Natural Energy and Venacular Architecture : Principles and Examples With Reference to Hot Arid Climates
Author(s): Hassan Fathy, Walter Shearer (Editor)
Publisher: Univ of Chicago Pr (Trd)
ISBN: 0226239179
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The culmination of a lifetime’s design practice and environmental study, Natural Energy and Vernacular Architecture presents a master architects’ extraordinary insights into the vernacular wisdom of indigenous architectural forms that have evolved in hot arid climates.
This book has a traditional and philosophic view to the effects of environment on man and his architecture; this view could be affected by its authors, especially Hassan Fathy.
This book includes two parts. In the first part we can see the relationship between Man, Natural Environment and Architecture as three impressible factors. This part of book is in two chapters. In chapter one, we become familiar with relationship between environment and architecture, the effect of climate on architectural form, environment, conscious modification of microclimate and finally trends in international architecture. Chapter two includes architectural thermodynamics and human comfort in hot climates, temperature, thermal conduction and resistance, radiation, emissive, absorptive, and reflectivity transparency. In other sections of this chapter we learn about thermal convection, atmospheric pressure, water vapour, cooling by evaporation, thermal gain, thermal loss, dynamic thermal equilibrium, heat-regulating mechanisms of human body, and measurement of conditions of human comfort.
The second part tends to natural energy and vernacular architecture. This part includes four chapters. In first chapter of this part – the third chapter of book – we can learn about architecture and comfort, architectural design for a comfortable microclimate, and building materials. Chapter four assigns to the sun factor, orientation, shading, facades, openings and the roof. Chapter five is in the wind factor in air movement, air movement by pressure differential, the Claustrum, the wind-escape, the Malquf, and the Badgir. As the sixth chapter we can know in the sun factor in air movement, air movement by convection, the courtyard house, the Takhtabush and traditional city layout and climate. For chapter seventh the humidity factor, the fountain and the Salsabil have been seen.
172 pages September 1986
