PAM Public Lecture | Hot & Wet by Erik L'Heureux
- LOW HUI YIH 1001540522
- Jan 25, 2016
- 5 min read
"I don’t believe every project starts afresh, rather, I am interested in cultivating specific
approaches to design, especially surrounding ideas of veils, multiple envelopes, and atmosphere."
Erik L'Heureux
Erik L’Heureux, AIA, LEED AP BD+C is an American architect and educator. He is an Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore where he researches both the impact of hot and wet envelopes as well as the architecture of the Singapore Metropolitan Region. He was invited to PAM PUBLIC TALK on 20 January 2016 to give a lecture of "Hot and Wet". This topic is important for us who live in the tropical climate.
Design Awards/Honours by Erik L'Heureux:
2007 2010 | American Institute of Architects, New York State Design Merit Award
2011 | President's Design Award, Singapore
2012 | American Institute of Architects, New York City Architecture Design Merit Award
2013 | FutureArc Green Leadership Award, Citation
2013 | World Architecture Festival: Category Winner, Production, Energy & Recycling, & Shortlist Selection
2015 | Wheelwright Prize, Harvard University, Graduate School of Design
His proposal, Hot and Wet: The Equatorial City and the Architectures of Atmosphere has been selected over two other finalists and 200 applicants to receive the Harvard University Graduate School of Design's (GSD) 2015 Wheelwright Prize.
For my understanding, building envelope is a buffer zone that acts as a physical seperator between the conditioned and unconditioned environment of a building including the resistance to air, heat, light, water, and noise transfer.
During the seminar, Erik L’Heureux showed us two of his successful projects - Simple Factory Building and Stereoscopic House. He also emphasized on the importance of ventilation and natural lighting, which were evident in most of his projects. [if !supportLineBreakNewLine]
"Simple Factory Building"
by pencil office
Day View Night View
Before he finalized the "simple factory building", he had explored how the architectural forms and atmospheres might respond to the hot, wet conditions of the region through 3d modelling and solar study on Ecotect programme.
3d modelling Solar study
This ‘simple factory building’ is a multi-storey structure in an industrial area of singapore. Therefore, a complex trellis screen is apply to filter airbone pollutants (environmentally-conscious design) from the neighbourhood.
Stack effect
(Below images have shown by Erik L'Heureux during the seminar)
Besides, he had done a case study based on the tradisional Malay house. Stack effect is refers to the movement of air into and out of a space/ building. Different air density between internal and external of the building results buoyancy force. The greater the thermal difference and the height of the structure, the greater the buoyancy force, and thus the stack effect. Stack effect helps drive natural ventilation that keeps the indoor temperature cool. This passive design strategy allows him to apply on his building design to achive a better cooling effect. The center of the interior has been hollowed out to generate a volumetric subtraction at the core of the plans to facilitate natural ventilation (stack effect) as well as to maximize on natural lighting.
"Hut House"
by pencil office
Hut house is a residential for a single-family. As usual, he use Autodesk Ecotect software to study the heat-gain before it build. A continuos aluminium thermal veil is used as the protection skin also the facade of the building. It's a opaque and transparent surfaces that able to filter sunlight and sound (building envolope).
BUFFER ZONE
There is a courtyard with high density of vegetation between the building and the high solid fence to allow breeze blown away the heated air, also known as buffer zone.
"A Simple Brick Interior"
by pencil office
A straight forward brick, carefully and thoughtfully deployed at Commune produces comfort and excitement, screen and effect, wall and veil in a design of simple yet powerful elegance. The continuous perforated screen composed of standard solid brick alternates each coursing, rotated perpendicular to the row below and above, recalling the ventilation screens of mid-century tropical ventilation architecture. The design purposefully interferes with and obscures views to the exterior landscape. At night the optical relationship is inverted, the restaurant appears as a glowing lantern.
The effect is a subtle gradation, producing an optical effect of movement similar to those found in artists exploring optical effects (Optical Art). Bridget Riley and Victor Vasarely come to mind.
"Stereoscopic House"
by pencil office
Day View Night View
Overall idea
The proposed site is located at sentosa island, Singapore. By taking advantage of the nice landscape view, the design extends and distorts a tube-like volume to frame up the view of the ocean and the golf course while remaining conscious of sustainable living. From the statement above, Erik L'Heureux has come out with an idea of ‘stereoscopic house’.
The house opens up towards the front and the back with continuous spans of floor-to-ceiling glass. Diagram below shows the panaromic view from the house which become the most interesting feature.
Solar Study
This study is essential to create sustainable design.
Perforated Shutters
A series of perforated shutters (building envelope) on the street facade enable the inhabitants to control both privacy and level of sunlight entering the interior.
Galvanised Steel Perforated Screens
The language of the perforated screens is continued throughout the house to facilitate natural cross ventilation and daylighting.
Roof Terrace
A large opening on the third floor allows views of the neighbouring islands, while a poolside veranda under the cantilevered volume benefits from shading.
Skylight
A series of angular skylights and organically-shaped openings in the ceiling create an ever-changing play of light and shadow. In order to achive the sustainability of the building, the house is equipped with rain harvesting systems, solar hot-water heating, and low-e glazing to prevent overheating for the interior.
PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE
In a nutshell, project of Pencil Office showing a good example of solving problem (hot and wet cimate) through a more architectural way. There is a similarity between all the building design by Professor Erik L'Heureux - perforated skin. Perforated panel not only can control the level of sunlight and filter airbone pollutants, it also has a good aestetics value. Design strategy, intention and consideration are important to make a project successfully in all aspects. he design building in relation to atmosphere, natural light, and ventilation, which makes his design won the Wheelwright Prize. The Stereoscopic house in Singapore Straits actually is one of his masterpiece that strongly bring in natural lighting, ventilation through air wells and courtyards. Exterior timber cladding that would actively help reflect light and reduce heat gain. Basically, he emphasizes on veils, envelopes and atmospheres which works well in hot and wet climate country especially Singapore or even Malaysia.
During the seminar, our group have asked Erik L’Heureux a question during the Q&A session. The question is about "who or what inspires him".
Erik L'Heureux : "Elizabeth Diller of Diller Scofidio was inspired me, once. In 15 years, they grew from a small loft off with a handful of people trying to do challenging work, until now doing significant and public projects. Now, as I'm finding my own voice and direction, I'm not necessarily looking to people, but specific projects for inspiration. For instance, I look at the detailing of Louis Kahn or the formal virtuosity other architects. I seem to be going back to the masters."
Q & A section during PAM Public Lecture held on 20 JANUARY 2016
located at Black Box, Publika Solaris Dutamas.
Please click the link below:
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