CONTEMPORARY

ARCHITECTURE
TROPICAL COMPOSITE CLIMATE
 TROPICAL COMPOSITE CLIMATE
● The composite zone covers the central part of India.
● Composite climate displays the characteristics of hot & dry,
warm & humid as well as cold climates. Design here are
guided by longer prevailing climatic conditions .
● Their characteristics change from season to season
alternating between long hot, dry periods to shorter periods
of concentrated rainfall & high humidity.
● India being a tropical country, most of design decisions
would pertain to cooling. Examples: The general
recommendations of hot & dry climates would be applicable
for New Delhi for most of the year except Monsoon where
Ventilation is essential. Eg:Kanpur, Allahabad.
 DESIGN CRITERIA
1.Resist heat gain in summer & heat loss in winter

Decrease exposed surface area Increase shading

Increase Thermal resistance Increase surface refelctivity

Increase Thermal capacity Orientation & shape of the building.

Increase Buffer space Use of trees as wind barriers.

Decrease Air Exchange rate Roof & wall insulation Thicker Walls

Isurfaces protected by overhangs trees Pale colour Balconies

Weather Stripping Walls, glass

2. Promote Heat Loss in Summer or Monsoon

Ventilation of appliances

Increase air exchange rate

Increase humidity level in Dry Summers

Decrease humidity in Monsoon

Provide exhausts (Artificial)

Courtyards or Wind towers or Arrangement of openings

Trees & water ponds for evaporative cooling

Dehumidifiers
 SOLAR ENERGY
CENTRE GURGAON
ARCHITECT : MANJUNATH HATHWAR
OPENED : 1991
LOCATION : Gurgaon, about 35 km south of Delhi
SITE AREA : 200 acres ,sloping site
MAJOR CLIMATE : Hot and Humid climate with 47
degrees celsius summer temperature.

Requires cooling during summers and heating during

winters.

3 COMPLEXES : 1. Technical and administration block

2. Workshop and electrical substation
building
3. The Guest house
 ROOF AND WALL TREATMENT
● The building was conceived as a low spread out
structure, arranged around courtyards, maximising the
use of roof surface for evaporative cooling system with
automatic controls.

● For comfort cooling, the strategy used was to reduce

ingress of heat by using hollow, concrete block walls,
properly shaded windows, and a reflective finish on the
roof surface.

● In the guesthouse building, the walls are finished in

roughcast plaster

● A roof cooling system has been employed in the form of a

water spray which is used to wet coir mats placed on the
roof which in turn leads to natural evaporative cooling.
The roofs are designed as shallow concrete vaults to
facilitate drainage of water
 WINDOWS FOR DAYLIGHTING
● Special openable louvered shutters were designed for the east and west facing windows.
● Aluminium windows were used in preference to steel windows as this gives tighter fitting
with lesser infiltration.
● To provide day lighting in all the work areas and to ensure that no artificial lights are
being used during day time, all the deeper office rooms have been provided with windows
on two different sides.
● The windows have been properly shaded to reduce glare from the sky.
● All rooms have been provided with windows so that they will receive sunlight for atleast
half the day in winter.
● The monsoon season merits special consideration, as evaporative cooling does not work
during this period. In these buildings, cross ventilation has been provided in all rooms.
 VENTILATION
● Permanent ventilators have been placed on the south side, the roof is insulated two –
level windows have been provided for good ventilation.
● To prevent heat gain through the roof, it has been given a reflective white finish.
● The entire building is day lit and no artificial lighting would be required during normal
working hours.
GUEST HOUSE

● The first building to be put up in the Solar Energy Centre campus, this has an earth shelter
cooling system. Solar water heaters have been integrated with architectural design.
● Winter heating is direct by sun lighting of the guest rooms. Each window is provided with an
arched sunshade, which allows winter sun to come through the top part of the glazing.
● Solar water heaters provided in each toilet have been integrated with the architectural
design.
● A sunny terrace for solar cooking has been provided near kitchen.
 GROUP MEMBERS

1.ADITHYALAKSHMI SURESH

2.MERLIN VARUGHESE
THANK YOU
3.MINNU BIJU

4.SONA MARY ABRAHAM