THE BALANCING ACT OF CONSCIOUS DESIGN STRATEGIES

The aim of climate-responsive architecture is not only to design in accordance to the climate of a site, but also to make those designs environmentally-conscious

- Shobhan Kothari

With the urgency to control carbon emissions and halt the looming climate catastrophe, every industry has woken up to the echoing din of climate change. The recently held COP26 summit highlights the gravity of the situation, as world leaders from all major countries gathered to pledge their allegiance to reduce greenhouse emissions and deforestation. The AEC industry is no stranger to the effects of construction activities on our environment. As we realize that our resources are limited and scarce, we have shifted our focus towards more environmentally-conscious practices such as climate responsive architecture.

It is important to understand that architecture is not independent of the site and its various characteristics. The design decisions change drastically according to the site conditions of the project and its context. Climate responsive architecture focuses on the climatic conditions of the site on which the structure is built. While working on site analysis, data regarding the sun path, wind direction, rainfall, humidity and soil conditions is collected, which then informs many facets of building design.

We live in a tropical country with many climatic zones that range from hot, humid and arid to composite depending on the region. Based on the location, the building is aligned according to the weather conditions of the site. The climate is studied at both the macro and micro levels to understand the impact on the structure and surroundings. For instance, a building in a hot and dry region will have a compact form and will be oriented in a direction where the heat gain is less. In similar ways, the design decisions will change for buildings in a cold and wet region depending upon the climatic factors.