Ecological architecture

Course coordinator conf. dr. arh. Mihai OpreanuSpecialty optional project for year VSecond semester/ 2013 2014‐

1. ObjectivesTesting the assimilation of basic and specialized professional skills by means of an individual work project, integrating various aspects of current architecture practice, offering a coherent and pragmatic response to the chosen case study defined by the program. It is intended for this project to integrate the architectural and technological vision of the proposition into the sustainable development criteria of human-build environment.

2. The projectThere is a choice from the following subjects: „ISOVER Multi Comfort House Students Contest, Edition 2014: School of‐ ‐

tomorrow Gaziantep ”; http://www.isover.ro/concurs international de arhitecturapentru‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐studenti 270.html;‐ sustainable intervention on an object of patrimonial value (the cave assemble „Basarabi” ‐ ‐

http://ansamblulbasarabi.blogspot.com; Curtea Domnească (the old court) from Bucharest; the protection and revitalization of archeological sites etc.); a sustainable intervention that promotes cultural and ecological values of the assembles/ ‐

architectural objects (natural areas or protected sites); project for a high rise building (office tower, hotel, etc);‐experimental theatre;‐other themes proposed by students are allowed as long as they meet the general theme but only if‐

it was previously discussed with the teacher and/or the class assistants and it was agreed upon.

3. ContentIn the general theme context defined by the specific problem of the current generation, that of “intelligent” architecture, energy efficient and ecological compatible, there is a certain degree of freedom in the student’s choices. As it is, the program will be proposed by the students, with the tutors agreement. The project will include applicative research, furthering the studies on various issues discussed in the specialty courses attended previously, especially those of Construction physics and Architectural eco-technology using practical training in planning for execution. The project will have to include the quality assessment of the obtained conditions versus the normed performance criteria.As such, the study will be composed in three stages, as it follows:

Stage 1: Preliminary researcha. preliminary information on basic program and the choosing of intervention site.b. research regarding innovative systems and technologies with high level of specialization likesystems and parts of systems for prefabricated industrialized construction, for new buildings or rehabilitation of existing ones, special technological interventions, unique in character, rehabilitations, integration of renewable energy sources and energy saving solutions; „green building design”; research in normed criteria for lighting, heating and ventilation systems, acoustics,

safety : bioclimatic buildings, smart buildings or with special integrated structural systems, etc. the documentation will be closely related in accordance with the chose program.

Stage 2: Before-hand StudyThis is meant to be the equivalent of the basic content of an architecture contest together with a first stage of licensing procedure ( Feasibility study, without the economic part of it).

Stage 3: the developing of the studyIt shall be developed, for a certain part of the proposed object, reaching the level of technical detail project and architectural brief. The project will incorporate, in an coherent and unitary solution, the specific requirements from other specialties involved and will be able to include the making of specialized pieces such as equipping and structural drawings.

Important!The project will be made individually or in groups of maximum 4 students, depending of the particularities of the chosen subject. In specific cases, for more complex projects larger groups can be accepted, by common agreement with the tutors.To facilitate the communication all students are required to subscribe to the yahoo group „Arhitectura Ecologica 2014” by sending a mail to arh‐ecologica2014‐subscribe@yahoogroups.com

4. Project contents:Stage 1: Preliminary research In class there will be open talks with each group regarding the choice of the base program and the content of the documentation.A CD or DVD will be requested with the following contents:

- Base program- Table of contents with documentation- editable in .doc format- Explanation of documentation and choice of solutions- also in .doc format- Selection of documentation relevant in regard with choice of program

Stage 2: Before-hand StudyMap of A3 size and CD/DVD with following contents: the definition and motivation of the program and of the chosen site (description of the ‐

architecture program and propose functions, functional schemes) the analysis of the site (bioclimatic studies- solar control, natural light; urban studies, ‐

opportunities, all of which will be shown with conclusions) Illustration of the intervention’s concept of sustainability ‐

a. eco –compatible intervention principles resulting from previous studiesb. functional, ambiental control and intervention strategies represented through schemes, relations, technological choices, equipment, etc (ex. Google search image: architecturesustainability diagram)c. evaluation proposition of project sustainability (LEED, BREEAM,etc.). Using spherical diagrams the following will be presented using a notation system going from +3 to -3: the air and atmospheric impact (climatic factors, stored energy, used energy, minimization of energy loss, using energy from

renewable sources, transport/mobility); water impact, soil impact, flora and fauna impact, cultural factors impact, human impact, community impact (see anex 1) the drawn pieces needed to completely and clearly express the layout and solution be they ‐

generic or specific

Stage 3: the developing of the studyThe final deadline will be accompanied by an oral presentation of the projects on 19th may 2014 starting at 10.00 AM. The following pieces are mandatory:Written parts: architectural presentation‐

Drawn parts: presentation of the project’s sustainability concept‐ area plan sc. 1:2000‐ ‐ site plan sc. 1:500 / 1:1000‐ ‐ ground floor plan sc. 1:100 / 1:200‐ ‐ different level plans sc. 1:50 / 1:100‐ ‐ characteristic sections sc. 1:50 / 1:100‐ ‐ facades sc. 1:50 / 1:100‐ ‐ details of joining (plan, section and view) sc. 1:20‐ ‐ three (3) specific details (1 detail = a subassembly determined by at least two orthogonal ‐

projections) (sc. 1:10 or 1:5, depending on the detailing need)Note: all pieces will be paged on A2 ‐landscape. There are exceptions when A1 landscape is admitted only if the dimension of the project can’t be done otherwise. The drawings will be saved and delivered digitally as .pdf or .jpg. by neglecting to do so will cause an one point deduction from the final grade.

5. Evaluation method:The content and quality of the activity during class will be noted by the tutors in the student’s individual chart. The final evaluation consists in the presentation of the work made by the students.Observations: the promotion of this project is conditioned by having at least 6 discussions for each student;‐ the project that best fits the objectives will be featured in the magazine „Igloo ‐

Habitat&Arhitectură”;

6. Project schedule:17.02.2014 (week 1) official launch of project and group forming24.02.2014 (week 2) class discussions03.03.2014 (week 3) deadline and presentation stage 1- preliminary research10.03.2014 (week 4) class discussions17.03.2014 (week 5) class discussions24.03.2014 (week 6) deadline and presentation stage 2- before hand study31.03.2014 (week 7) class discussions07.04.2014 (week 8) class discussions14.04.2014 (week 9) class discussions21.04.2014 – 02.05.2014 break for practice activities05.05.2014 (week 10) class discussions

12.05.2014 (week 11) class discussions19.05.2014 (week 12) deadline and presentation stage 3- the developing of the study

VII. Minimal bibliography: CROWTHER, Richard L., ‐ ECOLOGIC ARCHITECTURE, Buttrworth Heinemann 1992;‐ SLESSOR, Catherine, ‐ ECO – TECH, Sustainable Architecture and High Technology,

Thames and Hudson; WATSON, Donald, FAIA, and Kenneth LABS, ‐ CLIMATIC DESIGN; SOLAR ARCHITECTURE

IN EUROPE, Design, Performance and Evaluation, PrismPress1991

Note: generally the bibliography of the courses in Construction Physics and Architectural eco technology. In particular, the finding and selecting of bibliographic reference adequate for the specific studied case is an obligation of the student and it represents an evaluation criteria of the present work