2. CLIMATE DESIGN If A CENTRAL PURPOSE of planning is to create
for any person or group of persons an environment suited to their
needs, then climate must be a first consideration. Once a site has
been chosen, two new considerations suggest themselves. How do we
best respond to the climatic givens in terms of site and structural
design, and by what means can we modify the effects of climate to
improve the situation?
3. Physical Characteristics Perhaps the most obvious facts of
climate are the annual, seasonal, and daily ranges of temperature.
These will vary with changing conditions of latitude, longitude,
altitude, exposure, vegetat ion, and proximity to such weather
modifiers as the Gulf Stream, water bodies, ice masses, or
desert.
4. Physical Characteristics The amount of precipitation in the
form of dew, rainfall, frost, or snow is to be recorded, as well as
seasonal variations in humidity. The duration of sunlight in hours
per day is of planning and design significance, as are the angles
of incidence at prescribed times of day and year and the intensity
of solar radiation.
5. Physical Characteristics The direction and velocity of the
winds and the date and path of violent storms are to be charted.
The availability quantity and quality of potable water are to be
noted, together with the depths at which it occurs.
6. Physical Characteristics The geologic structure is to be
described, together with soil types and depths and the existing
vegetation and wildlife.
7. Physical Characteristics Finally, the working together of
all the physical elements as an ecological system is described to
complete the story of regional climate.
8. Social Characteristics The physical wellbeing and attitudes
of people are directly affected by climate, and these in turn
prescribe the planning needs.
9. Social Characteristics It is well, therefore, in the study
of climatic regions to note behavioral reactions and patterns of
community organization that are unique and attributable to the
climate or the weather. The special foods and dishes, the manner of
dress, and the traditional customs are indicative. And so it is
with the favored types of recreation, the level of education, and
cultural pursuits. Economic factors such as agricultural yields and
the production of goods are to be noted.
10. Social Characteristics In short, what one eats, drinks,
believes, and is, is climateinduced and characteristic of the
region.
11. Climatic Response There is little to be done about the
world climate except to adjust to it. The most direct form of
adjustment is to move to that region which has a climate best
suited to ones needs or desires. Such migrations or attempted
migrations are the basis of much of human history.
12. Climatic Response The alternative approach, barring
admission to a climatological Shangri-La, is to make the best of
existing conditions wherever one may be. In broad terms, the
climatic regions of the earth are four: the cold, the cool
temperate, the warm-humid, and the hot-dry.
13. It is proposed that within each region there is, for a
given climatological condition, a logical planning-design
response.
14. Warm Humid Regions Condition Temperatures high and
relatively constant. High humidity. Torrential rainfall. Storm
winds of typhoon and hurricane force. Breeze often constant in the
daylight hours. Vegetative covers from sparse to luxuriant and
sometimes jungle like. The suns heat is enervating. Sky glare and
sea glare can be distressing. Climatic conditions breed insects in
profusion. Fungi are a persistent problem.
15. Community: Spacing of habitations in the dispersed hunter
tradition. Adjustment of community patterns to channels or areas of
air movement. Avoidance of floodplains and drainage ways. Disturbed
areas are subject to heavy erosion. Location of settlements in the
lee of protective land masses and forest and above the level of
storm-driven tides, Alignment of streets and placement of gathering
places to capture all possible air currents.
16. Community: Avoidance of natural growth insofar as feasible.
Disturbance of the ground-cover subjects soils to erosion. Use of
existing tree masses and promontories to provide a sunscreen to
public ways and places. Supplementary planting of shade trees is
often desirable, Planned location of settlements with the arc of
the sun to the rear not seaward, of the building sites. Location of
settlements upwind of insect breeding areas. Admittance of sun and
breeze to building areas to reduce fungi and mildew.
17. Site Design of site spaces to provide shade, ventilation,
and the cooling effects of foliage and water Provision for air
circulation and evaporation. Protection against driving rains and
adequate runoff capacity Location of critical-use areas and routes
in unexposed places, above the reach of tides and flooding.
Maximization, by exposure, channeling, and funneling, of the
favorable effects of the breeze.
18. Site Use of lush foliage masses and specimen plants as
backdrop and enframement and for the interest of form, foliage, or
floral display. Planning of outdoor activity areas for use in the
cooler morning and evening hours. Heat-of-theday gathering places
should be roofed or treeshaded. Reduction or elimination of glare
by plan location and well-placed tree plantings. Elevation of use
areas and walkways by deck and platform construction to open them
to the breeze and reduce annoyance by insects. Use of stone,
concrete, metals, and treated wood only in contact with the
ground.
19. Building Induction of cooling by all feasible means,
including the use of open building plans, high ceilings, broad
overhangs, louvered openings, and air conditioning of local areas.
Provision of air circulation: periodic exposure to sunlight and
artificial drying where required. Architectural use of the
colonnade, arcade, pavilion, covered passageway, and veranda:
orientation of entranceways and windows away from the path of the
storm track. Design of wind-resistant structures or lighter
temporary and expendable shelters. Design of rooms, corridors,
balconies, and patios as an interconnected system of
breezeways.
20. Building Utilization, indoors and out, of indigenous plant
materials for the cooling effect of their foliage. Provision of
shade, shade, shade. Positioning of viewing points away from the
glare and provision of well-designed screening. Elevation of
structures above the ground, facing into the breeze, and insect
proofing of critical points and areas. Provision of open,
well-ventilated storage areas: use of fungus resistant materials
and drying devices as needed.
21. Hot-Dry(Desert-like)Region Intense heat in the daytime.
Often intense cod at night. Expanses are vast. Sunlight and glare
are penetrating. Drying winds are prevalent and often raise
devastating dust storms. Annual rainfall is minimal; Vegetation is
sparse to nonexistent except along watercourses. Spring rains come
as a cloudburst with rapid runoff and heavy erosion. Water supply
is extremely limited. Limited agricultural productivity
necessitates the importation of food and other goods. Irrigation is
a fact of life.
22. Community Creation of cool and refreshing islands of use
within the parched surroundings. Provision of opportunities for
group activity Chill evenings in the desert, as on the tundra,
suggest the need. Adaptation of outpost, fort, and ranch plan
patterns. Within the dispersed compounds the planning of compact
spaces with narrow passageways and colonnades to provide relief
from the sun. Location of homesteads and trade centers in areas of
established ground covers: use of shelterbelt tree
plantations.
23. Community Protection of all possible natural growth
surrounding the development. Avoidance of flood-prone areas. Those
who have experienced desert freshets will keep well out of their
way. Minimization of irrigation requirements by compact planning
and multiple use of planted and seeded spaces. Location of
settlements and community centers close to transportation and
distribution nodes. Coordination of land use and traffic patterns
with existing and projected irrigation canal routes and reservoir
locations.
24. Site Amelioration of heat and glare by orientation away
from the sun, by shading, by screening, and by the cast-shadow
patterns of well-placed building components. Adoption of the
corral-compound (herder) arrangement of homesteads and neighborhood
clusters, Recognition of the automobile as the crucial means of
daily transport and a dominant siteplanning factor Screening of use
areas and paths of movement from the direct blast of the sun,
Protection of outdoor activity spaces from exposure.
25. Site Preservation of native plant materials as self
sustaining and handsome components of the desert landscape.
Avoidance of arroyos and floodplains as development routes and
sites. Limitation in the size of parks, gardens, and seeded areas.
Use of tubbed and container grown plants, drip irrigation, and
hydroponic gardening. Incorporation of irrigation canals, ponds,
and structures as attractive site features,
26. Building Architectural use of thick walls, high ceilings,
wide roof overhangs, limited fenestration, light-reflective colors,
and a precise design response to the angles and arcs of the sun.
Exclusion of the chill night air by insulation, reduction of heat
loss, and use of localized radiant heat. The open fireplace is a
desert tradition for good reason. Low ranch-type spreads are a
logical architectural expression of the hotdry climate and desert
topography. Provision of cool, compact, and dim interior spaces in
contrast to the stifling heat and brilliance of the great outdoors.
Sealing of all buildings against dust and wind. Airtight openings
and skillful architectural detailing are required.
27. Building Grouping of rooms or structures around planted and
irrigated courts and patios. Provision of spring rainfall
catchments and storage. Water from roofs, courts, and paved areas
can be directed to cisterns. Recycling of wastewater is prescribed.
The type of use will determine the degree of treatment and
purification required. The provision of food and fodder storage is
an important consideration in desert building design. Adaptation of
irrigation to interior courts and garden spaces. The evaporation of
moisture from paved surfaces, fountains, spray heads, mulches, or
foliage provides welcome relief from the heat.
28. Planning Consideration Clearly, architectural or landscape
planning for the wellbeing of a cultural group demands an
understanding not only of the physical nature of the region and
site but of the people as well. Then, given a specific location
within the region and a welldefined program of needs, the
twodimensional plan forms can be developed to achieve a pattern of
appropriate, functional, and agreeable relationships. Sometimes the
most important consideration in site selection or planning is a
realization of the need and benefits of protecting the natural
environment. Native Americans well understood that to preserve the
integrity of their hunting grounds their nomadic villages must be
widely dispersed and clustered.
29. Planning Consideration Microclimatology is the study of
climatic conditions within a limited area. It is sometimes referred
to as the science of smallscale weather It may be inferred that the
purpose of the scientific study is to discover facts and principles
which may be applied to improve the human condition. Whatever the
climate or weather, when it comes to planning an agreeable living
environment there are many microclimatic principles that can be
applied to advantage. Among them are these:
30. Microclimatic Principles Eliminate the extremes of heat,
cold, humidity, air movement, and exposure. This can be achieved by
intelligent site selection, plan layout, building orientation, and
the creation of climate responsive spaces. Provide direct
structural protection against the discomfort of solar radiation,
precipitation, wind, storm, and cold. Respond to the seasons. Each
presents its problems; each provides its opportunities for
adaptation and enjoyment. Adjust community, site, and building
plans to the movement of the sun. The design of living areas,
indoors and out, should ensure that the favored type and amount of
light are received at the favored time.
31. Microclimatic Principles Use the suns radiation and solar
panels to provide supplementary heat and energy for cooling.
Consider the wind also as a time tested source of energy. Utilize
the evaporation of moisture as a primary method of cooling. Air
moving across any moist surface, be it masonry, fabric, or foliage,
is thereby made cooler. Maximize the beneficial effects of adjacent
water bodies. These temper the atmosphere of the warmer or cooler
adjacent lands.
32. Microclimatic Principles Introduce water. The presence of
water in any form, from film to waterfall, has a cooling effect,
both physically and psychologically. Preserve the existing
vegetative cover. It ameliorates climatic problems in many ways.:
It shades the ground surface. It retains the cooling moisture of
precipitation. It protects the soils and environs from the freezing
winds. It cools and refreshes heated air by evaporation. It
provides sunscreen, shade, and shadow. It helps to prevent rapid
runoff and recharge the water bearing soil strata. It checks the
wind.
33. Microclimatic Principles Install new plantings where
needed. They may be utilized for various types of climate control.
Windscreens, shade trees, and heatabsorptive ground covers are
examples. Consider the effects of altitude. The higher the altitude
and latitude (in the northern hemisphere), the cooler or colder the
climate. Reduce the humidity. Generally speaking, a decrease in the
humidity effects an increase in bodily comfort. Dry cold is less
chilling than wet cold. Dry heat is less enervating than wet heat.
Humidity can be decreased by induced air circulation and the drying
effects of the sun.
34. Microclimatic Principles Avoid undrained air catchments
areas and frost pockets. Avoid winter winds, floods, and the paths
of crippling storms. All can be charted. Explore and apply all
natural forms of healing and cooling before turning to mechanical
(energy consuming) devices.
35. Sustainable Design Strategies Site Planning Building design
should integrate very nicely with the natural environment and make
the best use of the existing site conditions.
36. Sustainable Design Strategies Building Orientation
Buildings should be laid in accordance to the orientation which
allow access of solar exposure in terms of the sun path and
prevailing wind. Linear block with least openings is deliberately
shielding off all accommodation from the westsided solar
exposure
37. Sustainable Design Strategies The Building Form The
building form is developed with respect to the topographical
contours where to minimize the area of cutting soil and in return
filling back of soil to the site and to minimize the disturbance of
the construction to the existing trees and landscape where digging
up of soil and cutting off of tress were minimized. Natural
Ventilation Openable windows allowed the natural ventilation to
reduce the operation period of A/C System during the mild
season
38. Sustainable Design Strategies Natural Lighting An open
corridor around a central courtyard linking all functional areas
allows penetration of daylight and shades the functional areas from
direct sunlight. Balcony approach allows natural lighting for major
circulations to minimize the general lightings. Linear shape with
depth of maximum 9m for all accommodation to enhance daylight
penetration. Green Spaces Incorporation of roof garden and
landscaped terrace enables the building to blend in with its
surrounding natural environment. Native species were used wherever
possible.