Architecture in Tune With the Climate

A different kind of approch is being put into practice to create architecture in tune with the climate. A recent article published in The New York Times informs that from a state-of-the-art recycling center in Brooklyn to sustainable rebuilding efforts for places hit by Hurricane Sandy, a host of green projects are on the horizon.

Perez Art Museum Miami; Jonathan Chesley/Selldorf Architects; Alex Garvin

Varying shades of green: clockwise from top left, Herzog and de Meuron’s building for the Pérez Art Museum in Miami; the Sims Municipal Recycling Facility in Brooklyn, by Selldorf Architects; the Lakeside Center at Prospect Park in Brooklyn, by Tod Williams and Billie Tsien.

"Today, most designers know to build green, when they can. And they know to try to make a public noise when they do. Green is chic; whether you’re designing a skyscraper or a children’s spoon, it sells," said author of the article, Philip Noble. Now there is a more concerted effort by architects to take a broad view, countering climate change not only by altering the design of buildings, but also the design of the larger systems in which they function.

The article talks about the current projects that are being undertaken with this new seriousness by various agencies and highlights about two design programs rolling out this year and next, both inspired by the impact of Hurricane Sandy, are evidence of big thinking along the same lines: learning to solve with systems, not style. Read full article here.

Creating public spaces that are accessible and enable the experience of nature within the spaces of the building

Designing with an implementation mentality

DA has worked on over 250 projects

Through design leadership, expert knowledge and services excellence, Design Atelier's clear focus is to be an exemplary influence on the design of Indian built environments. We create dynamic solutions through meticulous planning, knowledge and services.

We are a thinking firm that has a cool and collaborative process that gracefully combines the voices and skills of architects, designers and artists, with the strong delivery orientation. Design Atelier is recognized for its strong project management and goals achievement focus.

Design Atelier's green design approach looks for the ideas and implementation planning related to sustaining the life cycle of buildings that live after the construction. Working with the client as a key voice, and by integrating inputs from all building utilities engineering disciplines, we provide clients with well coordinated, well conceived, cost effective and environmentally responsive solutions, that meet the future.

Design Atelier is a full services Architecture, Interiors, Urban Design firm whose designs focus on creating the strong brand identity and 'aura' that gives institutions a special edge in the highly competitive international landscape of new India. Go to our website for more info. 

This illegal "rooftop garden villa" tops them all

An illegal structure built on rooftop of a 26-storey residential building by an eccentric Beijing resident became one of the top news over Internet few days ago. Professor Zhang Biqing spent 6 years building what's referred to in the article as a "rooftop garden villa," with fake rocks and real vegetation above his penthouse apartment. The neighbors got concerned about the possible damage and complained to the authorities. And now the creator of this 'rooftop house' has 15 day to demolish the illegal structure.

The officials of Beijing's chengguan (meaning urban management) have issued an ultimatum to a former government advisor, demanding he tear down the sprawling structure. This rooftop garden villa is built with elaborate fake rocks, real trees and grass and some portions of the structure seems as if they could spill over the edge of the roof at any time.

When reporters of Beijing Morning News, the local newspaper confronted Zhang, he said, "Since I dare to live here, I am not worried about complaints. Famous people come to my place and sing. How can you stop them?"

Using Solar Energy For Green Buildings

As the prices to create and install solar cells continues to decrease, more and more homes and businesses are using solar power for their energy requirements. The use of solar power reduces the amount of carbon used for traditional power sources, and can decrease energy costs, therefore, solar power is gaining popularity in many parts of the world.

The solar power is actually gained by installing solar power cells. There are many different types of solar power cells but 4 of them are widely used. Crystalline silicone, ordinary silicon cells, thin film cells, and concentrator cells are commonly used. Crystalline silicone cells are the cells most commonly used in solar power plants. Just like in most semiconductors, the Crystalline silicone cells are also made from two layers, a positive layer and negative layer and when photons from the sun’s light strikes the semiconductors and released electrons, the electric field is created between the two layers. 

Photovoltaic (PV) Energy

Photovoltaic (PV) panels contain hundreds of small silicon cells that collect the sun's energy and convert it into electricity that can be used in the home or offices. With the appropriate power conversion device (inverter), these PV systems can produce alternating current (AC) compatible with any conventional appliances and operate in parallel with and interconnected to the utility grid.

Dynamic Daylighting

Many companies have also come out with smart solar solutions to increase efficient use of resources. One such solution is to control individual sections in a building such as in a floor-to-ceiling window with a hot glare in only one area, thus allowing a work or living space to use daylight rather than artificial lighting, but hold down glare at the same time, making a comfortable work space and still using less energy.

In nutshell, the sun provides an unlimited resource for power around the world and is becoming a positive energy source for people across the world to reduce their carbon footprint and save on energy expenditure.

Chimes, Gurgaon: Experience Nature Within The Spaces Of The Building

The architecture of the Chimes Building, Gurgaon symbolizes life inside the building and one can experience nature within the spaces of this building. The design of the building takes care of issues like sustainability, sociability, making room for nature, and program flexibility. A novel solution for a multi-tenanted office building with floor plate size flexibility to create a mix of tenants from various service sectors and industries, Chimes becomes a public space that is accessible and thrives at all times of the day and night.

Each floor of the building was envisioned to organize as potentially heterogeneous open-plan environments that can be combined or be separated by user requests with controlled indoor environments and amenities to suit a variety of needs for large and small businesses organized to share common community resources set up in the building. Not surprisingly, this has created a high profile address!

To maximize the use of green spaces and the views from within and outside and make use of the ground, otherwise lost to building footprint, the design places the gardens around glass-lined movement corridors and Staircase cores. You feel close to nature even when you are inside. The symbolism of the landscape and the architectural artifact are intended to enliven the whole ensemble. When you move through the spaces of the building, lift lobbies, holding areas, social spaces, cafeteria and reception which are located along the way, you realize that design has brilliantly used the idea of diverse experience of graded light and shaded spaces, landscape variation to include plant and animal life (etched into the stone surfaces), air, earth, and water as part of each of the pauses and transition experiences.

The architecture is used to develop the building marked by energy efficiency, operational convenience, low operational cost and optimized investment costs. It focuses not only on the façade, sun shading, and lighting details but above all, also on minimizing the energy consumption of the building while optimizing natural light consumption. The building is glazed on the benign North face and on shaded facades with higher performance glass responsive to the conditions. On exposed and direct heat receiving faces a solar façade of small openings set up high on the floor allow less direct heat and maximizes penetrations of light into the plate.

The building consists four interconnected floor plate blocks of varied size and scale organized around climate-modifying, natural-light-giving courtyards. These floor plates are independently equipped with amenities/facilities for all modern office requirements.

Restaurant Design: Creating Memorable Experience For Visitors And Guests

Eating has always been a sociable event. The restaurant as a hospitality institution fully emerged in the 17th century. The word “restaurant” was used in the 16th century, meaning a restorative broth, but by 1771 the term had mutated to refer to an “establishment specializing in the sale of restorative foods” as well. 

Today, it’s not just about what or where you eat, but also the how and the who that is gratified. The interiors of a restaurant has to be in sync with the food served and its provenance.

At Design Atelier, restaurant design is driven by meticulous planning and an artful eye. our innovative design teams together with the clients, carefully orchestrate architectural elements, finishes, furnishings, accessories, lighting and art to create style, image and an inviting ambiance again & again.

Design Atelier: Green Design Approach

Green design is a philosophical approach to design physical objects, the built environment, and services to comply with the principles of social, economic, and ecological sustainability.

We aim to generate forward looking ideas and implementation planning related to sustaining the life cycle of buildings that live after the construction. Working with the client as a key voice, and by integrating inputs from all building utilities engineering disciplines, we provide clients with well coordinated, well conceived, cost effective and environmentally responsive solutions, that meet the future.

Interior Design: Green Accepted As Healthy

The season brings forward old ideas remodeled according to new trends, effortless elegance, vivid colors, striking and out of the ordinary combinations and contrasts. Interior design has played a vital role in property pretty much since man began living in caves. So, whats in for this season? Many Architects & Designers like Ashish Karode, Raseel Gujral, Sita Nanda, Sushil L. Karer, Manit Rastogi, Anjali Goel and many more emphasize that a pre-design process is very important for every space. 

In homes, with the dominance of the open plan, the trend is to remove isolated areas and boundaries and create a place where one area flows into another and there aren’t that many rigid definitions. Essentially, our lifestyle choices are reflecting the way we think. Here are few points worth giving attention:

GREEN ACCEPTED AS HEALTHY

The emphasis on green continues to gain momentum. While most people are well aware of the built environment’s impact on our planet, less is known about how it relates to human health. So as they are maintaining their space organically for their own better self.

SMALLER SPACES / STUDIO LIFE

Functionality is a substance and small spaces are designed in such a manner that they cater their owner to use it at its best. Gone are the days of cheaply produced mega mansions. Today design is about smaller, well planned spaces made with quality materials that will last a lifetime.

DOMINANCE OF ART

No more people want to cover the large extent of their walls, but a light colour wall with a brilliant piece of Art. Now the artists are considered a part of this trend. They have moved to walls & Ceiling from the canvas board. Lobby of Taj Hotel, in New Delhi owns a huge art of M.F.Hussain. He took many months to finish the work.

QUALITY MATERIALS DOING MORE WITH LESS

Now Leather looking Tile can’t be predicted till the time you don’t touch it but it’s easy to maintain like a tile but gives a fabulous look of leather. That’s how many materials have been developed and getting launched this year too. Higher functionality & low cost and time maintenance.

THE COZY SPACES

Leathers, tweeds, flannels and canvas fabrics are popping up all over furniture. Icons of high style like, and have turned their attention to interiors. Everything from master bedrooms, media room and living rooms, both indoors and out will be dominated by fabrics traditionally seen on large basis

The beauty of interior design as a subject and interest, there are no boundaries, form and beauty can meet in function, as long as we're talking of items for the home or workplace, which serves to fulfill a function, interior design, meets its needs.

Avoiding Modern Glass Facades In Indian Architecture

We all admire the old cities of India, especially the residential quarters that were full of buildings designed during the great era of the master builders. We all especially love the work of the great Rajasthani and Gujarati builders, where meticulous detailing and carefully placed openings created spaces that are naturally comfortable and connected to the environment. Modern buildings typically use glazed facades in an effort to bring the outdoors in. But when we are in these buildings we rarely feel comfortable, nor do we get a sense of connection with the outdoors. What are we missing here?

In the era of modern architecture, glass facades were ushered in by Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe and later Philip Johnson, and their contemporaries probably would not have been possible without the invention of air-conditioning. We recall modern architecture history that writes of Le Corbusier's pioneering Salvation Army building in Paris, that was comfortable when it was first occupied in the winter of 1933, but it overheated in summer and had to be retrofitted with operable windows and air-conditioning. After World War II, modern architecture ventured into buildings with deep floor plates and ceiling-mounted fluorescent lighting that all but gave up any link to what lay outside, except along their perimeters. After the oil-price shocks of the late 1970s and early 1980s, dark coatings and films were added in an effort to lower energy use, which further cut off people's connection to the outdoors.

Now we have glass coatings that can filter out more heat than light. But are they really comfortable? Developers tell us the advantages of the glamorous looking but thin skinned glass buildings are easier to lease and sell, (not the least because of the extra space they generate by avoiding walls, . But they then neglect to report that these buildings struggle with the glare and heat that come with large glass openings. Designers respond by closing shades, which kind of defeats the purpose of all that glass. And in high-rises, stimulating views are offset, for many occupants, by discomfort and vertigo—hardly the intended calming effect of a connection to nature.

In the Indian environment, we have all seen this problem over and over. In one building with floor-to-ceiling glass, the air temperature behind the south and west sides of the facade was 35 degrees centigrade as the  sun-saturated glass radiated so much heat that the only way to provide acceptable comfort was to drastically overcool the air. A broker of high-end commercial real estate told me recently that his more sophisticated tenants refuse to look at spaces with large south- or west-facing window walls.

Many Indian architects are now borrowing a page from Europe and building with narrower floor plates to allow more daylight into occupied spaces. They don't always realize, however, that when we put people closer to windows, we no longer need large floor-to-ceiling or even desk-to-ceiling window configurations. With thoughtful design of new narrow-floor-plate buildings, we think that developers could respond favourably to buildings with window-to-wall ratios as low as 25 percent.

When it comes to good window design, we can learn from buildings constructed a century ago, before the age of air-conditioning and fluorescent lights. As a community, we need to be more creative with facades, factoring in sun shading, glass type, and, yes, the amount of glazing. We can also explore other ways to bring nature into our buildings, such as material selection, live plants, and moving water. If we do these things well, we'll not only save energy; we'll also make people more comfortable and productive.