Aluminium Tectonics, Birmingham/West Bromwich (UK) 2013
Birmingham City University
As designer become increasingly concerned with passive design, several companies are offering solar shading systems. These systems are predominantly fabricated from aluminium due to its attractive strength to weight ratio. Most manufacturers use extruded aluminium components but this project seeks to explore the potential of sheet aluminium/aluminium composite for solar shading systems.
An effective shading system prevents overheating in a building’s interior. The aim is to reduce energy consumption for cooling and lighting and to provide a glare free environment.
Working in teams, students designed a fixed solar shading system and fabricated a full size prototype using aluminium/aluminium composite sheet. They were supported by Ash & Lacy employees alongside their tutors. Students were invited to meet the fabricators and view the production facility to employ some of these techniques in their own design process and adapting these in the university’s own facilities.
Client: Ash & Lacy Building System
Tutor: Jim Sloan, Tom Tebby
Students: Mihael Alexandris, Danyal Ali, Nedyalko Vladimirov Balev, Shwetank Barthwal, Allen Craig Evans, Dhanesh Lakha, Sukhvir Singh Lall, Paresh Nandha, Felix Stoermer, Jason John Keyte, Alexis Georgios Mavros, Christopher John Hinitt
Research Question: Design an elegant and functional solar shading system for a window/glazed wall facing directly South in Birmingham. The Solar shading system should allow a minimum of 50% visibility to outside when viewed at right angles to the window/glazing wall from inside. Use aluminium/aluminium composite as the main fabrication material and process employed from the factory visits.
Link: CoLab
United Kingdom, Architecture, Client-funded, Initiated by institution, 11-50, Undergraduate, Months, Postgraduate, +, Birmingham City Univ., Analytical, Propositional, Curricular, Students with tutor
