ATELIER Environmental Approach

Ahmed Sawalha

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ATELIER FOR A.DUNDJEROVIC ...... 1

Concept of Design .................................................................. 2

Created Environment in Reflect To Concept ................................ 3

Lighting ................................................................................. 4

Light Measurements ................................................................ 5

Light Distribution .................................................................... 6

Materials ................................................................................ 7

Ventilation ............................................................................. 8

Heating ................................................................................. 9

Greenery ............................................................................. 10

CONCLUSION ......................................................... 11

Table Of Figures ................................................................... 12

Cover Page: Contains - (Figure 1) – The Main Visualization of The

Project, illustrated to give the first impression of the project.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96kD2Jcz55g

INTRODUCTION ATELIER FOR

ALEKSANDAR DUNDJEROVIC

This is an Infill Residential Project that was designed to fit the needs

of the Professor of Performing Arts and Theatre Director Aleksandar

Dundjerovic.

This Writing will be discussing the Environmental Approach in

designing this Atelier regarding the Location, Light, Materials,

Ventilation, Heating, Greenery and how the Client’s Needs affected

the design process hence the environmental solutions.

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CONCEPT OF DESIGN

(Figure 2: Conceptual Diagrams)

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The Concept here is the Framing used in Movie and theatre

production that produced an element representing a rectangular

frame. With Integration to our site chosen in Digbeth, Birmingham

UK it is very possible to develop this concept having its original

skeletal steel structure identified and take advantage building on

it. The framing in this project was a concept developed from the

intersection of the client’s routine with

the processing of the client’s profession. Theatrical production is

built on scenes outlined by the frame of the stage, in movies its

outlined by the screen edges. These Frames that will be indicating

the starts and ends of the time slots in the client’s daily routine.

CREATED ENVIRONMENT IN REFLECT TO CONCEPT

(Figure 3: Final Model)

Such a concept Created three separated frames, in other words it

sliced the given space into three solid slices and two voids between

them. One Void hosted the house theatre accommodating the

client’s needs, and the other void held the garden which is the

space that the kitchen breathes onto.

The two voids allowed extraordinary ventilation and outstanding

lighting access to all functions from base to top. However, sliding

walls and a vertical gridded garden were introduced to adjust

lighting performance according to the user needs.

4

LIGHTING

(Figure 4: Bedroom and Roof Coverage)

The design aimed to provide the inside functions with sufficient

lighting during the day without the need of artificial lighting.

The two Figures above show the bedroom and the theatre. They

have great exposure to daylight and also direct sunlight. After

providing this feature one should provide the tools to control it,

where in the bedroom it is shown that the bed and the closets slide

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along the room to compromise the use with the light at different

times of the day. In the Theatre it illustrates that it has a sliding

coverage to enclose the theatre and control the acts with artificial

lighting.

LIGHT MEASUREMENTS

(Figure 5: Light Measurements Diagram)

Above shown the lighting measurements on a section. The

Measurements were taken by the Light meter App using the final

model shown in (Figure 3). A previous try to take measurements

using the conceptual model shown in (Figure 6) failed in formulating

the needed readings where it presented a less illuminance in all

functions by 52% of the final readings taken from the final model.

(Figure 6: Conceptual Model)

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The reason behind the lower values is basically the material used in

the conceptual model, where it was thick black foam sheets

preventing interior light reflections and absorbing a lot of the

incident light. A more realistic finish using wood in the final model

reflected the more illuminated space designed.

LIGHT DISTRIBUTION

Left is the ground floor light

distribution diagram presenting

how the light is almost

perfectly uniform for each

function. This is due to the

small widths of each frame and

also the half levels system

showed in the section. Higher

floors have similar distribution;

in fact, they have better light

penetration through the space.

Furniture pieces in all floors are

movable along one axis. Which

they can slide from right to left

and vice versa in order to

control lit space.

(Figure 7: Light Distribution Diagram)

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MATERIALS

(Figure 8: Section Showing Materiality)

Materials played an important role in affecting the light

measurements. Therefore, each function was wrapped with a

suitable material as the following:

Kitchen: Light Pink Marble (LR 20%)

Living Room: Light Bamboo Wood (LR 14%)

Projection Room and Bathroom: Pure Concrete (LR 5%)

Working Area: Light Bamboo Wood (LR 14%)

Theatre: Pure Concrete (LR 5%)

Bedroom: Light Bamboo Wood (LR 14%)

LR: Light Reflectance

This Clarifies how the selection of materials was based on the

function it encloses. So the Marble and wood were used to

enhance the reflections in that function and the pure concrete

was used to absorb light in order to fit the theatre function for

example.

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VENTILATION

(Figure 9: Ventilation Diagram)

As shown the design allowed fresh air to reach all functions easily,

and the contaminated air rises faster due to the prevailing winds

that creates suction drafts which make the whole designed

environment fresh and healthy, especially that the location of the

project is near by a water canal and a lot of nearby vegetation and

most importantly it is away from traffic movement. This situation

made the need for mechanical ventilation system uncritical.

However, such system can be installed with a central unit located at

the bottom of the middle frame in addition to the Heating System.

The user’s circulation from a room to another implies that the user

will be exposed to fresh air more frequently, this formed what is

called being outdoor but indoor. This is a very healthy technique

that was reached after studying the client’s routine and health

requirements.

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HEATING

(Figure 10: Heating System Diagram)

Water Tank – Boiler – Pump – Hot Water Pipes – Water Return Pipes

The Suitable Heating System was the Diesel Boiler Central

Water Pumping System. Here the water runs through a circle

through the functions and provides heat to all the floorings

uniformly. One of the benefits of this system is that the water

used to heat the floors can also be used in all sanitary fixtures

such as Showers, Sinks…etc.

This pipe distribution considers the total pipe lengths to be

minimum hence less cost and less heat loss, however the pipes

must be insulated to obtain minimum value of heat loss.

Moreover, this heating system end up heating the air close to

the floors which means the air will rise and increase the speed

of the ventilation process. Such intertwinement leads to a more

conscious Environmental design.

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GREENERY

(Figure 11: Vertical Garden and Porch)

In Addition to the terrace greenery a vertical garden was introduced

to the middle frame sliding along a wooden moving wall creating

multiple façade articulations.

The gridded vertical garden created a shading tool to the working

area, and also played the role of an air filter enhancing the fresh air

quality entering the space.

On the ground floor a red

cherry tree was centered

in the garden space in

front of the kitchen

allowing a shaded seating

area and a contrasting

color to all surroundings.

Integrating Greenery to

the project seemed

essential in order to not

isolate it visually from its (Figure 12: Surrounding Environment)

surrounding environment.

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CONCLUSION A better understanding of original aspects of the project was

reached throughout the research and thought put into the

environmental features that the project has.

This Research comes inspected the actual possibility of

implementing the project and make it alive. Where it discussed all

the environmental solutions as if it were to be implemented.

The results of experimentation it had, came from interacting with

different models of the project and using real life tools such as the

Light Lux Meter which brings the project a step closer to real life

interactivity.

To sum up, this research explored the environmental dimension of

the project and added new design solutions and explained how the

atelier responded to the client’s needs and the surrounding

environment.

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TABLE OF FIGURES

Figure Name Page

1 Project Main Visualization Cover Page

2 Conceptual Diagrams 2

3 Final Model 3

4 Bedroom and Roof Coverage 4

5 Light Measurements Diagram 5

6 Conceptual Model 5

7 Light Distribution Diagram 6

8 Section Showing Materiality 7

9 Ventilation Diagram 8

10 Heating System Diagram 9

11 Vertical Garden and Porch 10

12 Surrounding Environment 10