Climate control Typologies In Cypriot Vernacular Architecture

CLIMATE-CONTROL Typologies

in CYPRIOT VERNACULAR Architecture

How sustainable are traditional in Cyprus, in regards to climatic Architecture control. By Antonis Peratikos

Ever since the construction of the first habitable spaces, there was a constant strive of improving our comfort levels in such places, and more specifically thermal comfort. This is evident throughout the vernacular architecture of the island, where various techniques can be identified, that were implemented when constructing a building, in order to increase its thermal comfort.

The typicaltraditionalCypriot Settlement

Cypriot houses would usually consist of one to three main living spaces aligned next to each other, all facing towards the south, to an open courtyard (iliakos) which usually contained small gardens with citrus fruit and palm trees. The orientation of the living spaces provided adequate amounts of sunlight especially during winter’s small day-lengths , to accommodate the daily activities of the users, since all work related actions had to be done before sunset. [1]

Courtyard acting as a buffer zone. Source: Kontonis (2016)

The courtyard is an important

sustainability element, as it acts as a buffer zone. A roof overhang towards the south, to create the roof of the courtyard, in vegetation planted addition with deciduous within the courtyard, provided shading during summer months, but

allowed for solar Moreover, within gain the during the courtyards,

winter. cooling elements were often found, such as wells or fountains for the storage of water, which in addition with the watering of the plants, provided evaporative cooling to both the interior and exterior spaces of the house, by decreasing the temperature of the air passing through this buffer zone. [2] [3]

Different arrangements of interior spaces around the courtyard in rural vernacular architecture. Source: Philokyprou (2016)

VernacularStrategies to enhance thermalComfort

The strive for thermal comfort was not evident only on the typology and orientation of the typical vernacular dwellings, but it is also noticeable on evidence that indicate specific strategies of the users, to further control the climatic conditions.

Utilization of the wind was not something foreign for Cypriots during that time, as many were fishermen and used wind to sail their boats, but also in agriculture, since windmills were employed as water pumps to irrigate the fields.

Prevalent wind direction was often taken into account, so that it can aid in bioclimatic sustainability as well. In agricultural areas, hay bales stored for feeding the animals, were often stacked on top of each other, creating a permeable wall that allows wind to pass through. They offered partial shading, and usually they were located perpendicular to the prevalent wind direction, so that during hot summer days, the hay bales were watered and wind passing through them cooled down the space through evaporative cooling.

Water does not spoil the hay, as it dries relatively fast under the hot summer sun, therefore the food of the animals was also used as a climateconditioning element when needed, until it is consumed and replaced by new hay bales. The concept of repurposing stored elements for extra benefits, but leaving them intact while using them, until the day of consumption, is a highly intelligent approach towards sustainability.

Another prevalent strategy indicating strive for thermal comfort was the use of climbing vines (klimataria), generally to the east side, but sometimes also towards the west, so that seasonal shading was provided to the openings of the respected orientations. The production of grapes was the primary reason for the cultivation of the climbing vines, since grapes are a common ingredient in traditional Cypriot cuisine, which adds another dimension of sustainability to these

vernacular structures, and self-sufficient. [4]

of being more autonomous In regards to bioclimatic sustainability, the climbing vines were of equal importance, as their placement and orientation in relation with the house, helped in minimizing the solar gain during the morning hours, where solar exposure to interior spaces is maximized. The use of the vines, which are also deciduous, ensures that the shading is provided seasonally, so that there is no decrease of solar winter periods. [ 5] heat gain during the cold

Expanding to the Public The use of structures to support the growth of the vines, for more thermal comfort is evident in traditional dwellings all around the island, and it has to be noted that in many cases these structures where expanding further from the plot so that adjacent public spaces would be benefiting as well. An example is the village of Alona, where on a central road of the village, the houses adjacent to the road have their climbing vine pergolas, extending to the opposite side of the street. Since the users spent most of their time during daytime outside working, and since walking was the main mean of transport, they spent a lot of hours in the streets. Having these shading elements throughout the streets, not only offered more product yield to the owner by having a larger surface are of grapevines, but it also made public spaces more thermally comfortable, generating resting points for the user throughout his route. Again further from the bioclimatic approach, this strategy engages with other aspects of sustainability of more social implications, providing opportunities for socialization. These

could be group activities as simple as resting and chatting on the street, to more infrequent activities such as grape gathering and vine trimming, or even village gatherings such as weddings or religious celebrations. [5]

Public Spaces in the village of Alona

Lagoudera Panayia tou Araka ,

Climate ConditionedWorship spaces

Climate control was not evident only on domestic spaces, but also on places of worship. Panayia tou Araka is an interesting example, of climate control in such public spaces. It is located in Troodos mountains and was built during the second half of the 12 th century. The church is a single-aisled domed structure, with a cross-shaped, steeppitched roof that extends to form a latticedwoodwork portico.

This wooden lattice surrounding the actual structure acted as a buffer zone between the structure and its environment, similarly with the courtyard effect, but in a much more controlled approach, so that it generated a microclimate

around the church, which aided with the thermal comfort on both the interior and exterior spaces. The dome is covered by a separate roof structure creating a secondary buffer zone between the interior and exterior. This extra insulation layer wrapping up the church provided more constant temperatures throughout the years, and this is evident by the perfectly preserved murals, dating back to 1192. [6]

References: 1.Philokyprou, M., & Limbouri-Kozakou, E. (2012). The Role of the Central Courtyard. Surveys in the Vernacular Architecture of Cyprus. In International Conference Surveys on Vernacular Architecture. Their significance in 20th century Architectural Culture, ESAP, pp. 400–414

2.Kontonis P., (2018). “Courtyards in Traditional Cypriot Architecture”, University of Nicosia, Cyprus, pp.9-12

3.Philokiprou M. , Michael E., (2016). Social and Environmental aspects of Courtyards in Cyprus Vernacular Architecture, University of Cyprus-Department of Architecture

4.Serghides D., (2010). “The wisdom of Mediterranean Traditional Architecture versus Contemporary Architecture: the energy challenge”, The Open Construction and Building Technology, vol.4, pp.29-38.

5.Philokiprou M. , Michael E. , (2014). “Η ΒΙΟΚΛΙΜΑΣΙΚΗ ΔΙΑ΢ΣΑ΢Η ΣΗ΢ ΠΑΡΑΔΟ΢ΙΑΚΗ΢ ΑΡΧΙΣΕΚΣΟΝΙΚΗ΢ ΣΗ΢ ΚΤΠΡΟΤ”, Biovernacular Research Program, Nicosia, pp.27-33

ACTIVIST AS ARCHITECT

By Bella Hermanson One early morning in august last year, a young girl named Greta Thunberg was sitting outside the Swedish parliament protesting against the lack of action on the climate crisis. This was the start for the

global movement FridaysForFuture where youth all over the world are demanding the right to a future and healthy planet. Today, one year later there has been strikes in participants. 1 228 countries with over 13 million

If the act of a 15-year-old could spark a global debate, if millions of children are demanding a change and the authorities to act, how can we respond in the role as architects? If we are the ones designing our urban fabric how much influence do we actually have? What is the responsibility of the architect for generations? the environment and the future

Forming the Urban Fabric

”As an architect you design for the present, with an awareness ofthe past, for a future which is essentiallyunknown.” - Norman Fosters

As Norman Foster puts it, we as architects have to design, using the knowledge from the past and preparing for the future we can’t predict. In the act of designing we are changing the existing landscape into a new built environment. The way we are forming the urban landscape has a huge impact on the environment locally,

but also globally. In Sweden, Thunberg’s home

country, the building industry are 40 percent of the energy related emissions. 2 responsible for carbon dioxide

Clearly, we have an impact both in the way we are forming our urban fabric and on the process of doing it. While designing everything from the smallest scale of furniture, to buildings and cities, to the bigger scale of infrastructures and societies, we have decisions to make that impact the sustainabilityof our planet.

The Greening ofArchitecture

Right from the beginning of the

environmental movement, the architects have been a part of the sustainable development. environmental awakening Already in the 60’s there were projects

exploring bioclimatic new forms design. This

and technologies on exploration continued in

the 70’s with solar technologies and

off-grid projects, often in the outskirt of the city. During this time these technologies was also applied into bigger scale communities. 3 housing project such as solar

One example of these 70’s explorations is the work of Michael Reynolds. recycled materials to He used create a unconventional model for an autonomous home. This resulted in his earth ship module. He combined all necessary alternative methods to enable the module to be off grid and use the resources from the site. Most importantly

he investigated how to use all these technologies and methods space. 4 to meet the needs of the living The eco-technology of the 80’s and 90’s was developed for a broader use and also present in more high-profile projects. In the beginning of the new century the greening movement of architecture had developed into numerous different approaches of sustainable design.

Act as Activist

An activist is defined “a person who works to achieve political or social change”. 5 Being an architect means you will change a physical space. This change will directly or indirectly have a political and social impact. Is it only demands of the client which give the opportunity to develop new sustainable methods, forms and use of materials? Or can the architect act on her own to make a change? Can the architect act as an activist? As we saw in the historical examples most of the project were originally driven from curiosity and a will to push forward the knowledge, not necessarily by the clients or the market. These projects were made to change the society, protecting the environment and care for future generations and it’s these acts which grew and spread the development towards a sustainable way of living on our earth. These have been acts to push for a change, both for technological research but also often a chance to spark a debate on the way of living and the network our urban environment creates. These has certainly been acts of an activist.