Learning from Precedent

This paper argues that precedent should play a fundamental role in the development of sustainable homes. It will describe how the design of two energy efficient family homes in Winchester, England, adopt a distinctive approach to environmental precedent. The modern house is substantially a product of numerical calculation, such as the modelling of performance data and cost-benefit analysis. Construction (materials, u-values) and processes (energy use, assembly, airtightness) are quantified and assessed to ensure they achieve design objectives based on recognised standards of performance (Energy Performance Certificate: A; Code for Sustainable Homes: level 4). However this technical analysis alone cannot inform the initial creative idea. The design of these houses was informed by intuitive reference to a range of diverse precedents, including the work of Alvar Aalto, Sverre Fehn, Robert Venturi and Roelof Uytenbogaardt. The asymmetric roofs of Aalto’s Housing for ex-service men in Tampere (1941) define thresholds to front and side doors, and a sheltered private space to the back overlooking the garden. Fehn’s Villa Norrköping (1964) was designed around circadian rhythms, with day and night-time spaces defined by glazed corners (’eyes’) and alcoves, animated by daylight and shadow. Venturi’s Mother’s House (1964) symbolises in its idiosyncratic form and modest material treatment the pragmatic and egalitarian promise of a home and identity of one’s own. House Uytenbogaardt (1993) exploits solar orientation and the topography of its location to the utmost, framing views of the horizon and sunsets over the ocean. The house is part fortified tower house, part bespoke wooden cabinet, responding to the unique atmosphere and light of the Western Cape coastline. This paper will describe how these two subtly different Winchester houses borrow from each of these examples to reconcile technical requirements with the poetic possibilities inherent in imagining other environments, informed by the specific climate and conditions of the site.

Background selection under evolving recombination rates

Background selection (BGS), the effect that purifying selection exerts on sites linked to deleterious alleles, is expected to be ubiquitous across eukaryotic genomes. The effects of BGS reflect the interplay of the rates and fitness effects of deleterious mutations with recombination. A fundamental assumption of BGS models is that recombination rates are invariant over time. However, in some lineages recombination rates evolve rapidly, violating this central assumption. Here, we investigate how recombination rate evolution affects genetic variation under BGS. We show that recombination rate evolution modifies the effects of BGS in a manner similar to a localised change in the effective population size, potentially leading to an underestimation of the genome-wide effects of selection. Furthermore, we find evidence that recombination rate evolution in the ancestors of modern house mice may have impacted inferences of the genome-wide effects of selection in that species.

The Umah Pitu Ruang concept: Environmental adaptation and the Covid-19 pandemic

This paper discusses how to adapt the concept of space from Umah Pitu Ruang in the past to modern Gayo houses today, especially to deal with the dynamics of the Covid-19 pandemic case. At the same time, it brings the environmental adaptation of the houses. This research uses descriptive qualitative method. Data collection is done by collecting literature, observation and interviews. The data collected through literature, observation, and interviews will then be analyzed and then described what is found in Umah Pitu Ruang, a modern house, and what the implications are for a healthy home. Although physically, Umah Pitu Ruang is difficult to re-apply nowadays, but some of the spatial concepts of Umah Pitu Ruang can still be adapted for today, including during the COVID-19 pandemic through a sharper perspective. The architecture of the past can provide lessons through local wisdom, one of which is culture. In this discussion we can conclude that the culture that exists in Umah Pitu Ruang can be adapted to the present with a contemporary approach.

Experiencing Authenticity at Alvar Aalto’s Experimental House

Experiences of authenticity are studied at Alvar Aalto’s Experimental House – today a modern house museum – which has gone through renovations and changes. Visitors were interviewed to find out how they feel about the authenticity of the place, if the changes affect their experience of authenticity, and if they share the same opinions. A review of the literature on the concept of authenticity is carried out and its implications for museum contexts is considered, and then the research questions are answered by analysing 30 interviews of visitors to the Experimental House.

Comparison of temperature and humidity among traditional underground and modern house in Gharyan, Libya

Modern buildings are associated with a lot of shortcomings, such as consumption of an excessive amount of non-renewable energy and resources, environmental pollution and depletion of natural landscapes, etc. Vernacular buildings can be argued to help in reducing environmental problems for local society. Libya, as a developing Arab country, has also faced several urbanization problems in recent years. However, the country has a remarkable span of vernacular architecture patterns. Vernacular architecture that the country owns may be a solution to combat such challenges. There are three types of traditional vernacular dwellings in three regions of the country as underground housing (the mountain region), compact dwelling (the desert), and the courtyard house (coastal region). Thus the aim of this study is to make a comparison between underground and modern housing in Gharyan, Libya, with regards to thermal performance and humidity. Thermal performance in both underground and above ground houses was measured with an instrument called a hygrometer. The result from the thermal measurement that was done in one month of the winter season (21/01/2019-18/02/2019) demonstrates that the underground house has an indoor mean temperature and humidity of 16.12°C and % 62.07 RH while the other house type has an indoor temperature and humidity of 12.70°C and % 70.13 RH. The underground house seems to have a relatively reasonable and stable indoor temperature compared to the modern house indoor. In addition, the underground house seems to be relatively less humid compared to the modern house for indoor environment in particular.

Review on Solar Space Heating - Cooling in Libyan Residential Buildings

This review paper focuses on documenting and studying published papers and works in the field of solar heating and cooling air space in residential buildings. The goal of this survey and documentation is to find out the most important flashing results and conclusions specifically in fields of using solar energy for space heating, cooling and ventilation of local residential buildings in Libya. This covers using active and passive solar systems in, achieving thermal human comfort in such buildings leading to reduce electrical energy consumption. This paper also concentrates on applying energy efficiency measures in buildings; planning, design, and construction stages with the use of the principles of energy conservation in buildings. There are several studies comparing traditional with modern house designs in several local cities including both famous old cities of “Ghadames” and “Gharyan”. Several conclusions and recommendations are summarized within the text of this paper.

Modern Heritage, organic space, material permanence: Torres Posse House in Tafí del Valle

The Torres Posse House (1957-1958) is a testimony to the particular forms that the modern house took in the context of northern Argentina, and at the same time shows how the conservation and sustainability of modern heritage come in large part from the quality of its original project. Built to enjoy the holidays, it was rationally organized, according to the demands of economy, topography of the site, climate, and orientation. The gallery, the most memorable space, is a typological approach that remains in good condition. The project established a stone box within which to arrange a demanding interior program with total freedom. The durability of the material proposed it as a modern architecture, capable of transcending the obsolescence of the modern image to resist the passage of time and aging without conflict.

Natural Air Cooling System

Increase of indoor temperature compared with outdoor temperature is a major concern in modern house design. Occupants suffer from this uncomfortable condition because of overheating indoor temperature. Poor passive design causes heat to be trapped, which Influences the rise in indoor temperature. The upper part, which covers the area of the roof, is the most critical part of the house that is exposed to heat caused by high solar radiation and high emissivity levels. During day time, the roof accumulates heat, which increases the indoor temperature and affects the comfort level of the occupants. Our aim is to provide cooling effect by arrangement of electric fan and Copper pipe with minimum cost. Our second aim is to drop the room temperature by 6-8 Degree Celsius.

Pengembangan Jalamba sebagai Ornamen Arsitektural pada Rumah

Jalamba is a traditional fence from Gorontalo whose existence shows to people who sees it that there will be a celebration, going on, and has been held in that place. Apart from the customary activities, jalamba also can be found in front of the house on stilts and on the other place like the mosque. The use of jalamba of the house on stilts and the mosque shows that jalamba is not attached to the customary activities and can be used as the architectural elements that can show the cultural richness of Gorontalo. This research will discuss the development of the jambala with a focus on residential building types or a house in the first step that could be piloted to develop in other types of other buildings. This research is qualitative, data obtained trough studies, literature, and field observations. The literature being reviewed is in the form of books, internet articles, and research journals. Research result shows that the development of jalamba as the architectural elements to the house is based on the effort for developing part of the Gorontalo culture to be preserved and become part of the modern house contemporary architecture.

Spiritual Energy of Islamic House in Forming Cotemporary House

The pace of daily life and its requirements are getting higher and are led by technology with its direct effects on the health of the individual. There is no doubt that its benefits are endless but its negative effects on the health of the user have become clear, to reduce the negative energy accompanying it to the lowest level by facing another positive energy that is superior to restore the balance first, and overcome it to be the dominant feature of space, the house is the most important place where individuals spend most of their time, which imposes on the designer not be specialized not only to the forms and relations but beyond to form the modern house itself with power to reset the balance of life in general. The house based on Islamic foundations is featured with great energy that has been reflected as positive energy on the residents which is necessitated studying to use in the formation of modern houses with energy. The problem of research was (a knowledge gap about the energy sources in the house according to the Islamic perspective and employment it in the contemporary house). The research aims to study the house in accordance with the Islamic perspective and its relation to energy and determine the elements of its composition and organization through a theoretical framework for the process of energy composition of the Islamic house and the revealing what is verified in contemporary production, the study concluded to depending on forming the house...