Effective uses of green architecture

When it comes to our quality of life, designers around the globe have made massive progress over the past several decades. They developed sustainable architecture elements to take into consideration while designing that can dramatically affect the users of the buildings in terms of comfort.

From improved lighting sources, thermal conditions, shading systems and ventilation, occupants of these ecofriendly structures have experienced a betterment in their overall quality of life. These are the effective elements that we will discuss and how to use them in an elegant manner on a structure. 

First, for a Memorial project located in Beirut Lebanon that I designed, I integrated an overhang to shade a glass façade oriented to the west. The slabs were already extended to exterior 1m from the facade so this created like an interplay of shapes between the slabs and the overhang favoring an interesting design that catches the eye while at the same time being effective. The overhang element shades the façade and prevents the greenhouse effect in that space. The dimensions of the overhang are for sure not random but it follows calculations that need to be done in order to avoid direct sunrays coming at a certain angle at a certain time and in a specific location.  

As mentioned earlier, the slabs were already extended to exterior 1m from the glass façade which takes us to the second point where the façade is free. The structure is separated from the façade and pushed back to the interior relieving it from any column or structural element. 

When pushing back structure from the façade to the interior, we can maximize the openings allowing more daylight to the interior. 

In that same project, we can notice the use of louvers to allow diffuse daylight into the room decor without direct sunrays entering the space. As the overhang is placed at a certain distance lower than the ceiling, the louvers are placed in between, between the overhang and the ceiling, covering that difference.

Third comes a notion that has become very popular over the years and that was introduced by Le Corbusier in his “Five points of Architecture”: the use of Pilotis. He considers that the ground floor belongs to the automobiles and is a continuation of the street. Therefore, he elevates the buildings from the ground on pilotis to allow movement of the cars on the ground floor. An example would be his “Villa Savoye”. (floorlamp)

Another important notion adding character to a building would be Green roofs. Le Corbusier believes that we should give back to the earth what was taken from it on the GF. He introduces vertical gardens and greenspaces on the roof and in other terraces and spaces in the building. (garden lights, solar lights outdoor)

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