Guidelines for socio-climatic design of semi-open entrance spaces of tropical high-rise apartments

Abstract

This thesis reports on a framework for developing a particular set of guidelines for socio-climatic design of semi-open entrance spaces of tropical high-rise apartments. The guidelines are created with interdisciplinary knowledge, namely, architecture design, social behaviour and climatic condition. a??Sustainable socio-climatic designa??, proposed by Bay (2002, 2004), brings together two major concerns: sustaining community and environment. This study discusses the optimal size of semi-open spaces that can sustain environmental comfort and community.Parametric building simulation is used here to prepare guidelines suitable for pre-parametric design thinking. The research methodology includes: 1. discuss case study and analysis of two high-rise dwellings in Singapore; 2. building simulation to arrive at optimal sizes and thermal comfort and; 3. structuring the guidelines for pre-parametric design using Alexander Tzonisa??s framework for representing architectural knowledge. The guidelines are in the form of visual charts, showing the correlations of expected social patterns, predicted bio-climatic behaviours, and sizes.