TC01: THE BUILDING SYSTEM

What is a A system is a group of related parts that move or work together

system? (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).

What it really is? In terms of set theory, it is the application () of a collection of

relations () to a set of entities or component elements (G.
Ciribini).

Paris subway
is a System as
well!

As James Law's
Technosphere
Dubai !

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Observation Resorting to the system concept it is possible to consider the building
in different ways, according to the finalities that are intended to be
pursued.

Advantages To consider the building as a complex system to be scrutinized by

different perspectives allows:
a deepened analysis;
the evaluation of the interactions of its constitutive parts;
a study according to different finalities;
the comparison among the consequent results.

Definition The Building System considers the building thought as complex

system on which an analysis is developed in three directions.
with reference to the whole of data needed for planning
which has to be transformed in planning drawings;
with reference to the whole of users requirements and to
System Buildings specifications;
with reference to the whole of relations of the System
Buildings parts linked together in the project.

Consequences The concept of system allows to control the complexity of the

building evaluation; analysis of its specifications allows to study the
Building System as a function of users requirements satisfaction.

Definition The Building System is the spatial ambit targeted to satisfaction of

users requirements.

building use destination;

Which are
complexity
user typology;

elements? activities being carried out;

internal and external environmental context;
phenomena acting on the building and users.

Building use It is the individualization of the prevailing function which a building is

destination turned.
They will have destination buildings of use only (residences, schools,
hospitals etc) or mixed (directional-commercial, polifunctional etc.).

User Physical person that enjoys some spaces, of the equipments and of

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 the performances of a specific building for the carrying out of activity
or for housing purposes, that is the final user and in relation of which
the demands are expressed.

Activity What the user completes in relationship to the use of the Building
System.

Environmental The term environmental context is reported to the whole the data
context related to the space both surrounding and internal the building.
It will consider the internal and external environmental context.

EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL DATA related to:

Data related to CONTEXT
external Geographical context Characteristics of the territory Toponym
environmental Altitude and planimetry quote
Viability, airoport
context
Orography
Vegetation
hydrography
Geological data
Climatic context Air pollution
Noise pollution
Luminous pollution
Air quality
Dominant wind
Measure of the Idrometeores
Barometric pressure
Global solar radiation and thermal
excursion
Cloudiness
Air temperature
Air humidity
Urbanistic context boundary,
plot dimensions
Quota
Access
Distance
Trees
Heights of the
neighboring buildings
External elements
Network lines to
services
Roads and parkings
External equipments

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 INTERNAL ENVIRONMENTALCONTEXT DATA related to:
Climatic context Air pollution
Data related to
Air quality
internal Air temperature
environmental Air humidity

context Air speed

Acustic quality
Louminous quality
Context relative to the building Building technologies
Type of construction
Height of storey
Context relative to the management Room ventilation
Vapor production
User behavior
Cleaning

Data of external and internal environment context must be identified

Observation
among those that can be prerequisite for solicitations intended as
interactions between context and building.

Definition of Any fact or susceptible event of observation or direct or indirect

Phenomenon consideration, provoked or no from the man.

Phenomenon- Whatever complex of facts or single events correlated e/o that

solicitations directly practices or indirectly an influence on the building.

Definition Solicitation is the result of the interaction between the context and
the building (e/o the users) from the fact that there are some
irreversible consequences.

Observation It is of particular importance the study of how happen phenomena

affecting the building and, particularly, it is necessary to individuate
the spatial ambit in which phenomena occur.

Definition of
Agent:: entity that provokes a determined effect through its own
agent
action.

Definition of
Action: physical e/o chemical mediator, able to modify the
Action
environment and the building objects, as well as their behavior.

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Definition of Effect: modification of the behavior of the environment e/o of the
Effect building objects, consequent to one determined action.

Observation It is necessary to identify the agent, which is provoking something, to

understand the action performed, what is provoked, and to know the
effect, what has been provoked. It is also necessary to know users,
i.e., sex, age, social conditions, carried out activities, etc., in order to
unravel hypotheses concerning users behavior models. In this
framework, it is possible firstly to analyze activities in a specific
fashion and in a given environmental context, and secondly to
identify problems to be studied in relation to planning solutions.

Adopted methodology is based upon the requirement approach and,

Methodology
thus, on expression of users requirements.

In summary, adopted procedures can be represented in the following

graph:

ENVIROMENTAL CONDITIONS
INFORMATION (DATA) RELATED TO CONTEXT

Geographic
EXTERNAL
ENVIROMENTAL Climatic
CONTEXT
Urbanistic

Climatic
INTERNAL Relative to
ENVIROMENTAL costruction
CONTEXT
Relative to
management

on the building

Phenomena SOLICITATIONS
on the users

of the building
REACTIONS
of the users

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