Climate and Urban Design Responsive Modern Architecture in Existing Setting

Bonfring International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management Science, Vol. 2, No. 4, December 2012 62 Climate and Urban Design Responsive Modern Architecture in Existing Setting Dr.Shivashish Bose Abstract--- The major cities of India are going through huge metamorphosis under the impact of globalization, population increment, housing demand and tremendous financial investment in building industry. Rapid development of high-rise and four-five storied residential buildings are observed at every possible part of the city. In designing the city so, residential buildings are being built in quite standardized forms. Consideration for local climate, environment, urban context and overall harmony in many designs are missing. With technological advancements and new materials introduced for construction of architecture, it has become a complex system than of previous definitions about it. Now, especially commercial and public buildings take unusual forms in non-conventional materials and most of the buildings are designed as to be centrally air-conditioned consuming huge energy. On the contrary, there is worldly concern about global warming and climate change and environmental impact of buildings and environmental pollution and a quest for appropriate development that would be sustainable. To address that, on the one hand, an architect should follow the much-forgotten classical design approach based on nature, context, function, beauty and harmony and on the other hand, his architectural answer should be climate responsive, energy saving and sustainable. The three-storied residential building of Mr. Samar Banerjee in Kolkata designed by the author is one example of modern architecture that respects all and merges with the old existing urban setting though being distinct about self. Keywords--- Climate Responsive Architecture, Energy Saving, Respecting Urban Context K I. INTRODUCTION OLKATA has a tropical monsoon climate with excess of heat and humidity. Annual maximum and minimum temperatures in summer and winter are generally 39 0 C and 9 0 C and annual average rainfall is about 1651 mm with 80% of that occurring between June and September [1]. People find the time from March to October uncomfortable and April to June non-bearable because of heat and humidity. Installation of air conditioner in residential units is hugely increasing raising the total demand of electricity in the city. A competent architectural solution for adequate comfort condition in residential buildings more naturally is required. Dr.Shivashish Bose, Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032, India. E- mail:shivashishbose@yahoo.co.in In 1996, the author was commissioned by Mr. Samar Banerjee, an income tax consultant and advocate, to design a three storied residential building for him on a plot measuring about 190 sq m at Premises No. 4 on 6m wide Ajmal Khan Road in south Kolkata. The permissible floor area ratio was 1.75 and total permissible covered area was about 332 sq m. The design brief stated that the building would be used by the owner s family only and never to let for rental accommodation; would not look like a block of flats; and that a chamber for consultancy for him and a provision of car parking would have to be provided at ground floor. The author made a visual survey of the site and its surrounding urban area and found that the site stands on the west side of the 6m wide Ajmal Khan Road (laid in north-south direction) that has eight numbers of existing buildings. The road connects two roads namely Hazi Mahasin Road at south and Iswar Gupta Road (I. G. Road) at its north side. I. G. Road branches out from the junction of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Road and Southern Avenue. It was observed that people in cars from Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Road and Southern Avenue take I. G. Road to go to Alipore area, Esplanade-Dalhousie (C.B.D.) region and Howrah Railway Station as a short-cut route and to avoid busy crossings along Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Road, Ashutosh Mukherjee Road and Chowringhee Road. Hence, the crossing of I. G. Road and Ajmal Khan Road (on the left) was identified as a potential spot from where, any person by impulse from traffic security would look at the left side to view Ajmal Khan Road for a moment to check out whether any vehicle or pedestrian comes up to the I. G. Road. At that moment, the person would also glance at the streetscape, the west-side skyline, and the detail of the first floor of the building at the second plot (being Mr. Banerjee s plot) as the centre of visual field from the street-junction in question. That particular part of the building being within a distance of about 12m (maximum distance for discerning facial expression) to 18m (maximum distance for recognizing a face) [2] from the viewer has been identified as the most potential part for attracting a moving person s interest within a second (Fig. 1). It was further noted that the four other old existing buildings aged between forty to sixty years on west side of Ajmal Khan Road are three storied, built somewhat abutting on the road, and each one occupies floor area more than that would be permissible under Kolkata Municipal Corporation s Building Rules of 1990. Any new building proposal at any site would yield a permissible built up area much less than what the existing building has already occupied. So, demolition of existing buildings for new ones would not happen, and the street façade constituted by them would remain intact. DOI: 10.9756/BIJIEMS.1739

Bonfring International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management Science, Vol. 2, No. 4, December 2012 63 However, according to the Building Rule of 1990 the new building to be designed on the only vacant plot would have to be built leaving 1.2m on both sides and on the front, thus breaking the harmony of façade-like existing streetscape. In this case, out of the two possible design approaches one to merge the new one with the old setting and the other to make a contrast, the author decided to follow the first approach. The notable elements on the skyline and streetscape as observed were the pyramidal (truncated) top of a temple over the farthest building, the straight line of parapet of the second floor terrace of the third building from street-junction, the segmental arched balcony with cast iron grillwork of the first (corner) building, use of colours like light biscuit, peach, red and white, and planters at balcony, etc. The three storied new residential building situated on I. G. Road just opposite to Ajmal Khan Road has horizontal and vertical fins on the façades. Figure 1: The Basis of Design Approach Figure 2: Site Plan Showing Urban Context From the study of the site and its surroundings, it was observed that the south side of the site through which air flows for about nine months in this hot and humid tropical area was grossly blocked by existing buildings (Fig. 2), though there were narrow open spaces between two buildings on south side and open space at the southwestern side (being rear open spaces of those buildings) through which, some air flow was expected to ingress into the building. Also, the Ajmal Khan Road in north-south direction on the east side of the plot was to be considered as a wind tunnel having wind flow coming from the south, and the proposed building design should cash on this opportunity to attract air flow in the building somehow. Based on all these findings a design approach was taken by the author. II. THE DESIGN APPROACH The architectural design approach was based primarily on consideration for making the building climate responsive with acceptable comfort condition in the interior, and on the form of the building that would correspond to the site s existing urban setting and traditional cultural aspects. The objectives set to be achieved were i) To bring in fresh air flow within the rooms of the building and vent out the hot air from the building through spatial planning, design and ventilating elements, thus inducing a continuous fresh air flow in the building for physical comfort for habitants; ii) To have adequate natural light in the interior spaces of the building; iii) To respect the urban setting (by existing buildings) through a humble design with very conventional materials, balancing forms, matching colours, accentuating the focal point of visual field when observed from street junction, creating continuity of parapet-lines on skyline, etc., thus merging with the old; iv) To create unique individuality of the building also within the existing street façade by the composition of various form-elements, unseen typology of structure and massing, various zonal axes overpowered by a central axis, interplay of solid and void, play of straight and curved lines and planes; v) To create beautiful visuals in the interior of the building through accentuating entrances to the building, its various floors and common rooms with gateways and serial visions, articulated staircase, etc.; vi) To create vibrancy through simultaneous use of various warm and cool colours in the interior; vii) To demonstrate art through design of grill works that appears as calligraphy; viii) To provide graphic art on floors with various patterns and colours for enlivening spaces; ix) To provide spaces with exposed earth at site for plantation of trees and plants, and dedicated spaces in balconies for placement of planters; and x) To introduce symbolically the historic cultural elements of heritage buildings of Kolkata and forms from religious-cultural aspects but in a simplified form like that followed in post-modern design. The maximum challenge in designing was to induce continuous fresh air flow into the building and merge the new building with the old setting while retaining its individuality. III. THE DESIGN OF THE HOUSE The focal point of the visual field (Fig. 3) when seen from the junction of I. G. Road and Ajmal Khan Road was identified as to be the lintel level of southeast side of the first floor of the building to-be-designed. For this, the author tried to accentuate the focal point by introducing a strong and unseen element there. At this corner, a circular column emerging from the ground and gradually being bigger in diameter at the top with a bowl-like capital ending at the lintel level of first floor and as if it were a tree emerging from the earth was designed as an art-form though it being a structural column actually (Fig. 4).

Bonfring International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management Science, Vol. 2, No. 4, December 2012 64 Figure 3: The Building Respects Existing Urban Context Figure 4: Detail of Column Capital Figure 5: First Floor Plan Showing Airflow Figure 6: Building-Section Showing Airflow From Road A wide balcony has been located on the southeastern roadside so as to attract the flowing air (from south to north) in the road and also the morning sunlight inside the building. A common room for living and dining has been placed on the south adjacent to the balcony, while the master bed room has been placed on the northeast side with door and window openings at south from the balcony and windows at the east and north for cross ventilation. Another bed room has been placed on the south side after the common room, and it has access to a balcony placed in the southwest (more effective in winter for afternoon sunlight) and a toilet with dressing room on the northwest (Fig. 5 & 6). Each of the common room and the second bed room facing the south side has been provided with two numbers of windows at south side, but one window each to these two rooms has been placed in such a location that natural airflow through the narrow open space between two southern-side buildings can ingress into these rooms, and they have plenty of sunlight also (Fig. 7). The second bed room has another window and a door leading to the rear balcony on the western side for sunlight and air ventilation. An open-type three-flight staircase has been placed on the north side flanked by a common toilet on its east side adjacent to the master bed room, and the kitchen of the family on its west side. It was expected that fresh air coming through the east, south and west facing rooms would flow to the northern side staircase and the hot air would go up and be ventilated through the open windows at the various floor-levels of the staircase (Fig. 8) (Fig. 5 & 6). Figure 7: The Common Room at Left and Bed Room at Right at Top Floor Figure 8: Windows At North Side Of Staircase, Grill Work As Calligraphic Art The main entrance to the building has been through the covered space at ground floor below the upper floor balcony with a provision for car parking. That space was given accentuation by providing a low wall at south side for sitting, as a symbolic reflection of rock (small open verandah for sitting at entrance to ground floor) of old buildings of Kolkata; a geometrical colored floor graphic work with triangles and circles as alpana (traditional drawing on floor) with symbolic representation of flowers, kites, fish, etc.; and curved

Bonfring International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management Science, Vol. 2, No. 4, December 2012 65 steps (conjugated segmental arcs of three circles and as if steps from river water to the bank) to enter to the entrance lounge and the chamber room of the owner. From the entrance lounge, a curved wall with a glass door opening gives view of the staircase as the picture-perspective. The staircase is articulated with grill work, teak-wood handrail and different colors for tread and riser and opposite walls (Fig. 8). Each common room in two upper floors has been delineated with an entrance gateway as access from staircase lobby having two circular columns with an entablature on top (with triangular pediment at first floor) symbolizing old gateways. Floors of rooms were with granitefinish and those of staircase and balcony were of mosaics. As Kolkata is very hot and humid and top floors become very hot inside, so to reduce heat induction from roof, lime terracing of average 100mm thick has been provided on the roof. Various classical architectural forms of bygone era, as well as motifs of rural architecture have been presented symbolically in the façade design of this building with interplay of masses in static and dynamic forms, solids and voids, straight and curved lines, etc. Symmetry of classical architecture has been demonstrated through various vertical zones with individual symmetrical lines and finally the grand symmetry has been imparted by the placement of a triangular roof over a rectangular box at the top floor. Various colors have been used in the individual or mixing shades of white, red and yellow to match with the existing setting. The top floor has been projected up to permissible limit in such a way and with a form that the lines of parapets of the building behind it have been maintained and continued by the lines of parapets of this new building. Date Time 2 nd Floor 01.06.2011 02.06.2011 03.06.2011 11:44 14:44 17:44 20:44 23:44 02:44 05:44 08:44 11:44 14:44 17:44 20:44 23:44 02:44 05:44 08:44 IV. RESULT By installation of data loggers in various rooms of the building in the summer month of June of 2011 [3], it has been revealed that i. The ground floor is less hot than the floors above. ii. In the top (second) floor, the southwestern bed room (marked as Bed Room 2 in Tables) is about 1 0 C hotter than the common room. iii. While outside temperature was 35.6 0 C-35.8 0 C at 2:44 pm, the indoor temperature of common room of top floor was between 31.9 0 C- 0 C, and that of southwestern bed room was between 0 C-34.2 0 C. iv. The indoor temperature of common room and the southwestern bed room of top floor started to rise above outside temperature from around 8:00pm and decrease during the night after around 1:00 am. Maximum difference in temperature of both top floor rooms was 2 0 C or less. v. In the first floor, the southwestern bed room is only about 0.3 0 C-0.5 0 C hotter than the common room. vi. While outside temperature was 36 0 C at 2:44 pm, the indoor temperature of common room of first floor was 32.8 0 C, and that of southwestern bed room was 33.3 0 C. vii. The indoor temperature of common room and the southwestern bed room of first floor started to decrease from about 8:00 pm and remained almost unchanged during 11:44pm at night to 8:44 am the next day morning while outside temperature varied from 0 C to 33.4 0 C. Maximum difference in temperature of both first floor rooms was 1 0 C or less. (Table 1 & 2) Table 1: Findings in Top Floor in June 2011 31.4 31.9 32.1 32.1 31.8 31.4 31.2 31.6 33.1 33.1 32.8 32.1 65 62.5 70.1 65.6 70.1 74.3 73.6 78.7 73 69 63.4 63.1 66 68.8 70.3 69.8 2 nd Floor Bed Room 2 32.3 33 33 33 32.8 32.5 32.3 34.2 34 34.1 34.1 33.8 33.4 32.7 62.7 59.1 68.6 61.3 69.4 71.7 71.3 72.8 67.9 62.3 60.2 58.8 64.2 66.6 67.7 67.1 Meteorological Record of Alipore 35 35.6 33.7 29.4 29.8 29 35.6 35.8 34 31 29.5 29 31.8 58 55 63 75 87 88 84 77 65 67 63 68 84 87 90 74

Bonfring International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management Science, Vol. 2, No. 4, December 2012 66 Date Time 1 st Floor 03.06.2011 04.06.2011 11:44 14:44 17:44 20:44 23:44 02:44 05:44 08:44 11:14 32.5 32.8 32.7 32.3 Table 2: Findings in First Floor in June 2011 64.9 63.4 58.5 70.8 73.6 72.9 73 69.2 66.4 33.3 32.6 32.7 32.6 32.5 1 st Floor Bed Room 2 62.9 60.8 57.4 69.2 72.1 71.8 72.1 69 65.9 Meteorological Record of Alipore 35 36 34.6 31.8 29.6 29.2 33.4 35.6 60 57 58 74 85 88 91 69 62 By installation of data loggers in various rooms of the building in the monsoon month of August of 2012, it has been revealed that the rooms at the top (second) floor and the first floor showed almost the same indoor temperature with little variations and the temperature started to decrease from 8:00 pm (Table 3). Recording with anemometer it was found that while airflow at outside was 23.9 m 3 /min, most parts of the first floor of the building recorded an airflow of 24.4 m 3 /min, and near the two windows of common room and southwestern bed room facing the narrow open spaces between buildings at south were 28.7 m 3 /min and 33.8 m 3 /min respectively proving the success of positioning the two windows in these rooms at southern airflow-corridor, and the overall success of natural ventilation through rooms and balconies and exhaust of hot air through the windows of northern side staircase. Minimum air velocity recorded in all rooms was 0.4 m/s while that in outside was 0.5 m/s. The reading through light-meter showed presence of plenty of natural light in the major rooms of this building. The comfort condition achieved in the interior of this building is primarily because of the induced air flow and the lime terracing on the roof. Climate-wise, the habitants feel less hot in summer in the building than while being in some other buildings of their relatives and friends. A comparison (fig 9), done on the same dates and for same duration, of indoor temperatures of a room at the top floor of this building and that of another modern building constructed six years ago confirms this fact. Date Time 2 nd Floor 26.08.2012 27.08.2012 12:45 14:45 17:45 20:45 23:45 02:45 05:45 08:45 11:45 13:45.8.4 29.6 29.5 29.5 31 Table 3: Findings in August 2012 79.3 78.9 77.6 81.9 82.5 82 83.1 84.3 84.5 83.6.9.8.4.1 29.9.1 2 nd Floor Bed Room 2 84.4 79.4 72.5 80.7 83 82.4 82.6 84 82.2 85.5 1 st Floor.7.9.7.3.3.3 31 79.8 79.7 76.2 82.5 83.3 83 82.5 84.1 83.5 84.6

Bonfring International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management Science, Vol. 2, No. 4, December 2012 67 Figure 9: A Comparison of s in Top Floors of Samar s House and Another House The building merges with the surrounding architectural and traditional setting while retaining its own individuality. People from the junction of the two roads look at the building and hold their pace for a moment to look at it clearly. The building has an image of class and quality in the neighborhood. The objectives mentioned earlier have been achieved thoroughly. The building covers in total about 324 sq m built up area in three floors and the total cost of construction of the project was Rupees eighteen lakh (Rs.18,00,000/-) as recorded up to finish of project in June 1999 [4]. Till date no air conditioning apparatus has been required for installation in that building. Jean Nouvel s Foundation Cartier (Fig. 10) of 1994 in Paris maintains the parapet line by introducing a false steel-and-glass façade abutting on the street. The author s building (Fig. 11) of 1999 in Kolkata maintains parapet line by following building bylaws of Kolkata with a front open space of 1.2m and with allowable projection limit [5]. air conditioners increase greenhouse gas and are contributor to global warming. Here comes the need for good planning of spaces with provisions for adequate natural air ventilation and natural light in the interior and insulation of the roof so that the indoor comfort condition is enhanced and energy requirement is reduced. An architect s concern about design of a building should include the beauty and strength of the building along with its value for performance on comfort, climate and energy consumption issues. With the rising concern about global warming and climate change and energy crisis, the architects should be more open for exploration and application of means and ways for making their architecture climate responsive and less energy consuming for the safeguard of the environment and humankind of the future though creating art and beauty in their designs. REFERENCES [1] S. Bose, Integrated Drainage Water Management for Environmental Improvement in Kolkata, Journal of Environmental Sciences & Engineering (JESE, ISSN: 0367-827X), National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Government of India, Nagpur, Paper (No. 113/2011) accepted for publication, submitted on 23.10.2011. [2] P.D. Spreiregen, The Architecture of Towns and Cities, American Institute of Architects, USA, Pp.71, 1965. [3] M. Pellegrino, Research on Climatic Performance of Buildings (Case Study: House of Samar Banerjee), Post-doctoral research done under supervision of Associate Professor Dr. Shivashish Bose at the Department of Architecture of Jadavpur University in Kolkata, India during September 2010 to June 2011. [4] S. Bose, Residential Building for Samar Banerjee, Journal of The Indian Institute of Architects, JIIA Volume 65, No.11, Pp.38-41, November 2000. [5] S. Bose, Climate Responsive Architecture: House of Samar Banerjee in Kolkata, International Conference on Advances in Architecture and Civil Engineering (AARCV 2012) held during 21-23 June 2012 in Bangalore, India, Department of Civil Engineering & School of Architecture of M S Ramaiah Institute of Technology (MSRIT), Bonfring, India, Proceeding Volume-II, ISBN: 978-93-82338-01-7, Pp.695-699, 2012. Figure 10 : Fondation Cartier by Jean Nouvel In Paris Figure 11: The House of Samar Banerjeein Kolkata V. CONCLUSION Power failure in summer is a frequent phenomenon in many cities in India. Of some reasons, one is the huge increase in demand of power in the city in summer and failure to supply that by the state electricity board or electric supply corporation. In recent years, many households have installed room air conditioners and many operate two (ceiling and pedestal) fans in one room to have physical comfort in summer. There is an impact of the huge urbanization on the local climate as well as on the demand for power. Gadgets like