Transition Area, Daylight , Natural Ventilation, Tilted Roof, and Solar Panels
The most significant goal and aspect when designing this villa was making it as sustainable as possible. Hence we aimed to incorporate all sustainability elements to reach what we considered as an ideal outcome for a residential unit.
Before entering this unit a transition area, which is shaded and located in the external part of the villa, acts as a semi private area to the user.
This area also acts as a cooling buffer zone ventilated by the parametric openings on the flexible moveable panels. As a result this zone prevents the hot air from the outside from disrupting the cold air in the inside. Nonetheless it can also act as a waiting zone for the user to exploit.
The parametric Mashrabiya is specifically designed to utilize daylight during the day. It is precisely calculated to exploit bigger openings that utilize maximum sunlight for functions that require excess amount of sunlight, however smaller openings for functions that require less sunlight.
The openings are located on either side of the villa allowing cross ventilation that aids in cooling the building without the use of mechanical ventilation.
The tilted roof at an angle of 22 degree was found to be the ideal angle for optimal solar radiation. After multiple trials of manipulating the tilt of the roof we found that such an angle best reduces solar radiation. This was portrayed in our analysis where (Blue and Orange) sustainable results appeared with a tilted roof whereby a negative (Red) result appeared with flatter angled roofs conveying less sustainable results.
We found that incorporating 36 panels on the roof would be enough to cover the energy/ capacity of the villa. This aided us to achieve a sustainable result in reducing the use of electricity for the user.