Architecture, Building and Planning - Theses

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Subject: architecture × Author: Aitchison, Mareuil de Villebois ×

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    A consideration of vegetation, landscaping and microclimatic conditions for building comfort
    Aitchison, Mareuil de Villebois ( 1963)
    SCOPE OF THESIS: - An attempt to analyse natural elements of hot arid landscape, and further assess ways and means by which these elements could be utilised in order to modify micro-climatic conditions within buildings. - A brief analysis of landforms on the effect of reflected radiation on structures, and a discussion on the effect of waterbodies in the environment of structures, is followed by a more exhaustive treatment of the subject of vegetation and its impact on physical comfort. - A detailed study of courtspaces in physical planning and housing layouts. - A practical design application of conclusions. INTRODUCTION: - The Twentieth Century has witnessed an unprecedented .advancement in the fields of science and technology, yet there is little evidence of their application to provide better living conditions for a large number of people who reside in predominantly hot and arid regions of the world. Because of lack of water supply, and what could be termed hostile climate, the arid areas present problems which are far too extreme in their scope and dimension. - Only after the second world war such world organisations as U.N.E.S.C.O., W.H.O. and F.A.0., began to pay some attention to the particularly complex problems of arid zones. - Next to food and clothing, shelter presents perhaps the most important challenge. Like many other underdeveloped regions there is a tremendous shortage of housing and other building types in arid areas. Available meagre finances point to the need for inexpensive solutions. In terms of structures it means provision of comfortable living conditions without resorting to either costly insulation or complicated construction techniques. Attention should be focussed on the possibi11ties of modification of natural climatic elements in order to achieve agreeable thermal comfort. - Some of the elements, particularly those of vegetation, landforms and waterbodies, and the ways in which they could be employed to alter the severity of arid environment, form the basis of this thesis.