Eating what you have grown completes a cycle, from seed to table, that humans have been fulfilling for thousands of years. Every organic species is a protagonist in nature s cycle to evolve, revolve and perish. This rhythmic evolution has shaped the environment into a cycle of self sustainability. By principle our built form should be no different. The buildings that we create are to be a reflection of the environment they are built in. For instance, the Jaisalmer fort and the rest of the city were built for heat, with wind corridors and the architecture providing built in comfort for its denizens. These features show the simultaneous existence of thermal comfort, in extreme climatic conditions. With no modern technology, or sophisticated air conditioning equipments, our ancestors found comfort by sitting merely in a shaded street, an airy courtyard or the extending terraces. These open, yet protected spaces became the heart of Indian living. 1. Traditional street of Jaisalmer, showing mutual shading However with advances in technology, the arrival of new materials in the market and a changed lifestyle, we are keen to give our buildings a modern look, often forgetting the impact on the environment. What is required on our part, as designers, is consciousness and a careful reinterpretation of traditional and regional aspects, to coexist within the parameters of contemporary times. We need to borrow from the historic context, our traditional and climatically appropriate principles of planning and further enhance them with modern engineering and technology. Looking at two drastically different buildings in term of building typology, function and climatic conditions are two case examples of architectural built forms that have been evolved in response to their local climate. With wonders in building engineering, cutting edge construction technology and
avant garde machine systems, these buildings have become exemplary state of the art sustainable modern architecture. examples of IIT Campus, Jodhpur The Campus Master Plan sets out to build a totally self sufficient, green oasis and fountain of knowledge in the middle of Rajasthan s Thar Desert. Careful attention has been paid to the principles of shading, orientationn and as well as water flow. The plan is compact, dense and low rise. Buildings shade each other, shade pathways, streets and courtyards shade themselves with overhangs, louvers and jaalis. The architects aspired to create a campus that acts as a living laboratory so that the students can learn various practices of sustainability while walking and being part of the campus. URBAN DESIGN PRINCIPLES FOR THE CAMPUS The overarching planning concept is a radiating geometry that emanates from the central step well amphitheatre at the very heart of the campus. This aims at linking the entire campus in a unifying gesture. A specific geometry is planned for the network of radiating streets and ring road. The intersection of this street system establishess five sectors. 2. Radial geometry of IIT campus, Jodhpur Located within the boundaries of the sector are the courtyard building typologies for both the academicc program and hostel program (hostels, faculty, and staff), each with their own unique architectura l requirements in terms of massing, functionality, planning and elevation. The courtyard provides shade and a semi private open space for relaxation, play and study. The special organization is achieved by a logical, repetitive and integrated system of buildings, streetss and open space each with their own system, interconnected by the spaces that they define. The streetss
define the sectors for the location of the building and the buildings define the courtyards and the open spaces. 3. Radial geometry of IIT campus, Jodhpur The buildings essentially draw inspiration from the historic models of Jodhpur. The building mass both contains and forms the shaded open spaces. The building blocks are a maximum three storey high (15 meters), with the plans and the elevations governed by their use. All of the housing is based on a shaded green courtyard typology with shared open space at the centre. For the hostel programme, male and female students are located in separate buildings.
4. Sustainable building design strategies A central stepped amphitheatre provides the campus with a space for formal, informal interaction, and cultural gathering. 5. Central amphitheatre Various strategies are adopted to conserve water and landscape for de desertification to produce high agricultural production and support a diversity of plant, livestock and wildlife. As the landscape evolves, and the hydrological regime improves, the campus may be able to support species, not normally found in desert climates. The endeavor of architect Gurpreet Shah has been to save every drop of water. Use of traditional step wells collect storm water from the site and collect and store the water for further re use and recycle. These age old step wells have been revived into modern interactive step wells acting as innovative centers of learning.
6. Interactive step well
7. Master plan IIT Campus, Jodhpur Chennai Airport The Chennai Airport, one of the Asia s largest green Terminals covers a total site area of 100 acres. The terminal buildings have elegant 300 m twin wing like hovering roofs on both sides, which provide complete shade to the south facing elevation and protect the departing passengers from scorching heat. The plan for Chennai airport has been carved from the architect s inception of intelligent planning, efficient zoning and sustainable building strategies. These buildings, designed in H shape, follow the minimum travel distance of a passenger. Hence by scooping out the redundant belly of the terminal, the architects infused a green spine with vertical gardens, thereby permeating maximum flow of natural light. By means of efficient planning, the architects achieved two feats. Firstly by striking off unnecessary terminal area, there was huge savings on the additional resources in terms of building material and construction that otherwise would have been utilized. Secondly seamless flow of natural light from the openings curtailed the use of artificial lights within the terminal.
8. The H shaped building concept 9. Evolution of form The wings
The terminals have been oriented respecting the solar movement of the sun. Where the passengers are treated to abundant glare free natural light from the North, the South side in the city side of the terminal is duly shaded with a cantilever spanning 24m. 10. Evolution of form The wings Innovation in design V columns The V columns designed for the flyover reflect the understanding and sensitivity of the architect towards the space, people and its built environment. The flyover connecting the domestic and international terminal is supported on V columns. An innovation in design these V columns create seamless visual connectivity from the city side to the airport, facilitating total transparency. This system of flyover ensures efficiency in place of a conventional flyover design, which often results in visual impairment to the travelling passengers. The flyover, spanning approximately 1.2Km, uses steam cured Hollow box beams (400 mm thick) making it a wafer thin flyover and visual delight.
11. V columns 12. The thinnest flyover An 800m long glass connecting tube connects is built within the flyover connecting the terminals. Saving magnanimous space, the flyover is an excellent example of multiple uses within a single space.
13. Connecting tube inserted in the flyover with v columns The project employs a series of active and passive strategies of sustainable design to achieve maximum Efficiency with minimum wastage. With the principle of minimizing heat gain and maximizing day lighting, the project uses a double skin glazing on both its airside and city side. Architect Gurpreet S Shah mentions the key concepts of the project, High level of sustainability in nearly every aspect of design, including restoration of the native landscape, passive energy conservation strategies, material selection, onsite storm water detention, and on site waste water treatment and dispersal systems is being aimed in the design of the terminal. Considering the harsh climate of the city, the project has a 30m high trussed roof with an aluminum roofing system which can withstand expansion and contraction forces for temperatures ranging from 5 to 45 degrees Celsius. The project employs rainwater harvesting and is able to reduce its water usage by close to 50 per cent. Even while choosing air travel, passengers often have to spend much time at terminals and even in their Waiting duration, they are offered solace by the architects. With a layer of glazing all around and surrounding greens, the passengers are offered views to the green, a first for similar developments. The state of the art building has the distinction of being one of the largest green terminals in Asia. The building is designed around two green courtyards termed as the central green spine. Unlike other terminal designs, Chennai airport the two wings are connected by an elliptical glass tube which is positioned amidst the vertical greens giving the visitor an experience of walking among the greens. The landscape is dotted with vertical gardens and lush planting strips with interspersed reflection pools and local palm groves. Vertical gardens consist of stainless steel structure lattices providing support for hanging plants including colorful vegetation such as orchids.
14. The glass tube amidst the central green spine 15. Interior view of the arrival tube 16. Night view of the vertical garden
Lighting is another crucial aspect within the design and planning of the structure. The design utilizes the Abundance of the Chennai sun and utilizes daylight, saving on huge energy costs. The lighting design is planned in response to the moods of the passenger offering well lit interiors with effective utilization and minimum wastage.
The project breaks the convention in terms of terminal design and offers a new approach in sustainable design for large span structures. As architect Gurpreet S Shah contends, The project is not just a feather in the cap of an architect but a jewel in the crown for airports designed in the Asia Pacific. The design offers a lot of firsts in the field of design and structural technology which may be adapted in the times to come.