Sun Shades About Designing Adaptable Solar Facades

Abstract

External shading structures are a well-established typology for reducing solar heat loads. A major disadvantage is their inflexible nature, blocking views from inside and desired solar radiation for seasons with less sunshine hours. An adaptive approach on the other end can accommodate dynamic environmental exchange and user control. Furthermore, kinetic movement has great potential to create expressive spatial structures. However, such typologies are inherently complex. This paper presents the design process for two novel adaptive façade typologies, conducted on an experimental level in an educational context. Moreover, we will discuss the conception of a suitable methodological framework, which we applied to engage the complexity of this design task. Thereby we will highlight the importance of employing various methods, combining analogue and computational models not in a linear sequence, but rather in an overlapping, iterative way to create an innovation friendly design setting. The Sun Shades project offers insight into the relationships between design potentials inherent in adaptable structures and the advantages and limitation of computational methods employed to tackle them.