as water vapor, ozone, aerosol, therefore the numbers are not accurate and should not be used for any purpose other than as a simple visual feedback for designers.

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incident solar | current time

ted — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 07:31:36 +0000

This is a re-written version of the sun position algorithm based on NOAA’s published algorithm. It is written in VB.net. This definition displays the solar geometry, insolar radiation and shadow of the object. This version lets you control the time of day. IMPORTANT NOTE: the values in the system do not consider the scattering and absorption effects such as water vapor, ozone, aerosol, therefore the numbers are not accurate and should not be used for any purpose other than as a simple visual feedback for designers.

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incident solar | analemma

ted — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 06:00:00 +0000

This is a re-written version of the sun position algorithm based on NOAA’s published algorithm. It is written in VB.net. This definition displays the accumulation of direct solar radiation throughout the year in false color. Daily solar positions are also displayed as an analemma. IMPORTANT NOTE: the values in the system do not consider the scattering and absorption effects such as water vapor, ozone, aerosol, therefore the numbers are not accurate and should not be used for any purpose other than as a simple visual feedback for designers.

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