Week 01
Principles and Practices
Assignment:
Plan and sketch a potential final project.LEARNIG OUTCOMES: Communicate an initial project proposal.HAVE YOU? Sketched your final project idea/s, Described what it will do and who will use it.
Idea
The idea come from a local problem I have in some spaces of my house, the firs function of this spaces was as terraces, then they were covered with translucent ceilings as a protection of the rain and to allow light to pass because some spaces into the house are lit through these terraces, after that we gave this spaces a better use changing the function.
I realized that this spaces are uncomfortable to stay at certain hours of the day because of the sunlight, at the same time I started looking the same problem in other places like courtyards and terraces where people put pergolas made with translucent materials, also in some buildings where the sunlight hit directly through windows.
I am aware that there are many strategies to control the amount of sunlight also I implemented a skin for my architecture graduation project at the university, but what I am looking for is a low cost device that can be placed at out door or in door spaces using digital fabrication for its creation.
At the bigging I start thinking for an horizontal and vertical shading device separately.
First Idea:
My first idea was to made an ornamental brick that can be used as a vertical skin and could be incorporated an iris mechanism which controls the entry of light and it has to be modular to put one on top of another and form a wall.
Second Idea:
Create an horizontal layer between the translucent roof and the space, this could be a ceiling like a shading device in addition could be incorporated a modular iris mechanism to control the entry of light and it should be retractable.
FINAL PROJECT
Retractable shelter system which can provides protection from the sun
Merging the first and second ideas:
The last idea for my final project try to create a system that can protect the user vertically or horizontally in a certain space from direct beam solar radiation using shading devices that can be located at in door and out door spaces.
Conclusion:
Problem:
The problem I want to solve is related with sunlight because in the city that I live Quito, Ultraviolet Index (UVI) normally reach 11 or grater that correspond to extreme levels, in some days is dangerous to stay for long period of time at out door spaces. Real time UVI index in Quito
Most Local architecture don't consider this and use translucent materials like glass, polycarbonate, etc which transmit to much heat and light this make uncomfortable to stay for long period of time.
What it will do:
It'll be a low cost retractable shelter system wich can provides protection from the sun that could be placed at in door or out door spaces to be located horizontally or vertically according to the needs of the space and the users, using digital fabrication for it creation.
Who will use it:
People who want an extra protection from the sunlight whether outdoor spaces or indoor spaces. It could be used like a pergola, even could be coupled to an existing pergola or an existing structure with a translucent cover whose space suffers to much shine at certain times of the day.