Thermodynamic Interactions

Texts by Iñaki Ábalos, Michelle Addington, Silvia Benedito, Gërnot Böhme, Juan José Castellón, Pier Luigi D’Acunto, Javier García-Germán, Jonathan Hill, Kathleen John-Alder, Toni Kotnik, Harry Francis Mallgrave, Kiel Moe, Philippe Rahm and Matthias Schuler.

“Thermodynamic Interactions explores the contemporary role of thermodynamics and atmosphere in architecture, landscape architecture and urban design. It dissects the wide array of contemporary debates on energy and architecture in a synthetic manner, presenting three specific realms of thermodynamic dissipation on which designers need to take stock.

In pursuing these questions Thermodynamic Interactions presents a collection of original essays, interviews and research projects which frame the scope of perspectives opened by thermodynamics and atmosphere.

Architects, landscape architects, urban designers, philosophers and historians together with scientists and engineers combine a scientific outlook with a disciplinary and historical approach, attempting to integrate the technical and the cultural on potential paths for design practices.”

Thermodynamic Interactions

Co-Edited by Iñaki Ábalos, Silvia Benedito and Philippe Rahm

Thermodynamic Interactions An Architectural Exploration into Physiological, Material, Territorial Atmospheres.

Javier García-Germán

THERMODYNAMIC INTERACTIONS An Exploration into Physiological, Material and Territorial Atmospheres

Javier García-Germán

Contents

INTRODUCTION

07

Luis Fernández-Galiano: “Shaping the Future with the Past”

11

Javier García-Germán: “Thermodynamic Interactions”

PHYSIOLOGICAL ATMOSPHERES (co-edited with Philippe Rahm)

32

Javier García-Germán: “Foreword”

39

Jonathan Hill: “Weather Architecture: A Historical Perspective”

53

Philippe Rahm interviewed by Javier García-Germán: “Thermodynamic Space”

69

Harry Francis Mallgrave: “Architecture of the Senses”

77

Michelle Addington: “The Unbounded Boundary”

86

Philippe Rahm architectes, Mosbach paysagistes, Ricky Liu & Associates Jade Meteo Park

MATERIAL ATMOSPHERES (co-edited with Iñaki Ábalos)

108

Javier García-Germán: “Foreword”

115

Iñaki Ábalos: “Thermodynamic Materialism”

123

Toni Kotnik: “Geometric Diagrams of Energy Flow”

131

Juan José Castellon, Pierluigi D’Acunto: “The Architectural and Performative Potential of Porous Structures”

137

Kiel Moe: “Cellular Solidarity: Matter, Energy, and Formation”

147

Iñaki Ábalos: “Regaining Authority”

148

Iñaki Ábalos, GSD Harvard University in collaboration with the ETH Zürich Chair of Structural Design Thermodynamic Prototype

TERRITORIAL ATMOSPHERES (co-edited with Silvia Benedito)

168 Javier García-Germán: “Foreword” 175

Silvia Benedito: “Landscape and Atmosphere: Genealogies of Appearance”

189

Kathleen John-Alder: “Equilibrated Exchange: an Exploration of The Sea Ranch Bioclimatic Analysis”

201

Matthias Schüler interviewed

by Silvia Benedito & Javier García-Germán: “Urban Meteorology”

217

Gërnot Böhme (translation by Axel Häusler): “The Physiognomy of a Landscape”

232

OFICINAA architecture + urbanism Campo Material

240

Foster and Partners + Transsolar Masdar

248

AFTERWORD

254

Biographies

261

Image Credits

266

Acknowledgments

11

Thermodynamic Interactions

Thermodynamic Interactions Javier García-Germán

1. During the last decade design disciplines have evidenced a growing interest in energy, which has motivated the gradual introduction of new concepts and ideas from different disciplines to the fields of architecture, landscape architecture and urban design. Ranging from scientific concepts —e.g. energy efficiency or dissipative structures— to applied knowledge —e.g. material logistics or human comfort— the range of energy-related phenomena has opened an expanded domain of parallel fields of knowledge which is disclosing new design potentials and opportunities,1 but is also hindering its understanding and practical application.

In this context Thermodynamic Interactions aims to filter this expanded domain, and presents a collection of original essays and projects which intends to be comprehensive and synthetic, contributing to delimit the field of action and to establish a set of specific ideas and concepts on which designers need to take stock. Renouncing to explore the idea that any construction is a material system nested in long-term ecological energy hierarchies, 2 Thermodynamic Interactions concentrates on the short-term atmospheric dimension of architecture, landscape architecture and urban design, and focuses on its meteorological performance. In this

1_The potential thermodynamics opened to design practices caught my attention around year 2003-04 and was materialized in the reader De lo Mecánico a lo Termodinámico. Por una Definición Energética de la Arquitectura y del Territorio (Javier García-Germán editor.

Gustavo Gili, Barcelona published in 2010 but completed in 2007.) which discussed energy’s expanded domain and ambitioned, not only to announce the thermodynamic turn, but also to introduce the wide variety of potentials

energy offers to design practices.

2_Together with atmospheric interactions, ecological logistics stem from the introduction of far from equilibrium thermodynamics to architecture. Buildings, far from being considered isolated objects, operate in an expanded field which links its structure to distant ecosystems around the geo-biosphere, where its material constituents come from. This places buildings material logistics within the field of metabolic ecology.

Introduction

Fig. 1

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Fig. 2

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Fig. 3

24

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Fig. 6

Thermodynamic Interactions

Fig. 8

Fig. 7

Fig. 9

Cap

Physiological Atmospheres

01

Philippe Rahm and Javier García-Germán co-editors

39

53

69

Jonathan Hill: “Weather Architecture: A Historical Perspective” Philippe Rahm interviewed

by Javier García-Germán: “Thermodynamic Space” Harry Francis Mallgrave: “Architecture of the Senses”

77

Michelle Addington: “The Unbounded Boundary”

86

Philippe Rahm architectes, Mosbach paysagistes, Ricky Liu & Associates Jade Meteo Park

55

Thermodynamic Space

Thermodynamic Space

Philippe Rahm interviewed by Javier García-Germán

Javier García-Germán (JGG): Your work is closely connected to science. Most of your projects depart from a thermodynamic or physiological principle which propels the whole creative process, giving to your approach a scientific bias. However this scientific approach is overtly criticized in the architectural academic environment for not leaving space for cultural expression. Why do you think it is important to introduce scientific knowledge and how can it contribute to the development of architecture?

Philippe Rahm (PR): The disappearance in the architectural context of science and, to a greater extent, of medicine was a consequence of the gradual emergence of critical thinking in the 1960s. This was a result of the influence on architecture of the philosophical theories —of authors such as the Frankfurt School thinkers Adorno and Horkheimer or the French Postmodernist Foucault— which questioned after the catastrophes of the World War II the progressive and scientific objectives of the Modernity of the early 20th century. From the late 1960s, Critical Theory has debunked philosophers’ ideas of progress —technical, scientific, or architectural— which have being held responsible for the world’s disasters. Critical Theory in architecture has disposed of science and medicine in favor of linguistic, semantic, contextual and historical analysis. This preference has evolved, to a great extent, as a consequence of the late 20th century economical affluence and touristic development, which make a perfect match. However, during the past years we have witnessed the exhaustion of critical thinking methods which have end up stifling architectural invention with repetition and formalism. By banishing the scientific and medical tools, architecture focused on narrative and on plastic discourse, choosing the subjective over the objective, and obscuring the physiological and climatic causes of urbanization. These methodologies, however, lack the tools and theoretical grounding to adequately address the very immediate issues of global warming and dwindling natural resources.

The ambition of our project is to give back the outdoors to the inhabitants and visitors by proposing to create exterior spaces where the excesses of the subtropical warm and humid climate of Taichung are lessened. The exterior climate of the park is thus modulated so to propose spaces less hot (more cold, in the shade), less humid (by lowering humid air, sheltered from the rain and flood) and less polluted (by adding filtered air from gases and particle matters pollution, less noisy, less mosquitoes presence).

The design composition principle of the ÂŤTaichung Jade MeteoParkÂť is based on climatic variations that we have mapped by computational fluid dynamics simulation (CFD): some areas of the park are naturally warmer, more humid and more polluted while some of them are naturally colder (because they are in the route of cold winds coming from the North), dryer (because protected from the south-est wind provinding humidity of the see in the air) and cleaner (faraway from the roads). We have augmented these differences of microclimates in order to increase the coolness, the dryness, the cleaness of the places that are naturally cooler, less humid and less polluted, for creating more comfortable spaces for the visitors.

Beginning with the existing climatic conditions as a point of departure we have defined three gradation climatic maps following the results of three computational fluid dynamics simulations. Each map specifically corresponds to a particular atmospheric parameter and it variation of

Jade Meteo Park Philippe Rahm intensity thoughtout the park. The first one corresponds to variation on the heat on the site, the second one describes the variations in humidity in the air and the third one the intensity of the atmospheric pollution.

Each map shows how the intensity or strength of the respective atmospheric parameter is modulated through the park. By doing so the maps keep areas within the park from reaching excessive natural conditions while making the experience of changes in climate much more comfortable in the areas where we will reinforce the coolness, the dryness, the cleaness. The three maps intersect and overlap randomly in order to create a diversity of microclimates and a multitude of different sensual experiences in different areas of the park that we could freely occupy depending the hour of the days or the month in the year. At a certain place for example, the air will be less humid and less polluted but it will still be warm, whilst elsewhere in the park, the air will be cooler and dryer, but will remain polluted. The three climatic maps vary within a gradation, which ranges from a maximum degree of uncomfortable atmospheric levels that usually exist in the city (maximum rate of pollution, maximum rate of humidity, maximum rate of heat) to areas that are more comfortable where the heat, the humidity and the pollution are lessened.

To materialize these climatic maps, we invented a catalogue of climatic devices (natural and artificial) that reinforce areas that are already more comfortable by lowering, reducing, inverting, and diminishing the heat, humidity and pollution. These devices are classified in three categories: the cooling devices, the drying devices, the depolluting devices.

JADE METEO PARK Authors: Philippe Rahm architectes, Mosbach paysagistes, Ricky Liu & Associates – Public client: Taichung City Goverment – Date: 20112015. First prize of the International competition in 2011 / Preliminary design completed in December 2012 / Detailed design completed in June2013 / Tender design completed in December 2013 / Construction starts in January 2014 / Completion in July 2015

Anticyclone The Anticyclone device cools its surroundings during warm weather by blowing chilled air downward in order to help prevent Park patrons from overheating. To do so, the device utilizes two natural cooling phenomena: conduction and convection.

Cool air brushing against the body causes human skin to transfer heat to

the air, through con-duction, thereby cooling itself. When the body is too hot, the brain signals blood vessels to vasodilate, causing them to expand in diameter. Because blood carries heat, more blood flowing to the skin’s surface increases contact between the cool air and warm blood. This process speeds up the convective transfer of heat from

the skin to the air, further cooling the body’s internal temperature.

The effects of Anticyclone: The human body attempts to maintain a constant internal temperature (37oC). The outdoor thermal comfort zone for the human body is between 21oC and 29.4oC. When the outdoor temperature is higher than

29.4oC, the hypothalamus signals blood vessels to expand (vasodilation), transfering warm blood to the skin’s surface in order to lose heat energy. Excessively warm weather prevents the body from losing enough heat through natural processes. The Anticylcone device facilitates the body’s natural cooling processes through cool wind propagation.

Drying Climatic Devices The second category of climatic devices are the drying climatic devices which objectives are to protect the body from the rain and to reduce the excess of humidity in the air that amplify the uncomfort by an unfavorable influence on the human body in the thermolysis process by blocking perspiration. The first objective

South West Wind Velocity and Vector Simulation We ran a south west wind velocity and vector simulation on site from which we analysed the average south west wind velocity through the park. The higher the wind velocity, the drier it is in the park; the lower the wind velocity, the more humid it is in the park.

Influence of South West Wind and Basins from Simulation We then drew a gradient diagram following the simulation analysis.

We use gradation to show the average wind velocity in the park and the influence by the basins.

The location of the dehumidifying devices is based on the gradation diagram. Where the driest area is with the largest quantities of devices, and viceversa. We are aiming to provide a variety of climatic sensational experience.

Dehumidifying Devices Location There are 3614 Dehumidifying Plantations and 62 Dehumidifying Climatic Devices in the park. We take number of 3676 and based on the south west wind velocity and basin influence gradation diagram to determine the locations of each devices.

Where the driest area is with the largest quantities of devices, and vice versa. This is to reinforce the dry atmosphere in the Park.

is reached by artificial shelters and trees with dense frond that protect from the rain. The second objective is reached by natural drying climatic devices that absorb the humidity in the air with their floating roots and artificial drying devices that blow air dried by silicate gel exchangers named "Dry cloud" or "Desert wind".

Drying Plantations All Drying Plantations have the property to absorb the humidity in the air.

Drying Climatic Devices There are 62 number of Drying Climatic Devices spreading in the park at the Driest areas. This is to reinforce the dry atmophere

of the park.

Sport Activities Equipments Sports Activity Equipments are placed in the Dry Resorts.Drying Climatic Devices are placed around these equipments to provide dry and comfortable atmophere for visitors to enjoy the activities. The location of the equipments are related to natural wind and sunlight direction.

This is to reinforece the effect visitor could experience from the Climatic Devices.

Depolluting Climatic Devices The third category are the depolluting climatic devices. They reduce the atmospherical pollution in the air, the excess of the noise and presence of mosquitoes. The natural depolluting devices are composed by trees with capability to absorb oxides of nitrogen and other aerosols, to make effective sound barriers. The artifical depolutting devices like the "Ozone eclipse" for exemple blow in the park filtered air without gazeous pollution like Nox, O3 or S02. The "Preindustrial draught" blow in the park air without particle matters PM10 and PM2.5 emitted by the industry and cars. The Ultrasound Repellant device

North Wind Velocity and Vector Simulation Air pollution in cities is problematic for the inhabitants as it can cause hesitation to spend time outdoors.

Wind brings pollutants throughout the park. North wind and the surrounding roads on site are the main factors to influence the pollution on site. We ran a north wind velocity and vector simulation on site from which we analysed the average north wind velocity through the park. The higher the wind velocity, the cleaner it is in the park; the lower the wind velocity, the more polluted it is in the park.

Influence of North Wind and Surrounding Roads from Simulation We then drew a gradient diagram following the simulation analysis. We use gradation to show the average wind velocity in the park and the influence by the surrounding roads. The location of the depolluting devices is based on the gradation diagram.

Where the cleanest area is with the largest quantities of devices, and vice versa. We are aiming to provide a variety of climatic sensational experience.

Depolluting Devices Location There are 3614 Depolluting Plantations and 97 Depolluting Climatic Devices in the park. We take number of 3711 and based on the north wind velocity and surrounding road influence gradation diagram to determine the locations of each devices. Where the cleanest area is with the largest quantities of devices, and vice versa. This is to reinforce the clean atmosphere in the Park.

repels mosquitoes emitting waves, above the human auditory range (>20kHz), and at the same frequency as the beat of a dragonfly’s wings.

This will repel the mosquitos from the sounds of their predators.

According to the density and quantity of climatic devices in a given area, we create spaces more or less enjoyable, more or less comfortable, thus the different climatic properties sometimes overlap, separate, regroupe, densify, dilute, generating a variety of atmospheres where the users can choose and appropriate as they see fit.

Depolluting Plantations Each Depolluting Plantation has one of the following cleaning properties: Big truck to absorb noise; leaves which absorbs air pollutant; leaves with mucinous or smells which repels mosquitos.

Depolluting Climatic Devices There are 97 number of Depolluting Climatic Devices spreading in the park at the cleanest areas.

This is to reinforce the clean atmophere of the park.

Family Activities Equipments Family Activity Equipments are placed in the Clean Resorts.

Depolluting Climatic Devices are placed around these equipments to provide clean and comfortable atmophere for visitors to enjoy the activities. The location of the equipments are related to natural wind and sunlight direction.

This is to reinforece the effect visitor could experience from the Climatic Devices.

Cap

Material Atmospheres

02

Iñaki Ábalos and Javier García-Germán co-editors

115

Iñaki Ábalos: “Thermodynamic Materialism”

123

Toni Kotnik: “Geometric Diagrams of Energy Flow”

131

Juan José Castellón, Pierluigi D’Acunto: “The Architectural and Performative Potential of Porous Structures”

137

Kiel Moe: “Cellular Solidarity: Matter, Energy, and Formation”

147

Iñaki Ábalos: “Regaining Authority by Means of Knowledge”

148

Iñaki Ábalos, GSD Harvard University in collaboration with the ETH Zürich Chair of Structural Design Thermodynamic Prototype

Cap

110

MODERN INTERIOR SPACE: METEOROLOGICAL UPHEAVAL Modernity introduced a spatial and material model which transformed thoroughly the interior of buildings.

Modern spatial paradigms deployed continuous, isotropic and horizontal homogeneous interiors eliminating any concession to fragmentation or verticality. This spatial model was paralleled by a material one which introduced the new structural and building systems industry was delivering, implementing prefabricated lightweight envelopes, partitions, suspended ceilings, finishes and furnishings inside buildings. These changes succeeded to transform the interior of buildings rendering the new interiors industrial society demanded, but this was done at the expense of its climatic devaluation.

The drive for isotropic and continuous interior spaces annihilated the oriented and room-based spatial arrangement which had until then provided an appropriate climatic modulation. The tendency towards horizontality did away with the vertical gradient of buildings which procured interior spaces varied in temperature, humidity and luminosity.

In addition the modern choice of materials was instrumental to change interior heat absorption and emission patterns. Lightweight faรงade systems reduced the resistance and storage capacity of envelopes, losing its ability to lag outdoor heat flows. Glazed envelopes introduced short-wave solar

111

Sub

radiation indoors heating up interior spaces. The shift from load-bearing walls to post and lintel systems extended the use of lightweight partitions which, together with the replacement of massive floorings with light materials such as fitted carpets or linoleums and the use of suspended ceilings, reduced the heat storage capacity of materials limiting its potential to accumulate impinging solar radiation. High thermal storage materials would have absorbed incoming short-wave solar radiation, buffering temperature increases, but their absence heated-up the air inside buildings to unprecedented levels.

AIR-CONDITIONING TAKES COMMAND Modern Architecture procured an innovative spatial, material and atmospheric paradigm, but however failed to generate an environmentally-sound one.

Modern interiors disposed of the spatial and material potential of interiors to control climate in a passive way, making air-conditioning a necessary technology to compensate its thermodynamic neutrality. The fact that air-conditioning was based in convective heat exchanges made this technology a perfect match to offset the excess of hot air generated inside buildings, providing a thermodynamically-balancing atmosphere. The massive air inputs subordinated entire buildings to a steady-state environment, paving the way to the mainstream use of air-conditioning and establishing a new building thermodynamic model on which current design and building practices —to a large extent— still rely.1

A B C

3 2 1

ThP_Thermodynamic Prototype Iñaki Ábalos ThP is a spatial, structural and thermodynamic organization composed by nine concatenated and environmentally differentiated spaces.

Those spaces are conceived to syncretically resolve three different organizations (spatial, tectonic and thermodynamic), minimizing the used material and maximizing the versatility of its behaviour or performance.

The geometry and topology of the rooms (and their thermal traps that establish differences in open adjacent spaces by combining static and dynamic areas), together with the most basic thermal devices (Trombe wall, heat exchanger, Stirling engine, absorption refrigerator…), and the choice and modeling of materials using simultaneously tectonic and thermodynamic parameters, all in relation with climatic factors and the resources provided by natural materials – earth, water, sun and air- serve to configure a construction that extrapolates thermodynamic differences and, with them, the diversity of the spatial experience. IA

THERMODYNAMIC PROTOTYPE. GSD, HARVARD UNIVERSITY Director: Iñaki Ábalos. 2013-ongoing In collaboration with: The Chair of Structural Design, ETH Zürich Chair of Structural Design: Joseph Schwartz. GSD instructors: Salmaan Craig, Jianxiang Huang, Kiel Moe, Matthias Schüler, Renata Sentkiewicz. GSD students: Collin Gardner, Ryu Matsuzaki, Elizabeth Roloff. ETH Zürich instructors: Juan Jose Castellón, Pierluigi D' Acunto, Toni Kotnik.

Relationships

Geometric Figurations

The resulting geometric arrangements have, according to its spatial porosity, different yearly solar yields. JGG

Thermal Figurations

Equivalent envelope conditions, with different interior spatial arrangements, induce a variety of air flow and air temperature patterns. JGG

Cap

Territorial Atmospheres

03

Silvia Benedito and Javier García-Germán co-editors

175

Silvia Benedito: “Landscape and Atmosphere: Genealogies of Appearance”

189

Kathleen John-Alder: “Equilibrated Exchange: an Exploration of The Sea Ranch Bioclimatic Analysis”

201

Matthias Schüler interviewed by Silvia Benedito & Javier García-Germán: “Urban Meteorology”

217

Gërnot Böhme: “The Physiognomy of a Landscape”

232

OFICINAA architecture + urbanism Campo Mineral

240

Foster and Partners + Transsolar Masdar

Territorial Atmospheres

200

Fig. 9 and 10: The Hedgerow Houses today.

Photograph courtesy of Kathleen John-Alder.

201

Equilibrated Exchange

A photograph of one of these homes taken fifty years later illustrates the design’s durability. Equally apparent is how a relatively simple and inexpensive adaptation of standard wood-frame construction produced an aerodynamically adroit and energetically efficient design that worked with the dynamic forces of the landscape (fig. 9 and 10). Though simple in theory this thoughtful equilibration of landscape and built form proved difficult to realize. The victim of economic and regulatory constraints, and its own marketing success, the initial attempt to work with rather than against the forces of nature, along with the concomitant desire to celebrate the land, achieved its full potential only in the first 1,000 acres of the project completed under the direction of Boeke20. And yet, as Halprin would later observe, even the small portions of the site − like the line of Hedgerow Houses − that incorporate the modest but effective initial design recommendations, are potent reminders that in this landscape the “architecture and land enhance each other, and with mutual respect, look after each other in an orderly way21.”

20_John-Alder, Kathleen. Spring 2012.

“California Dreaming”, SiteLines:

A Journal of Place, pp. 11-14.

21_Halprin, 1969, p. 119.

203

Urban Meteorology

Urban Meteorology

Matthias Schüler interviewed by Silvia Benedito & Javier García-Germán

Javier García-Germán (JGG): The current obsession with energy performance is relying excessively on efficiency benchmarks not questioning the adequacy of thermodynamic concepts. What conse-quences would a more rigorous use of the Second Law of thermodynamics have in how the built environment is conceptualized? What effects would this have on the climatic design of urban environments?

Matthias Schüler (MS): It is important to talk not only about the amount of energy but about the quality of the energy —or exergy— we are using, which I think definitely takes on board the Second Law of thermodynamics and leads to a different consideration of energy-saving strategies.

There are different values for energy and it is important to be specific when defining energy qualities. Electricity is one of the highest values of energy and it is a disaster to use high value energy such as oil to heat buildings when it can be used to produce very valuable products such as cosmetics or plastic. On the other hand geothermal is an abundant kind of low exergy energy which typically is not being used as an energy level. But if it is introduced for example, in a thermo-activated building envelope forming a thermal-active weather curtain or active insulation, it reduces the thermal losses to the outside. Even for the Passivhaus standard, 50% of the insulation thickness can be reduced by a thermal activating of the outer façade cladding from a 10°C waste heat from a sewer system or just from the ground.

It is interesting to point out that Denmark has recently passed a new law which considers natural gas a high value energy source and reserves it exclusively for electricity production. This law prohibits to burn natural gas for domestic heating, forcing either to connect an existing district heating system or to implement cogeneration systems, using waste heat to warm up your house. It's quite interesting to acknowledge that governmental institutions are beginning to understand there are different qualities of

Campo Mineral (mineral field) OFICINAA architecture + urbanism The meteorological fluxes of Lisbon’s climate are the premises for Campo Mineral’s urban form. The project defines an urban armature that operates as a ventilation path at the city-scale while providing a comfortable outdoor experience for the residents. Surrounded by the Portela airport (north), the Campo Grande urban park (south), and the Lisbon University Campus and various health institutions (east and west), the 10-hectare site sits at the end of the Central Axis formed by the historic avenues and promenades of the nineteenth century.

Influenced by the Gulf Stream and the Atlantic Ocean, Lisbon is under a continuous flux of breezes and changing weather patterns.

Experiencing the city is being immersed by this dynamic atmosphere.

Mild and temperate most of the year the city of Lisbon, however, experiences overheating and thermal stress during the summer season. How can the meteorological phenomena of the wind fluxes inform urban strategy that not only is able to lessen urban heating at a largescale but also to amplify delight as one dwells in the city?

Campo Mineral is an urban hub composed by a new avenue and urban district that continues the existing axial structure in the city while strengthening its continuous ecological structure. The project sculpts urban form through atmospheric thinking in a telescopic manner: from meso to microclimates, from the city to human sensation. The project responds to the meteorological elements of wind, light, temperature, humidity, and geological strata as pre-conditions of urban design.

CAMPO MINERAL (MINERAL FIELD) Authors: OFICINAA architecture + urbanism Public client: Municipality of Lisbon, Portugal Date: 2010. 1st Prize Europan 10 biennial competition, Portugal

Climatic Threshold

The site is a climatic threshold along its north-south direction. It connects two different landscape environments and thermal conditions, such as the airport (hot and windy) and the urban park (humid and shady). The thermodynamic polarization between different solar radiation, wind speeds, surface properties, and albedo values, is an opportunity for the city. The existing thermodynamic tension is amplified and sculpted as

informant of spatial, programmatic, civic and aesthetic qualities of the project. The threshold condition offers the possibility to work with flux and exchanges within the meteorological phenomena such as convection, conduction, evaporation and reflection. The north-south corridor is implemented within the existing block and a series of outdoor spaces are generated to take advantage of the new atmospheric landscape.

Radiant temperature gradients (existing)

Radiant temperature gradients (potential)

Geological Strata

The geological strata found on site, a deposit of sandy loam, sets the material and performative identity of the proposal. The mineral quality of the project, based on limestone, increases the porosity of the ground, drainage and percolation capacity, and humidity in the air due to convective airflow through the voids. It also plays a significant role in promoting thermal comfort in the outdoor space due to its ther-

mal mass and high solar reflectance index (SRI-lighter color). The visitor experiences a continuous surface of white-colored limestone applied on the ground of the open space and building facades. Expanding on the existing material and immaterial qualities of Lisbon’s urban landscape, the new avenue appears as a white valley, a white landscape tinctured with the filtered reflection offered by limestone.

Wind velocity gradients (existing)

Wind velocity gradients (potential)

THERMODYNAMIC INTERACTIONS An Exploration into Physiological, Material and Territorial Atmospheres Author Javier García-Germán Co-editors Iñaki Ábalos, Philippe Rahm, Silvia Benedito Editorial Coordination Ricardo Devesa Graphic Design Ramon Prat, Lucía López Casanegra Printing Prodigitalk Publisher Actar Publishers, New York, Barcelona, 2017 www.actarpublishers.com Distributed by Actar D Inc. New York 355 Lexington Avenue, 8th Floor New York, NY 10017 T +1 212 966 2207 F +1 212 966 2214 salesnewyork@actar-d.com Barcelona Roca i Batlle 2 08023 Barcelona T +34 933 282 183 salesbarcelona@actar-d.com eurosales@actar-d.com ISBN 978-1-940291-22-2 Library of Congress Control Number: 2015956077 A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the Library of Congress, Washington D.C., USA. Printed and Bound in Europe

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Texts by Iñaki Ábalos, Michelle Addington, Silvia Benedito, Gërnot Böhme, Juan José Castellón, Pier Luigi D’Acunto, Javier García-Germán, Jonathan Hill, Kathleen John-Alder, Toni Kotnik, Harry Francis Mallgrave, Kiel Moe, Philippe Rahm and Matthias Schuler.

“Thermodynamic Interactions explores the contemporary role of thermodynamics and atmosphere in architecture, landscape architecture and urban design. It dissects the wide array of contemporary debates on energy and architecture in a synthetic manner, presenting three specific realms of thermodynamic dissipation on which designers need to take stock.

In pursuing these questions Thermodynamic Interactions presents a collection of original essays, interviews and research projects which frame the scope of perspectives opened by thermodynamics and atmosphere.

Architects, landscape architects, urban designers, philosophers and historians together with scientists and engineers combine a scientific outlook with a disciplinary and historical approach, attempting to integrate the technical and the cultural on potential paths for design practices.”

Thermodynamic Interactions

Co-Edited by Iñaki Ábalos, Silvia Benedito and Philippe Rahm

Thermodynamic Interactions An Architectural Exploration into Physiological, Material, Territorial Atmospheres.

Javier García-Germán