UNCONVENTIONAL SOLAR SCREENS by Alessandro Premier

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Technologies for sun protection

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Unconventional solar screens Alessandro Premier, Amina Dehò

Heat, light, air outdoors. The role of the shading system. Emanuele Naboni

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Alessandro Premier, Amina Dehò Alessandro Premier is a fellow professor of Architectural Planning at the Iuav University in Venice. Amina Dehò is a designer, and a member of the Colour and Light Technologies department at the Iuav University in Venice.

Unconventional solar screens “Design can be seen as subversion in that a designer, as well as a teacher, must not lead to solutions, but doubts. This is because rising up means having doubts” (Giovanni Anceschi)

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One Ocean Thematic Pavilion, Yeosu South Korea. Ingresso prOne Ocean Thematic Pavilion, Yeosu South Korea. Main entrance. Render Â©Soma Architecture

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The majority of publications related to solar screens tend to propose classifications. A classification of solar screens is contained in UNI EN 12216 (shutters, internal and external blinds - terminology, glossary and definitions) where various types of screens are graphically represented with cutaway axonometric views. Classification is a very important as it enables those involved in production to make their own templates following specific guidelines and those involved in design to be able to make choices based on well-defined fields. The task of the architectural designer however, seems different. The designer, in fact, breaks from the ordinary to propose new, unexpected solutions. In recent times, the broad field of “environmental sustainability” has highlighted the importance of screening as an architectural element to a growing segment of designers. From a technical element with a pure practical purpose to an architectural element able to qualify a surface, a facade, an urban front. “Architecture plays a key role in the existence of man: it serves an artistic purpose that meets practical needs using an artistic form. Only when human desires are more important than purely practical and utilitarian aspects and when the need for a quality lifestyle surfaces, the true essence of architecture becomes more evident” (Bruno Taut, Die Stadtkröne, 1919). In fact, designers equipped with superior tools (cultural, design, technological...) have always used solar screening as an element complementary to architectural design. Important examples certainly include Villa Tugendhat designed by Mies van der Rohe (Brno, 1930). The construction detail of the large windows overlooking the garden is masterful where the awning arms that extend the screens disappear into the profiles of the frame while the fabric retracts in a technical space within the railing of the upper terrace. Somehow, Jean Prouvé, despite being only a blacksmith, tried in the course of his long career to continually draw and redraw his adjustable brise-soleil, sometimes turning it into panels and sometimes into slats similar to Venetian blinds. Among Italians, the avant-garde design of the Peugeot skyscraper in Buenos Aires (1961) by Maurizio Sacripanti is significant, featuring vertical slats that covered the whole cladding were turned into media support for advertising messages. The importance of screening grew with the Modern Movement (with Le Corbusier, Niemeyer and Italy with Annibale Fiocchi, Figini & Pollini and others) and established itself with high-tech style in the seventies and eighties. Up until

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that time, it underwent refinement in terms of shapes inherited from a long-standing tradition (shutters, blinds, awning blinds etc.). A first “break” from these shapes seems to have happened in what Colin Davies defines as the transformation phase of high-tech style (see Colin Davies, High Tech Architecture, 1988). The example that is often cited in this regard is the south facade of the Arab World Institute in Paris, designed by Jean Nouvel. The all-glass façade has a highly elaborate system of diaphragms that resemble the complex geometric decorative tradition of typical screening of certain Islamic architecture. The design, inspired by a tradition composed of static screens, was integrated with a dynamic mechanical system that, despite failure due to poor operation, led the way to the design of mobile screens. Shapes of screening elements have evolved very quickly in the last decade. The introduction of new materials and technology has allowed designers to break free of classifications and propose solutions that could be described as “unconventional”. Much of this success is due to the introduction of innovative materials such as technical fabrics, composite materials, but especially to the use of smart materials and technologies. The model proposed by Jean Nouvel has thus been simplified and reworked in various ways. It is the basis of the “Homeostatic Facade System” project (2010) by the American Decker & Yeadon who, using dielectric polymers, created a screening system for double skin glass facades, consisting of a set of elements with organic shapes able to contract and relax like muscles using small electrical pulses with very low energy consumption. The project “Smart Screen” by the same Decker & Yeadon is a fabric characterised by numerous cuts able to open and close automatically depending on variations in the outside temperature. The Kinetower® project by Kinetura (Xaveer Claerhout & Barbara Van Biervliet) designed in 2008, instead features a visible structural matrix with a diamond pattern, each of which represents a large glass screened by a system of striations made of shape-memory material able to contract and relax, like the fingers of a hand, depending on different outside environmental conditions. Another very interesting aspect in the evolution of screening design is its integration with lighting technologies. The integration of screening with light represents another step forward towards design research carried out not only for improvement in protection from solar radiation but also for enhancement of expressive possibilities of architectural elements and thus of the architectural enclosure as a whole. A significant example is the theme pavilion recently created by Soma Architecture for Expo in Yeosu in South Korea where the screening, like the gills of a fish, are equipped with LEDs on the outside flap able to transform the building into an emitter of lights and colours at night. For a long time we have also witnessed thorough research on the integration of technical fabrics

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with photovoltaic technologies. This research generated the prototypes of Soft Houses by Kennedy & Violich Architecture and will certainly result in interesting developments in the very near future. The design of these and other emblematic examples demonstrate that the materials and technologies available today offer the possibility of experimenting with screening with shapes and performance that were unthinkable a few decades ago. The possibility of turning designs into concrete creations often results from commissions of great importance and ambition but research, especially at this time of economic crisis, can and should also focus on products that can reach a wider audience. Some recent developments in academic research within the Unit “Colour and Light in Architecture” at University IUAV in Venice, coordinated by Prof. Pietro Zennaro, seem to show that this is possible, especially when a positive link is created between companies and researchers. Some examples of buildings Madrid Pavilion of Shanghai EXPO 2010, China 3Gatti Architecture Studio designed the steel umbrella screening of the Madrid Pavilion at Shanghai Expo 2010 designed by Foreign Office Architects. The original cladding designed by Former London Studio to set up an exhibition of low-cost housing during the six months of the international fair, was composed of panels of bamboo held together by wire and mounted on steel frames. When the Expo ended, the pavilion was converted into a building for shops and offices, but in two years, the bamboo used had begun to rot and the steel support structures showed signs of rust. The owners of the building thus asked 3Gatti Architecture Studio which has offices in Rome and Shanghai, to design a new cladding. 3Gatti developed a facade consisting of screens in the shape of an umbrella. Each screen is opened by a spring coupling placed centrally. “We came up with this solution because on sunny days Shanghai is populated by people who protect themselves from the sun with umbrellas,” explains Francesco Gatti (see www.dezeen.com). The type of facade can be catalogued as a mechanical cladding with kinetic handling (see Katia Gasparini, Schermi Urbani, tecnologia e innovazione. Nuovi sistemi per le facciate Mediatiche, Wolters Kluwer, 2012). In this case, the desire to maintain a link with tradition is no longer entrusted to the material and technique but to an inspiration from an object of common use.

The project is in the process of prototyping and construction. The objective is to allow the occupants to control the amount of light entering. The 75 umbrellas will each have a diameter of about 250 cm and moved by a pulley operable from the in-

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side. The operation is identical to that of the umbrella except for the use of materials. The mechanical parts are made of stainless steel, the support frames are made of aluminium profiles and the cladding is of Cor-ten steel. Each umbrella is made up of 10 triangular wedges of perforated Cor-ten steel plates. The entire cladding will thus feature alternating moving parts - umbrellas - and fixed parts, starting from the first floor up to the roof, leaving the windows of the ground floor untouched to ensure visibility to shops. The mechanical claddng, apart from ensuring lighting control, also protects the facade from winds. When the umbrellas are open, they make the facade completely smooth, filter the light and shelter it from light breeze. When fully closed, they take on a star-shaped aerodynamic form that protects the substructure from strong winds during typhoons.

Al Bahar Towers, Abu Dhabi, UAE AEDAS and Arup has been commissioned to design the new headquarters of Investment Council in Abu Dhabi, following an international design competition by invitation. The project involves two office towers of 25 floors each. They will accommodate between 1,000 and 1,100 employees. The project is part of the recently published development plan of Abu Dhabi for the year 2030. The two towers are located in a city expansion area, not far from the sea. The substructure is made of reinforced concrete and steel, the exterior is clad entirely in laminated glass and the south facade is covered with a second skin with a screening function. The covering of each of the two towers is tilted and faces south and covered by photovoltaic panels able to cover 5% of the building’s energy demand: the amount of energy it takes to operate the screening system. The ventilation system is fully automated and does not feature direct exchange. The glass used is stratified and is integrated in the façade through a curtain-wall system with variable modules (about 300x100 cm). Particular attention was paid to the thermal insulation system of the fixtures. The system, in fact, is subjected to temperature gradient that can reach 40°C (5°C at night to 48°C during the day), causing substantial and very noisy movements of expansion and contraction. The second skin of the towers is constituted by a mechanical cladding with kinetic handling whose main function is to reduce the overheating of the south facades and allow control of the intensity of incoming light to make better use of natural lighting. The number of modules is about a thousand. Each module is hexagonal and in turn composed of six triangular panels made of glass fibre coated with PTFE mounted on aluminium and stainless steel frames hinged together. The three vertices of the modules are joined to a pivot which, when connected to a piston, makes them open and close like umbrellas. Each module, weighing about 600 kg, is connected to an actuator and a motor. The movement is controlled by a

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computerised system, set in such a way as to close at night, leaving the glass part exposed, and slowly open during the day until the facade is completely screened. The prototypes were tested in Austria where they were tested for resistance to wind, salt water and dust and to temperatures up to 60°C. The mechanical parts can last from 25 to 30 years, the electronic actuators must be replaced every 5 years while the stainless steel elements can last up to 75 years. Both with wind shear and incident wind, the limits of the modular elements did not exceed 6 mm. Strangely enough, in one of the sunniest countries in the world, artificial lighting is used predominantly. To reduce the overheating of buildings, glass is used that reduces the amount of natural light to 5%. The design by Aedas and Arup, thanks to special screening, allows for the use of up to 60% of natural lighting. The designers explain the choice of not using photovoltaic panels over the entire glass surface in this way: “The presence of sand and dust that settle on the panels reduces the efficiency by about half. To ensure the efficiency of the panels, it would be necessary to provide for cleaning with a system of pumps and pressure regulators for the distribution of fresh water on the facade. The energy required to desalinate water and spread it on the facade would have been equal, if not superior, to that required to operate the screening system “(see http://aedasresearch.com).

One Ocean Thematic Pavilion, Yeosu South Korea The theme pavilion “One Ocean” for EXPO 2012 in Yeosu, South Korea, was opened in May 2012 (Fig. 1). The building was designed by the Soma group after they won the international design competition in 2009. The function of the pavilion is to provide visitors with an introduction to the theme of the Expo: “the living ocean and coast”. The building is located in the former industrial port of Yeosu. It stands on a platform jutting into the waters of the gulf and connected to the coast by a bridge. It is permanent work. At the end of the Expo it will become an urban beach encouraging tourism and will also host public and educational services. It is a building made of several parts. Two types can be distinguished: those built on the east side and the part on the west. The buildings on the east side are overhanging from the sea, alternate in height and cross section and have a cylindrical structure made of reinforced concrete. The facade to the east is exposed to strong winds that hit the area during the year. The glass windows are designed as regular and geometric tunnels built on curved surfaces. The sinuous line redraws the coast as if to reproduce a tall and white cliff that visitors traverse along paths and terraces. These paths are home to a variety of native plant species. The part built on the west, overlooking the harbour, welcomes visitors who arrive. The pavilion has an irregular and elongated

shape resembling a sea creature, equipped with huge white gills. It is a building with a substructure made of steel and reinforced concrete. The kinetic façade is operated to a large extent by solar energy. The collaboration with Transsolar and Jan Cremers also made the widespread use of natural ventilation possible. The kinetic facade is oriented to the west and covers about 140 metres. It consists of a double skin with an outer screening system consisting of 108 vertical slats, varying in height from 3 to 13 metres and with a width of about 1.2 metres (Fig. 2). These are attached to the upper and lower ends of the building. The slats are made of polymer matrix (GFRP)

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The steel umbrella screening. Render ÂŠ3Gatti

fibre-reinforced material, which combines the high tensile strength of textile fibre with flexibility, allowing reversible elastic deformations. The movement is generated by motors placed at the upper and lower ends of the facade. These operate a screw spindle which alternately transform the rotation into movements of compression and tension inducing the slats to bend. Furthermore the ends of the slats are connected to the manoeuvring system by means of bearings and the variation of distance between these transforms the bending motion into rotation. The screening system is calibrated to control the entry of sunlight during the day and to function in choreographic sequences after sunset (Fig. 3). The energy required to operate

the entire facade system comes from the photovoltaic panels on the roof of the building. Phoenix Public Library. Arizona, USA The Phoenix Public Library was completed in 1995 and designed by Bruder DWL Architects. It is one of the most important of the 15 libraries in the city. It offers a catalogue of more than 705,000 titles, 151 computer workstations, meeting rooms, reading rooms and a variety of services. It is located in the city centre. The regularity of the urban grid has influenced its rectangular shape with the shorter sides facing north and south. These facades are made of glass and allow you to enjoy the view of the mountains that surround

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Abu Dhabi Investment Council Headquarters, Abu Dhabi (Aedas)

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the city. The longer sides, to the east and west, are made of opaque walls to ensure optimum thermal insulation. The climate is in fact that of the desert: hot and dry with temperatures from March to September ranging from 27°C to 41°C. Rainfall is rare and winds, even very strong, cause frequent sandstorms. The building covers an area of about 26,000 square metres and is spread over 5 floors. The structure consists of a grid of prefabricated reinforced concrete columns at about 10 metre centres. The floors rest on prefabricated T beams made of reinforced concrete. The two lateral buildings have a curved shape and provide a rigid structure to the whole building with reinforced concrete walls about 36 cm thick. Distribution systems with safety ladders, lifts and services with the technical rooms and toilets are located in them. The fifth floor of the library is illuminated by circular lights corresponding to the beams. The skylights are made of synthetic opal glass. In the central span of the building there is a full height area with a pool of water placed on the ground floor which, thanks to the chimney effect, helps to create air circulation. The building cladding is a sample of a solar screening solution, configured to attenuate the effects of overheating resulting from high temperatures in the most efficient manner. The facades most exposed are those to the east and west, characterised by a protective perforated sheet of Cor-ten steel. The entrance to the library is located on the west side and indicated by a change of material: a band completely coated in stainless steel. The seven concrete lateral parts extend slightly beyond the south facade. The north façade has a double-skin system with glass inside and horizontal brise-soleil made of aluminium outside. The inclination of the brise-soleil is regulated by a computerised system calibrated to maintain a constant level of lighting during the day, providing plenty of natural light to the reading and meeting rooms. The southern façade is fully glazed and screened by a system of “sails” in technical fabric. The fabric screenings are produced with the patent Ferrari ® Précontraint and anchored to a system of rods and struts distributed vertically on the uprights of the glazed facade. The fabric screening system was built based on a specific design by Bruder DWL Architects. It is configured as a complex of sails with vertical wedges able to bend since the two ends of the fabric can be moved in the opposite direction of the manoeuvring arms, overhanging with respect to the facade. The system is composed of 28 vertical sails consisting of 5 wedges each, creating a movement on the vertical facade similar to ripples on the surface of the sea. The special design of the fabric screening demonstrates, once again, the high expressive potential offered by technical fabrics when they are used to find solutions that exceed common standards and aim for the creation of unusual and highly evocative images.