ACTIVITY 01 - TROPICAL BUILDINGS

GROUP 9

TROPICAL
DESIGN
SUBMITTED BY:
INLONG, CALVIN JOHN
MERCADO, MARY AYESHA ROSSETH
UNGRIANO, VEA ANGELINE
SUBMITTED TO:
MR. LYNDON REGALARIO
TROPICAL DESIGN
IT IS A STYLE OF INTERIOR AND ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN THAT
DRAWS INSPIRATION FROM THE LUSH, VIBRANT LANDSCAPES AND
WARM CLIMATES OF THE TROPICS. THE GOAL OF THIS DESIGN IS TO
CREATE A SPACE THAT EVOKES THE FEELING OF BEING IN A
TROPICAL PARADISE, REGARDLESS OF THE ACTUAL LOCATION.

TROPICAL DESIGN IS ALL ABOUT CREATING A RELAXED AND CASUAL

ATMOSPHERE THAT EMPHASIZES COMFORT, NATURAL ELEMENTS,
AND AN ESCAPE FROM THE DAILY ROUTINE. TO ACHIEVE THIS,
DESIGNERS USE MATERIALS THAT REFLECT THE NATURAL BEAUTY
OF THE TROPICS, SUCH AS BAMBOO, RATTAN, AND TEAK. THEY ALSO
INCORPORATE COLORS AND PATTERNS THAT BRING TO MIND THE
BRIGHT HUES OF TROPICAL FLOWERS, FOLIAGE, AND WILDLIFE.

IN A TROPICAL DESIGN SPACE, YOU'LL OFTEN FIND LARGE WINDOWS

AND DOORS THAT ALLOW FOR PLENTY OF NATURAL LIGHT AND
VENTILATION, AS WELL AS VIEWS OF LUSH GREENERY AND BLUE
SKIES. THE USE OF INDOOR PLANTS, BOTH LARGE AND SMALL, IS
ALSO COMMON TO CREATE A CONNECTION WITH NATURE AND
BRING THE OUTDOORS INSIDE.
GOLCONDE IN PONDICHERRY, SOUTH INDIA
LOCATED AMIDST THE TRANQUIL SURROUNDINGS
OF PONDICHERRY IN SOUTH INDIA, GOLCONDE IS
AN AWE-INSPIRING DORMITORY THAT WAS ERECTED
IN 1945 TO ACCOMMODATE MEMBERS OF THE SRI
AUROBINDO ASHRAM.
THIS ICONIC EDIFICE IS A TRIBUTE TO THE GENIUS
OF AMERICAN ARCHITECT ANTONIN RAYMOND,
WHO COLLABORATED WITH ESTEEMED ASHRAM
MEMBER GEORGE NAKASHIMA TO DESIGN IT.
THIS MULTI-STOREY DORMITORY, WHICH TOOK SIX
YEARS TO CONSTRUCT FROM 1936 TO 1942, IS AN
IMPRESSIVE EXAMPLE OF HOW TRADITIONAL
DESIGN CAN BE SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATED INTO
MODERN TROPICAL ARCHITECTURE. FURTHERMORE,
IT PREDATES THE CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURAL
STYLES OF CHANDIGARH AND AHMEDABAD,
ESTABLISHING IT AS A TRUE PIONEER.
AS THE FIRST REINFORCED-CONCRETE STRUCTURE
IN INDIA, GOLCONDE STANDS TALL AS A
MASTERPIECE OF ARCHITECTURE THAT IS SURE TO
LEAVE A LASTING IMPRESSION ON ALL WHO
EXPERIENCE IT.
 TROPICAL DESIGN CONCEPTS

LARGE OPERABLE DOUBLE THICK ROOF MADE OF LANDSCAPING WITH

HORIZONTAL LOUVERS PRECAST CURVED CEMENT SURROUNDING
THE BUILDING IS DESIGNED TO OFFER NATURAL
VENTILATION AND PROTECTION FROM THE THE
CONCRETE
THE ROOF
ROOF OF
OF THE
THE BUILDING
FILES
BUILDING IS
IS CONSTRUCTED
CONSTRUCTED
THE
THE
THOUGHTFULLY
GREENS
PROPERTY'S
PROPERTY'S LANDSCAPING
LANDSCAPING
DESIGNED WITH
IS
IS
A
THOUGHTFULLY DESIGNED WITH A
ELEMENTS, WITH LARGE OPERABLE HORIZONTAL
WITH
WITH PRECAST
PRECAST CURVED
CURVED CEMENT
CEMENT TILES
TILES THAT
THAT VARIETY
VARIETY OF
OF TREES,
TREES, GREEN
GREEN GRASS,
GRASS, AND
AND
LOUVERS ON BOTH THE NORTH AND SOUTH
ARE
ARE DESIGNED
DESIGNED TO TO BE
BE DOUBLE-THICK.
DOUBLE-THICK. THIS
THIS SHALLOW
SHALLOW POOLS
POOLS THATTHAT PROVIDE
PROVIDE A A
SIDES. THESE LOUVERS ARE STRATEGICALLY
PLACED TO ALLOW FOR OPTIMAL AIRFLOW, UNIQUE
UNIQUE CONSTRUCTION
CONSTRUCTION PROVIDES
PROVIDES AMPLE
AMPLE REFRESHING
REFRESHING COOLING
COOLING EFFECT.
EFFECT.
KEEPING THE INTERIOR COOL AND INSULATION
INSULATION THAT
THAT HELPS
HELPS MAINTAIN
MAINTAIN THETHE ADDITIONALLY,
ADDITIONALLY, THE
THE HIGH
HIGH WALLS
WALLS
COMFORTABLE EVEN ON HOT DAYS. THE INTERNAL
INTERNAL TEMPERATURE
TEMPERATURE OF OF THE
THE BUILDING.
BUILDING. SURROUNDING
SURROUNDING THE THE PROPERTY
PROPERTY ARE
ARE NOT
NOT
LOUVERS ALSO PROVIDE PROTECTION FROM THE THE
THE DOUBLE-THICK
DOUBLE-THICK ROOF
ROOF ENCOURAGES
ENCOURAGES AIR AIR ONLY
ONLY VISUALLY
VISUALLY PLEASING
PLEASING BUT
BUT ALSO
ALSO
HARSH RAYS OF THE SUN, PREVENTING GLARE CONVECTION,
CONVECTION, EFFECTIVELY
EFFECTIVELY CIRCULATING
CIRCULATING THE
THE SERVE
SERVE ANAN IMPORTANT
IMPORTANT PURPOSE
PURPOSE IN IN
AND REDUCING THE NEED FOR ARTIFICIAL AIR
AIR AND
AND FACILITATING
FACILITATING THE
THE MOVEMENT
MOVEMENT OF OF HOT
HOT PREVENTING HEAT ISLANDS FROM
PREVENTING HEAT ISLANDS FROM
LIGHTING. IN ADDITION, THEY SHIELD THE AIR
AIR OUT
OUT OF
OF THE
THE BUILDING,
BUILDING, KEEPING
KEEPING THE
THE ROOF
ROOF FORMING
FORMING ININ NON-SHADED
NON-SHADED AREAS.
AREAS. THESE
THESE
BUILDING FROM STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY
AND
AND THE
THE TOP-FLOOR
TOP-FLOOR ROOMS
ROOMS COOL.
COOL. THIS
THIS FEATURES
FEATURES MAKE
MAKE THE
THE PROPERTY
PROPERTY A
A
RAINFALL, ENSURING THAT THE OCCUPANTS
SYSTEM
SYSTEM OF
OF NATURAL
NATURAL VENTILATION
VENTILATION ENSURES
ENSURES PERFECT
PERFECT PLACE
PLACE TOTO RELAX
RELAX AND
AND UNWIND
UNWIND
STAY DRY AND SECURE. THE USE OF THESE
TALIESIN WEST, SCOTTSDALE ARIZONA USA

ONE ICONIC BUILDING THAT TRULY DEFINES

TROPICAL DESIGN IS THE TALIESIN WEST,
LOCATED IN SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA, USA.
DESIGNED BY RENOWNED ARCHITECT FRANK
LLOYD WRIGHT, TALIESIN WEST IS NOT
LOCATED IN A TRADITIONAL TROPICAL
CLIMATE BUT DEMONSTRATES MANY
PRINCIPLES OF TROPICAL DESIGN, ADAPTED
TO THE DESERT ENVIRONMENT

WHILE TALIESIN WEST IS LOCATED IN A

DESERT ENVIRONMENT RATHER THAN A
TRADITIONAL TROPICAL CLIMATE, MANY OF
ITS DESIGN CONCEPTS CAN BE RELATED TO
PRINCIPLES OF TROPICAL DESIGN, ADAPTED
TO SUIT THE SPECIFIC CONDITIONS OF THE
DESERT. HERE ARE SOME KEY DESIGN
CONCEPTS OF TALIESIN WEST AND THEIR
RELATION TO TROPICAL DESIGNING
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NATURAL LIGHT AND REFLECTING POOL EXTENDED OVERHANG

VENTILATION
HE DESIGN OF TALIESIN WEST BLURS THE WHILE NOT AS PROMINENT AS IN TALIESIN WEST EMPLOYS DEEP
BOUNDARIES BETWEEN INDOOR AND TROPICAL DESIGNS, WATER FEATURES OVERHANGS, CANTILEVERED
OUTDOOR SPACES, A CHARACTERISTIC SUCH AS REFLECTING POOLS AND ROOFS, AND STRATEGICALLY
OFTEN FOUND IN TROPICAL ARCHITECTURE.
FOUNTAINS CAN BE FOUND AT TALIESIN PLACED SHADING DEVICES TO
LARGE WINDOWS, PATIO AREAS, AND
COVERED WALKWAYS CONNECT THE
WEST. THESE NOT ONLY SERVE PROTECT INTERIOR SPACES FROM
INTERIOR SPACES WITH THE SURROUNDING AESTHETIC PURPOSES BUT ALSO HELP TO DIRECT SUNLIGHT WHILE STILL
LANDSCAPE, ALLOWING FOR NATURAL COOL THE SURROUNDING AREAS ALLOWING FOR AMPLE NATURAL
LIGHT AND VENTILATION TO PERMEATE THE THROUGH EVAPORATIVE COOLING. LIGHT.
BUILDING.
VISTA HOUSE IN TRANCOSO, PORTO SEGURO
SCULPTED BY THE LAGGING AND CONSTANT ACTION
OF BAHIA'S WATERS, TRANCOSO’S SEA SCARPS STAND
BEFORE ALLURING BEACHES AND THEIR VIVID COLORS.
VISTA HOUSE LAYS ON TOP OF ONE OF THEM; A 46
METERS HIGH CLIFF. FROM A BIRD’S PERSPECTIVE, THE
ELONGATED VOLUME AIMS TO FRAME THE LANDSCAPE
LIKE A WIDE-ANGLE CAMERA.
ITS HORIZONTAL PROPORTIONS ARE DELINEATED BY
THE EXTRUSION OF A COTTAGE ELEMENTAL SECTION,
WHICH GENERATES A SIXTY-METER-LONG STRUCTURE.
ROOTED BY CLOSED VOLUMES IN ITS EDGES, WHICH
CONTAIN THE MASTER SUITE AND THE KITCHEN, THE
HOUSE OPENS ITSELF TO THE COLORS SURROUNDING
IT THROUGH AN IMMENSE WIDE-SCREEN SPAN
OVERLOOKING THE INFINITE BLUES.
IN A BALANCED MANNER, VISTA HOUSE EMBRACES
CONTRASTS. LOCAL MATERIALS AND FURNITURE PIECES
DIALOGUE WITH A BOLD STRUCTURE AND ENGINEERED
FINISHINGS. NATURE'S STRONG COLORS ARE FILTERED
AND FRAMED BY A MUTED PALETTE. CLOSED VOLUMES
OPEN THEMSELVES TO OPEN-AIR TERRACES AND
HALLWAYS. PRECISE BOUNDARIES ARE, ULTIMATELY,
DILUTED BY THIS PERMEABLE LIVING.
 TROPICAL DESIGN CONCEPTS

NATURAL VENTILATION OPEN PLAN PITCHED ROOF

AND LIGHT PASSIVE
PASSIVE VENTILATION
VENTILATION STRATEGIES
STRATEGIES HAVING
HAVING HIGH-PITCHED
HIGH-PITCHED ROOFS
ROOFS
NATURAL VENTILATION IS A WORK
WORK BEST
BEST WHEN
WHEN THERE
THERE ARE
ARE LITTLE
LITTLE HELPS
HELPS KEEP
KEEP THE
THE WARM
WARM AIR
AIR HIGH
HIGH
CRUCIAL PART OF A TROPICAL TO
TO NO
NO OBSTRUCTIONS
OBSTRUCTIONS IN
IN THE
THE WIND’S
WIND’S ABOVE
ABOVE THETHE PEOPLE
PEOPLE BELOW.
BELOW. ININ
MODERN HOME. IT ENSURES THAT PATH.
PATH. HENCE,
HENCE, OPEN-PLAN
OPEN-PLAN HOMES
HOMES ADDITION,
ADDITION, ROOFS
ROOFS WITH
WITH A A STEEP
STEEP
YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ARE COOL ALLOW
ALLOW BREEZES
BREEZES TOTO FLOW
FLOW FURTHER
FURTHER PITCH
PITCH ALLOW
ALLOW RAINWATER
RAINWATER TO
TO FALL
FALL
WITHOUT THE NEED FOR AIR INSIDE
INSIDE THE
THE HOUSE.
HOUSE. OFF
OFF MORE
MORE QUICKLY.
QUICKLY. THIS
THIS SLOPE
SLOPE
CONDITIONING. REDUCES
REDUCES THE
THE CHANCE
CHANCE OF
OF LEAKS
LEAKS
LARGE OPENINGS IN MULTIPLE IT
IT ALSO
ALSO LETS
LETS NATURAL
NATURAL LIGHT
LIGHT THAT
THAT CAN
CAN SOMETIMES
SOMETIMES OCCUR
OCCUR ININ
WALLS WILL HELP PROMOTE AIR PENETRATE
PENETRATE DEEPER
DEEPER INTO
INTO YOUR
YOUR FLAT
FLAT OR
OR LOW-PITCHED
LOW-PITCHED ROOFS.
ROOFS.
MOVEMENT. ROOMS.
ROOMS.