33 Floodgate Street Analysis
ARC4011 Environmental Design Strategies Katie Durkin S18146595 Submission Date: 17/12/2018
Contents Page 3-4: Design Context 5-6: Site Analysis 7: Environmental Strategy 8: Critical Analysis 9: Precedent Study 10: Improvement Strategy 11: Reflective Summary 12: References
Design Context As Digbeth is an industrial district with a large amount of history the buildings and structures in the area are predominantly brick. In terms of the landscape the building adds more green space when looking at the area from a bird’s eye view due to the rooftop garden. As seen in Figure 1 it can be seen how besides the disused viaduct there is no other green space. With the darker exterior the building will stand out in comparison to the neighbouring buildings, however will blend in with the creativity in the area. The client is a 32 year-old female named Rachel Watson. She has alcoholism issues therefore the residential home was designed to encourage and assist her in overcoming her problems. It is known that fresh air and access to natural lighting improve mental health so they became major factors in the design.
Figure 1: Site Map of Floodgate Street with yellow representing green spaces in the area.
Design Context Figure 3 shows the environmental section which demonstrates how lighting would come into the building if it were to be built. Within the house there was intentionally a journey as you move from floor to floor. The ground floor is the darkest, the first is still relatively dark in some rooms but light to the south of the building increases. The second floor is the brightest as this is Rachel’s private floor with access to fresh air and little artificial lighting.
Figure 2: Ground Floor, First Floor, Second Floor.
Figure 3: Environmental section showing the lighting.
Site Analysis The sun path diagram (Figure 6) shows how the sun is predominantly to the south of the building. This was taken into consideration when organising the layout; both the balcony and rooftop garden are facing south to take full advantage of the lighting. On the second floor there are floor to ceiling windows and a glass door so that daylight is let directly into the space with no obstructions. To the front of the building there are large panels of Reglit glass which allow for privacy but also allow any natural light in coming from the north.
Figure 4: Internal Perspective of second floor showing Reglit glass
Figure 5: Rooftop garden on second floor.
Figure 6: Sun Path diagram.
Site Analysis As demonstrated in Figure 7 the prevailing winds come from the south-west and south; these are represented by the larger green areas towards the bottom-left of the image. This is relevant to the design as the stronger the winds the more air flow there will be into the house. Due to this information it is now known that this may become an issue to the south of the house where there are a lot of windows/spaces for the wind to enter the building. When designing the house and creating the environmental section (shown in Figure 8) due to the windows at the south and north facades it was known that there would be the natural air movement of cross ventilation so they were labelled in the plan. Also, throughout the house there are a number of radiators. They were installed to encourage the movement of air through the house and assist the client in achieving thermal comfort. Figure 8: Environmental Floor Plans showing lighting and ventilation. Figure 7: Diagram showing the prevailing wind in Birmingham.
Environmental Strategies The lighting at the site is constantly changing throughout the year. To investigate this further sun path diagrams were looked at and applied to 33 Floodgate Street. For example, during the winter (December-February) at 3pm direct sunlight will be potentially blocked from the site due to the neighbouring building. However, at 9am from February-October the site will be taking full advantage of the sunlight. In terms of heating and cooling and winter solar gain the main facade of the building is already facing the south so the rooms will be gaining warmth to help achieve thermal comfort. Although, the windows facing the south are not protected against overheating during the summer; the rooms with floor to ceiling windows are completely exposed to the sunlight.
Figure 9: Drawing of site showing sun paths at different times of the year.
Figure 10: Sun Path Diagram.
Critical Analysis Due to the exposure to sunlight on the second floor sunlight/heating and cooling shall be the environmental aspect which is criticised. The room on the second floor with the rooftop garden is a studio space, designed for the client to be a space where she can create artwork. As this is a studio the sunlight allowed into the space has to be enough to light up the area but not too much that it damages the artwork. As well as illuminating the room, sunlight would also add warmth. Overheating could be a potential problem within this area of the house.
Precedent Study - CH2 Melbourne City Council House 2 On the western facade of the CH2 building in Melbourne there are continuous timber shutters. The shutters on the window assist the heating and cooling process within the building. They are made up of slated wood to still allow light through while protecting the building and fulfilling their job of blocking out the sun. A program controls the shutters depending on the seasons, they are made to detect the sunlight levels even on overcast days when direct sunlight is less likely. This building aism to be environmentally sustainable and efficient. Therefore, the shutters are generated hydraulically using vegetable oil while photovoltaic cells on the roof generate the power to operate the system. In the winter due to the sun not directly getting square-on to the building the shutters do not completely shut. Instead they are left partially open and allow those inside the building to be protected from glare. In the summer due to the movement of the sun the shutters are faster to close but again stay partially open. This occurs to maintain the wood; if the intensity of a summer sun was directly on the wooden slats all day they would become damaged quicker. By opening the shutters and slightly angling them they are not as exposed. Also, this allows for some natural daylight into the interior space.
Figure 11: CH2 Building in Melbourne (ArchDaily, 2013).
Improvement Strategy As windows assist in the heating and cooling systems in a building it is important that they are thoroughly thought through before they are installed. Taking influence from the precedent study (CH2), shutters were added to the model. Lux readings were then taken on an overcast day when the outdoor illuminance was 1007lux. A lux meter was placed 2000mm away from the windows and 900mm off the floor, measurements were then taken with and without the shutters. February-October 9am: Without the shutters = 178lux December-February 3pm: Without the shutters = 113lux
With the shutters = 102lux With the shutters = 98lux
The results show that having the shutters would be an effective way of keeping out some daylight and ultimately cooling down the room due to this.
Figure 12: Diagram showing how lighting was tested.
Figure 13: Model testing with the shutters
Reflective Summary The environmental analysis was informative and allowed there to be further understanding of the site. It was important to have all environmental factors in mind when designing the building as ultimately they are one of the main factors which could make the house unsuccessful. Lighting was particularly significant as it was a crucial part of the design for the client so knowing how to take lux measurements and understanding the correct levels was useful during this task.
References MeteoBlue (2018) Climate Birmingham (online) Available from: https://www.meteoblue.com/en/weather/ forecast/modelclimate/birmingham_united-kingdom_2655603 (Accessed 15/12/2018). ArchDaily (2013) CH2 Melbourne City Counil House 2 / DesignInc (online) Available from: https://www. archdaily.com/395131/ch2-melbourne-city-council-house-2-designinc (Accessed 15/12/2018). City of Melbourne (no date) Design Process (online) Available from: https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/ building-and-development/sustainable-building/council-house-2/design-process/Pages/design-process. aspx (Accessed 15/12/2018).