Environmental comfort is one of the aspects that contribute to the good performance of architecture. In project descriptions, the incidence of natural lighting and ventilation is often highlighted as advantageous characteristics that add to the aesthetics and functioning of the program. In a way, environmental comfort is part of the building's function, not necessarily linked to the activities that take place inside the construction but plays a role in its development.
To ensure the proper functioning of a design, it is essential to use the ideal orientation for natural light and local ventilation, which often necessitates openings in the architectural structure. The interplay between solid mass and void spaces is a captivating aspect of design. Nevertheless, some projects, due to various factors, may demand more enclosed volumes or the inclusion of visual barriers on specific facades. The challenge lies in harmonizing the structural elements with natural light and ventilation.
Facades featuring perforated elements like cobogós or mashrabiya provide an excellent solution. They regulate the incoming light, obscure the interior from view, and offer protection from elements like rain while allowing for the free flow of air. The degree of transparency varies based on the size of the openings, impacting the view both from the inside and outside. One of the most remarkable effects is the captivating visual texture produced by the interplay between solid and void elements.
Another interesting aspect is that, even with the presence of perforated elements and the textural variations they offer, the fundamental structural concept remains intact. While these elements introduce a sense of lightness, the overall form retains its integrity. This notion allows architects to maintain the design aesthetics they value while still benefiting from the bioclimatic advantages. Numerous examples exist to illustrate this concept.
White Bricks House / BLOCO Arquitetos
“The level of visibility through the bricks reflects the different levels of privacy that are desired for each room. The “hollow” spaces between the bricks also allow for natural cross-ventilation. Therefore, the bricks form a “second facade” that has the function of controlling direct sunlight, natural ventilation, and the desired privacy. The bricks have elongated sizes that we designed specifically for the house.”
Senses House / UP3 Arquitetura
“[…] the entire floor of the house was covered with wooden planks, the walls and portals with travertine marble slabs, and the aluminum frames of the main facade (which function as pivoting sunshades) received a special paint with the appearance of wood and a wicker mesh closure, instead of traditional glass. ”
Bruce Street Commercial Building / Carr
“The piers are positioned and utilized to provide passive solar protection from the western sun, while the hit-and-miss brickwork allows additional filtered natural light and a layer of articulation and craftmanship to the façade, while deep balconies protect glazing and offer ample outdoor amenities for tenants to enjoy.”
Griya Kos Nawastika Residential and Boarding House / Saturasi Architects
“The building facade is the first impression of the building, consisting of a concrete and terracotta roster arrangement to absorb natural light from the east. The roster materials are randomly arranged and have varying depths to give this building an eye-catching appearance.”
Filtered Frame Dock / Matt Fajkus Architecture
“The steel structure and screens are deliberately accentuated and refined to provide dappled light and shade while reflecting ambient light and the warm tones of the surrounding wood, stone, water, and natural vegetation.”
Esten House / Estudio Tecla
“Consequently, the image is composed of a succession of modules with different levels of opacity according to their function: some blind materialized in sheet metal provide privacy, others semi-transparent materialized in polycarbonate let light pass but protect from rain, and others completely permeable, dematerialized, allow to be crossed.”
Salão Boudoir / Macaw Studio
“On the ground floor, a continuous, organically shaped wall of cobogó encircles the building, adding personality and a gentle touch to the facade. [...] On the second floor, a metal mesh structure serves as a support for the growth of vegetation, which over time will create a new texture for the facades. Similar to the cobogó, this structure allows for the entry of natural light and ventilation while ensuring privacy for the upper spaces.”
Amarelinho House / Perelopes Arquitetura
“[…] the perforated elements bring privacy to the entire ground floor, without blocking ventilation. […] The cobogó is present in various elements on the facade, thus avoiding hidden and unventilated walls and allowing the entry of light, and visibility, part of which is protected by vegetation and ventilation.”
Casa Muxarabi / Studio Heloisa Fogaça
“The rear facade ensures uninterrupted views from its ground floor, achieved through glass panels along its entire length. On the upper floor, a system of bi-fold doors with textured aluminum mashrabiya was installed for solar control, effectively creating a self-shaded facade.”
The Kenz House / Srijit Srinivas - ARCHITECTS
“The exposed bricks were laid painstakingly on top of each with lattice-like perforations at intervals to ventilate and light up the interiors, and to create a beautiful play of light and shadow within. The slanting roof emphasizes the climate-friendly architecture further, as it reduces heat and drains water swiftly during the heavy monsoon months.”
Espaço Musical / Reinach Mendonça Arquitetos Associados
“The architectural approach was to establish a substantial cobogó facade. This not only safeguarded the narrow balcony between the living room and the front of the lot but also eliminated the railing and side wall, forging a connection between the entire front and public spaces. The new cobogó would provide identity and visibility to the ensemble, making it more integrated with the city's common areas due to the absence of barriers.”
Mashrabiya Mosque / NUDES – Nuru Karim
“The project explores traditional Islamic geometric patterns with a range of differentiated scales of perforations to create striking light and shadow patterns. […] The opaque volume of the prayer hall is wrapped by a mashrabiya container creating a slender circumabulatory zone. This skin also protects the building from the intense summer heat. The mashrabiya is cast in Glass reinforced concrete and explores a range of varied perforations.”
This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: Building Envelope, proudly presented by Vitrocsa the original minimalist windows since 1992.
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