Design Brief

from Living in Liminality SED MArch 2023

Masterplan Development

7.3 Design Brief

The project’s brief aspires to meet the set of objectives derived from the nature of the current situation of the labor camps (Chapter 2), with the spectrum of transitional spaces as passive strategies that have been developed and translated into a design proposal. The main focus of this project is the health and well-being of migrant workers in Sharjah, which can be achieved through the following:

Liminal Spaces

Integrating liminal spaces can create a symbiotic relationship between buildings and their surrounding environment (Chapter 5) and a temperature gradient, thereby reducing thermal shock among workers. As a by-product, it can generate a wide variety of communal semi-outdoor to outdoor spaces that could be adapted to any program based on the user’s needs and external conditions.

Visual Delight

Windows in existing labor camps are often blackened and fixed to reduce glare. Unfortunately, this creates an artificial environment within the room with no natural daylight, natural ventilation, or outdoor views. A visual connection can be established by introducing a jali system while minimizing glare and maintaining a constant airflow within the room for good indoor air quality.

Adaptive Opportunities

Often, workers cannot control the surroundings that their hiring agencies and employers predefine. However, by providing adaptive opportunities such as the movement of jali and variations in blinds or even shading of the roofs and courtyards, they can alter the impact of environmental factors and achieve the desired level of comfort.

Figure 7.5 illustrates the various programs, their areas, and their location within the built context.

Figure 7.5 Zoning and programmatic distribution in a unit

7.4 The Unit

Architectural drawings (Figure 7.7) of a single unit represent the design development in this section.

Ground Floor is the courtyard’s main floor level. It comprises single bedrooms for supervisors and technicians and shared bath facilities. In addition, it includes amenities like a prayer room, laundry room, and storage. The kitchen and the dining area are north-facing rooms on this level. The more considerable heat gains from the various equipment in these rooms are balanced out through their orientation as they receive the least amount of solar radiation. Also, the amenities facing the public square could be adapted to commercial outlets catering to the square’s economic activities square, when required.

First Floor is the shared room network. Also at this level is the open living area which functions as a sabat at the pedestrian level and upper levels as a connector to other units. It could be opened up and closed based on the programmatic requirements. Private verandas on this floor are placed in such a manner that they are always facing the desert or the public squares. It provides a place of respite with visual delight. In addition, the roof provides an external space that the inhabitants can use as an open bedroom for stargazing in the milder period.

The Section illustrates the interplay between the various transitional spaces ranging from courtyard and liwan at the built form level to sabat at the street (sikka) level.

Figure 7.6 illustrates the various materials used throughout the unit, such as terracotta for the screen. It is a tactile, local material providing a cooling effect when sprayed with water in the scorching heat.

Figure 7.6 Various materials used in the unit

Figure 7.7 Architectural drawings of a unit; from the top, ground floor plan, first floor plan and section

7.5 Transitional Spaces

Liminal spaces are one of the primary elements of this project. They take the workers through various experiences, both thermally and visually, in their journey from the construction site to their bedrooms. Figure 7.8, based on the seven chronicles by Sensual City Studio (2018), reimagines the day-shift and night-shift workers’ journey with thresholds at the center of their everyday life. The upper half of the circle represents the ambient qualities and sensory experiences of each threshold as traversed by the day-shift worker from the bus ride from the construction site to their bedrooms. The lower circle represents the journey of the night-shift worker.

Figure 7.9 visualizes the interplay of light and shadow and the quality of these spaces through the gaze of the worker as he traverses these series of transitional spaces, from the NS canyon to the public square to the narrow EW canyon to the shaded entrance to the building, the courtyard, and finally to the liwan.

The graphs in Figure 7.9 also show how gradually the temperature reduces in all the periods from one transition the another, acclimatizing the workers and thereby reducing the potential of thermal shock.

Figure 7.8 Transitional spaces and related experiences

Figure 7.9 Transitional spaces and their resultant temperatures during different periods.

7.6 Design Performance

The following graphs show the thermal performance of bedrooms in all orientations and adjacencies, along with the dining room in hot (Figure 7.10), warm (Figure 7.11), and mild periods (Figure 7.12). All the spaces are well within the comfort range with the various passive strategies discussed and analyzed in the previous sections. Therefore, the requirement for air conditioning has been completely eliminated in the proposed design.

Also, the comfort levels of the private courtyard, the verandahs, and the roofs are analyzed in this section. Three times of the day, morning (0800), afternoon (1400), and night (2000) in the mild, warm and hot periods are studied. Figure 7.15 illustrates the UTCI studies without shade, and Figure 7.13 illustrates the resultant temperatures in the verandahs and courtyards without shade. Each period is represented by a single day with an average dry bulb temperature for the whole period.

During the mild period, all three outdoor spaces experience no thermal stress. They can be used throughout the day without any shade. During the warm period, only during the afternoons, when the solar radiation and dry-bulb temperatures are high, the roof and verandahs might experience heat stress, while the courtyard would be comfortable. For the hot period, the roof and verandah experience high levels of heat stress throughout the day, while the courtyard only during mornings and afternoons. The resultant temperatures during these periods are above the outdoor dry bulb temperatures, with the verandahs peaking at 47OC in the afternoons. Additional shading is required during these periods to minimize the impact of high levels of direct solar radiation.

Like the public square (Chapter 5), adaptive shading could be used in these spaces. Figure 7.16 and Figure 7.14 illustrate the impact of shading at required times (marked in black) in the courtyard, verandahs, and roof. Again, there is a significant reduction in the UTCI and resultant temperatures, although, during afternoons in the hot period, these spaces might still experience moderate levels of thermal stress. Therefore, indoor spaces might be beneficial during these times.

Figure 7.10 Thermal analysis hot period

Figure 7.11 Thermal analysis warm period

Figure 7.12 Thermal analysis mild period

Figure 7.13 Resultant temperatures without shade

Figure 7.14 Resultant temperatures with shade

Figure 7.15 UTCI of outdoor spaces without shade in a unit

Figure 7.16 UTCI of outdoor spaces with a shade in a unit

7.7 Living in Liminality

The main objective of the undertaken research was to develop a design that seizes the opportunities in different adaptations of liminal spaces in each season, improving the quality of life of the migrant workers and providing them with varied experiences. Therefore, this section visualizes how each of these spaces would be occupied by the workers during different times of the day in different periods.

Mild Period

As demonstrated earlier in the climatic analysis (Chapter 3), the Mild period stretches from December to March. In this period, the average temperatures are mild (18-23°C), creating the perfect environmental setting for outdoor living.

Figure 7.17 In the morning, the night-shift workers, returning from their shift, can enjoy their breakfast and tea on the verandah while basking in the view of the desert. While the outdoor air temperature (Tout) at this hour is about 17°C, the UTCI at the verandah is 16.35°C.

Figure 7.18 At lunchtime, the workers at the labor camp can enjoy their lunch in the semi-open lounge space that interconnects the various units in the urban context and interact with workers from other units. While the outdoor air temperature (Tout) at this hour is about 23.6°C, the operative temperature is 20.1°C.

Figure 7.19 During the night, the inhabitants can relax and wind down on the roof under a vibrant starlit sky. The outdoor air temperature is at a comfortable 20.9°C while the UTCI at the roof is around 19.6°C.

Time: 6AM Tout: 17OC GH: 98 W/m2

Time: 2PM Tout: 23.6OC GH: 626 W/m2

Time: 8PM Tout: 20.9OC GH: 0 W/m2

UTCI= 16.36OC

Figure 7.17 Early morning watching the sunrise at the verandah

Figure 7.18 Afternoon lunch in the lounge

Figure 7.19 Evening stargazing at the roof

Warm Period

As stated in the climatic analysis (Chapter 3), the warm period is experienced in April and November. The average temperatures in this period are 25-27°C, and the outdoor spaces can be pleasantly comfortable if well-shaded and exposed to the breeze from the Gulf.

Figure 7.20 The workers can get occupied in their morning routines through the well-shaded liwans and open courtyards while enjoying the warm glow of the early morning sun. The outdoor air temperature is around 19°C, while the UTCI is 17.32°C in the central courtyard and about 16.8°C in the hallways.

Figure 7.21 In the afternoon, the workers can enjoy fruitful community time in the spacious public square, where they can buy the daily essentials as well as indulge themselves in a quick game of cricket. The outdoor air temperature is around 31°C while the UTCI is 29.3°C.

Figure 7.22 At night, the inhabitants can take refuge in their cozy quarters while allowing the cool evening breeze to ventilate the heat out of their rooms. The outdoor air temperature is 25.2°C while the operative temperature is a comfortable 27.2°C

Time: 6AM Tout: 19OC GH: 67 W/m2

Time: 2PM Tout: 31OC GH: 681 W/m2

Time: 8PM Tout: 25.2OC GH: 0 W/m2 Figure 7.20 Early morning breakfast in the courtyard

Figure 7.21 Afternoons at the public square

Figure 7.22 Respite in the night in the bedroom

Hot Period

As mentioned in the climatic analysis (Chapter 3), the hot period is experienced from May to October. The average temperatures in this period are above 30°C with average total radiation 7.4kWh/m2.

Figure 7.23 In the morning, the migrant laborers can enjoy the cooling effect of the shade in the courtyard while getting ready for their day. The outdoor temperatures in the morning are around 30.3°C, with the UTCI in the courtyard at 28.18°C and the liwans at 27.2°C.

Figure 7.24 During lunchtime, the night shift workers can get their days to rest inside their rooms without depending on air conditioning units to keep them comfortable. The rooms can be decoupled from the outdoors through shutters, and ceiling fans can be used for cooling the room. The outdoor temperature is high, around 40.9°C, while the operative temperature inside the room is a relatively comfortable 30°C.

Figure 7.25 At nighttime, the workers can relax in their rooms’ privacy, which can be further opened up for increased ventilation. The outdoor temperature is around 36.1°C, while the operative temperature is at 29.3°C.

Time: 6AM Tout: 30.3OC GH: 199 W/m2

Time: 6AM Tout: 40.9OC GH: 848 W/m2

Time: 6AM Tout: 36.1OC GH: 0 W/m2 Figure 7.23 Early morning breakfast in the shaded courtyard

Figure 7.24 Resting during the afternoons in the bedroom

Figure 7.25 Respite in the night in the bedroom

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CONCLUSION

This dissertation aims to revive traditional liminal spaces through the lens of sustainable environmental design in labor camps. They provide experiential diversity, temperature gradient, and the flexibility to adapt the spaces to any program based on the user’s needs and external conditions. Moreover, they function as a microclimate modifier that improves the surrounding environment’s comfort conditions, creates a socially dynamic hub, and provides privacy and seclusion.

The growing concern over the thermal shock crisis and social exclusion among migrant workers in Sharjah concludes this project with a relatively pragmatic interpretation of a community living designed using various climate-responsive vernacular strategies with liminality at the center. Literature review, climate analysis, and the study of inhabitants all provide starting points for designing this environmentally responsive labor camp.

The study on the ‘Urban Context’ and the modification of urban canyons demonstrates the possibility of reducing the effect of solar radiation in Sharjah by embracing simple orientation strategies, aspect ratio, and additional daytime shading through sabat. Integrating the canyon (sikka) as a transitional space in the urban form development, staggering the units, and varying the heights create a symbiotic relationship between the buildings and their surrounding environment. It highlights the importance of transitional spaces and context in forming peoples’ thermal expectations and helping their acclimatization process.

Further on, the built form, supported by the series of liminal spaces typical in Sharjah’s architecture, namely the courtyard and liwan, promotes a close connection between the indoors and the outdoors, blurring the sharp distinction between the two. Along with thermal mass, they can reduce conductive heat gains, which is the largest source of discomfort in Sharjah in the hottest period. Furthermore, the jali with shutters that replace the glazing units altogether provides a more adaptive opportunity to control one’s environment, whether in terms of daylight or thermal comfort. This palette of diverse spatial and environmental qualities allows the inhabitants to define their boundaries within their living units. Furthermore, due to the wide range of microclimatic conditions, the new proposal provides, the occupants can migrate through the house during the year and the day. For instance, in the mild period, they can sleep on the roof stargazing while spending the daytime moving around from the courtyard to the open lounge, depending on the outdoor temperature and requirements. This internal nomadism changes not only the standardized label of the spaces but also the user’s perception of their usability.

By adopting this multi-level approach of liminal spaces and incorporating a range of passive strategies as design tools, it was possible to create a community for the migrant workers that replaced the mechanically cooled monotonous sealed camps with a free space that varied with each season and each day, providing better environmental qualities and most importantly health and well-being for the workers.

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APPENDIX A

The 5 Step Overheating Assessment Method

5-SOAM is based on 5-step hourly subdivision criteria to assess the intensity and frequency of overheating in a sensitive manner. The method divides overheating temperatures depending on how far they are from the upper comfort limit. Each criterion could be described as follows:

1. Number of hours above 0.1K. The total amount of hours where temperature is strictly above comfort but less than 1°K. The number of hours may represent in a rigorous way time outside of the comfort limit but not an overheating problem since a temperature change of less than 1°K is almost imperceptible to the body.

2. Number of hours above 1°K. The total amount of hours where temperature is one whole degree or more above comfort but less than 2°K. This specific distance from the upper comfort limit is taken as a starting point since sensitive subjects would start feeling thermal stress, although it would still not represent a problem or a significant thermal stress.

3. Number of hours >2°K. The total amount of hours where the temperature is 2°K or more above comfort limit, but less than 3°K. This is where thermal stress is already manifested, and something should be done to regain comfort.

4. Number of hours >3°K. The total amount of hours where the temperature is three degrees or more above comfort but less than 4°K. This is where thermal stress is clearly present, but still it is possible to be solve and re-gain comfort.

5. Number of hours >4°K. The total amount of hours where the temperature is four degrees or more above comfort. The last step before severe overheating where conditions may still be bearable for the less sensitive subjects.

Once the overheating hours corresponding to a reading or a simulation result are distributed across the five division method, it is possible to appreciate the frequency of overheating hours, as well as their distance from the upper comfort limit (Zepeda-Rivas, Rodríguez-Álvarez, and García-Chávez 2022).