ARCHITECTURAL SYSTEMS ARCH-COMM 2 HARUN QASSIM
INITIAL RESEARCH & CRITICAL ANALYSIS Initial Research and Critical Analysis
CHOSEN SUBJECT: AUTO-DOORS (AIRLOCK-MECHANISM)
Project Aims / Python Reflection The aim of this experiment is to understand the benefits that computational design in architecture with an emphasis on Python and other scripting languages. This allowed me to better formulate my ideas for which portion of the auto-door’s to focus on. I’ve decided to focus on the airlock system within the auto-doors, The reason being that i believe the airlock system is integral to the continual sustainability factor of the building’s heating and cooling system. This means that if the airlock system is properly designed and calibrated for various changes to the immediate environment, the site could benefit greatly from the reduced energy required to constantly monitor the buildings internal temperature and therefore reduce its overall Greenhouse Emissions. Overall the analysis made on python based architecture has allowed me to formulate my own designs for the airlock and atrium space
P Y T H O N R E F L E C T I O N
The relative importance of Python and other coding languages in architecture and design as a whole is summarized in both the current trend towards automation and computational design. Coding allows for new forms, features and functions to be thoroughly investigated prior to materialisation. It can assist in the ‘’homogenising’’ of different softwares and functions into a simpler and easier to use system of operation. (Martin Fowler, 2011) In order to properly visualise this distillation of data into a simplified string of information, Fowler states: “Layering is one of the most common techniques that software designers use to break apart a complicated software system. You see it in machine architectures, where layers descend from a programming language with operating system calls into device drivers and CPU instruction sets, and into logic gates inside chips. Networking has FTP layered on top of TCP, which is on top of IP, which is on top of ethernet Fowler’s analogy which draws upon computational layering as a simplification process within programming and thus compiles the notion that coding as an infinitely varied and versatile tool that is not burdened by the normal complexities faced by other mathematical data evaluators. Thus when applying coding systems to architecture the benefits of layering are made clear as the complex building systems are able to be dissected and visualized in a coherent manner. The holistic application of coding in architecture, does not need to permeate into all faucest of the field for the overall continuation and development of the craft into the future. Traditional forms of architectural expression and development which includes drawings, sketches, schematics and models will always be prevalent and effective in the design process; however coding has become a necessary extension for architects to link themselves to specialists working on the site (engineers and technical specialists) who use coding as a basis for communicating data. By ‘speaking their language’ both figuratively and literally, the architect is able to properly convey the changes, amalgamations and other alterations or proposals with swiftness and efficiency, thereby showcasing the almost necessity of coding practices or even understanding within the scope of Architecture. Carola Lilienthal in her text titled ‘Sustainable Software Architecture’ peers into the relationship between coding practices and the architect’s active design methodology. Similar along Fowler’s lines of simplicity and distillation, Lilienthal covers the ‘boundless and self-sufficient’ architect who is able to master coding and be able to find new forms of expression (Carola Lilienthal, 2019) Therefor by having a strong basis of understanding and event interacting with coding languages is both a necessity and a strong skill for most architects who are keen on expanding the envelope of contemporary design and are willing to venture beyond the current confines of architectural design making. Structures such as bridges (Yavus Sultan Selim Bridge), monuments (Guggenheim NY) and institutions (Guggenheim Bilbao) all use and expand upon the use of mathematical coding to produce functional, aesthetic and profound designs. References: Fowler, M 2015, Patterns of enterprise application architecture, Addison-Wesley, Boston, MA. Lilienthal, C 2019, Sustainable Software Architecture Analyze and Reduce Technical Debt, dpunkt, Heidelberg.
PYTHON COMPONENT My main focus was on the reduction of surface area to increase the efficiency of the building’s existing air-conditioning systems in maintaining it’s desired temp in both the internal section and the residual air that enters the airlock section,
COGGLE DIAGRAM GENERATION & ANALYSIS
Auto-doors Study: Assa Abloy (An entrance systems firm) have researched the sustabilty factor of entrance systems and their energy factors, stating: ‘‘When a door saves energy, the whole building saves energy – this fact is often overlooked. Doors and windows are the obvious vulnerabilities when it comes to maintaining indoor climates – they’re thinner than walls and allow external weather to rush in when open. While windows tend to remain closed, doors are obliged to open and close several times each day for a building to function. Automatic doors are faster, smarter and more suited to high foot traffic than ordinary doors. Therefore, automatic doors are a necessity for sustainable commercial buildings, helping to minimize heat transmission, air leakage and air infiltration.’’
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dormakaba.com%2Fau-en%2Fproducts---solutions%2Fproducts%2Fentrance-systems%2Fautomatic-sliding-door-operators%2Fel-301-automatic-door-300318&psig
With the benefits of autodoors in creating a sustainble building established, the efficency of it’s role needs to be analysed and critically dissected in order to find new and innovative changes that can further increase the site’s sustainabilty score.
Solutions Coggle: This Coggle Diagram Illustrates my thought pathway to finding a solutions for the existing airlock system within the auto-doors. The Diagram splits the various factors involved in the design process for an efficient and sustainable airlock system. By Isolating the User Experience, Environmental Considerations and the System/ Function.
INPUT VS OUTPUT: The layout of this coggle diagram splits the different nodes and links into a rough catagory of how, when or why the decsion, outcome or reaction was achieved. For example the main node of ‘Materials’ is situated in the ‘Main Design Decisons (Input)’ Hemisphere of the diagram dur to it’s obvious connection to the Design Descions of the component.
Chosen Crosslink: Architect versus Sense of Space Problem: The current designed layout of the auto-doors and the subsequent airlock it houses is inefficient in it’s duties to passively regulate the atmospheric temperature of the airlock space. The reasons are many, including poorly calibrated door timings, thin and permeable materials and a large open cavity above the airlock itself. Solution: However a majority of these problems can be solved with the reduction of overall space within the airlock, compressing the space into a more compact and easily controlled area, greatly reducing the strain on the building’s temperature regulation systems
Overall View of Completed Coggle Diagram
CURRENT DESIGN ANALYSIS
Current Auto-Door Design: Situated at the North West corner of the AMDC Building. Glass Pane Construction with Alluminum and Brushed Steel Finishes
The Energy Expenditure of Having multiple autodoors pose a multitude of direct and indirect factors which affect the overall efficency of the building’s environmental austainabilty and overall maintanence
The Airlock serves as an intermediary between the interior and exterior of the building
The Airlock serves as an intermediary between the interior and exterior of the building
The Intermediary space and it’s accompanied atrium serve as a trap or container for the interior’s regulated atmosphere and the external’s unregulated to mix and intermingle allowing for patrons to be introduced into the space with only a slight change in temperature First Auto-door, first layer of the airlock. The constant opening and closing of the door in sporadic and uncalibrated momments causes vast amounts of temperature-controlled air to exit the building each time
Reflection on Existing System
The Interior space is controlled by the building’s expensive and costly-to-run heating and cooling systems. They require vast amounts of energy to consistanly regulate the static atmosphere within the building. Therefore any leaks or opeings which allow the exterior and interior to mingle freely is an extremly inefficent practice that needs to be midigated.
The Building’s existing Airlock Compartment is inefficient due to the lack of crucial design elements used by most other airlocks in order to decrease it’s Carbon Footprint and maintain a high degree of sustainabilty. - The Atrium (Space above the airlock) acts as a heat flume, trapping unfilltered air and causing the temperature of the airlock to fluctuate and even cause drafts. This can be easily remedied with an alteration to the airlock’s physical properties.
The North-West Entrance serves as the most used entrance for the AMDC building, servicing hundreds of staff, students and visitors daily. The high frequency of transit coupled with wind gusts caused by it’s close proximty to the library building means that the entrance is a generally unliked and generally ill-recieved portion of the building. This is a strong point to address because entrances set the mood for patrons entering a building, by having an uncomfortable entry the building is thus percieved in a bad light
CURVED ‘X’ DESIGN AIRLOCK ATRIUM
Re-designed Entrance now includes a front extrusion ‘lip’ that serves to diffuse any winds into two parts as it sweeps towards the door, thereby lessening the impact dramatically.
The ‘X’ shaped ceiling redesign reduces the amount of surface space within the airlock, making it more compact and easier to regulate thereby increasing the building’s overall sustainabilty.
Improved Airlock Design
The Interior remains unchanged inorder to least affect the Audience Appeal for the site and maintain the internal efficency for the airconditioning system
Overall Impact: The design has large amounts of benefits towards mitigating the building’s energy output through it’s efficecnt airlock system. Thus greatly increasing the Institution’s efforts of achieving its carbon-neutral campus. Whilst being beneficial in terms of the environment, the human interaction is also enhanced with both the aesthetic and functional capabilties of the design. In terms of aesthetic the large curvature of the entrance is an appealing structure to be greeted by and works well to refelect any harsh mid-morning and afternoon light. As for it’s functionality, the ‘X’ design greatly reduces the surface area and cubic capacity of the airlock whilst not sacrifcing any of the floorspace; this allows for greater control over the temperature of the space allowing for more comfortable entrances and exits. Both features offer a heightened level of interaction and satasfaction out of the building.
+0.8 C
+1.5 C
+0.0 C
+1 C
+0.4 C
+ 0.4 GRADE SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
BIBLIOGRAPHY ‘How automatic doors help your building be more sustainable’ https://www.assaabloyentrance.com.au/en/about-us/sustainability/sustainable-automatic-doors/ https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2F%40arcaes034%2Fbenefits-of-automatic-sliding-doors-to-install-at-commercial-place-ecd5875f3717&psig=AOvVaw0wpLwh2_AVlL https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dormakaba.com%2Fau-en%2Fproducts---solutions%2Fproducts%2Fentrance-systems%2Fautomatic-sliding-door-operators%2Fel-301-au
HARUN ABDI QASSIM 102354534 2020-HS1-ARC30003-Architectural Communication 2 (Semester 1)-H1 End of Semester Portfolio