Asian architecture case study

Adaptation of Courtyard Design of Sky Court, Chengdu in related to Local Climate to achieve
Thermal Comfort
ARC 2213/2234 Asian Architecture 1
Adaptation of Courtyard Design of Sky Court, Chengdu
in related to Local Climate to achieve Thermal Comfort
Table of Contents Page
1.0 Abstract…………………………………………………………………… 2
2.0 Introduction……………………………………………………………….. 3
3.0 Formation of Courtyard House design in response to
Local climate……………………………………………………………….4-6
4.0 Design Features of Courtyard House in order to achieve
Thermal comfort……………………………………………………………7
4.1 Courtyard Size……………………………………………………..8-10
4.2 Courtyard Orientation & Arrangement…………………………..11-12
4.3 Openings……………………………………………………………13-14
4.4 Landscaping………………………………………………………..15-16
4.5 Materiality……………………………………………………………17
5.0 Adaptation of Modern Courtyard House
(Sky Court, Chengdu)……………………………………………………...18-24
6.0 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………25
7.0 Reference…………………………………………………………………….26

Thermal Comfort
1.0 Abstract
Courtyard used to be a common feature to provide thermal refuge from the
building. Especially in this densely developed environment, aspects of natural climate
control are needed to provide physical comfort of building occupants. A courtyard is a
method of providing this aspect. Courtyard had played a significant role in Chinese
architecture. It had become a basic design for most of the houses in China region.
Courtyard house developed years by years in adaptation of the local climate and
cultural beliefs of the locals. However, today in the rapidly developed China had
undergone the problem of insufficient space, enhancement and additional features are
brought in contemporary courtyard house to create better impact on thermal comfort.
Therefore, the objective of this paper mainly focus on the courtyard features adopted or
modified by the contemporary courtyard house, Sky Court in Chengdu, Southwest
China in inconsideration of the local climates to create great impact in thermal comfort.
The study will be mainly focuses on the urban architecture. This research uses library
documents and Internet sites as well as analysing building plans. Enhancements of the
courtyard features analysis are based on comparison between the modern and
traditional features regarding the impact on thermal comfort. Modified courtyard
features are elaborated separately in subtopics regarding their impacts on ventilating
the surrounding to achieve thermal comfort. The content widely explain the use of
feature in adopting the climatic factors in terms of ventilation to achieve thermal comfort.
Analysis of climatic factors such as sunlight exposure also related to ventilation in
aiding the temperature of the building to achieve ideal passive cooling idea. In
conclusion, courtyard features act as medium to allow various impacts to be
interrelated to each other in achieving better effect of thermal comfort in contrary to the
traditional courtyard house.

Thermal Comfort
2.0 Introduction
In the highly developed building technology, a new trend of international
architecture is being strived between countries since 1950. The unified form of building
had swept away the regional traditional vernacular architecture. Building is more
emphasized on the style of particular period instead of the culture background and
climatic consideration. Building in urban context is mostly conditioned by HVAC
system. This had increased the energy consumption of the building, which then brought
to severe environment issues such as global warming. Therefore, climate adaptable
design should be introduced.
Courtyard house is the most well known style used in the contemporary
architecture because of it’s highly adoptability to the climate and thus provide good
ventilation and thermal performance. Knowing the adaptability of different vernacular
courtyard in response to regional climate can help in the future of modern architecture.
Therefore, this paper study is based on the essential features of traditional courtyard
house and how they’re being applied in the modernisation to achieve thermal comfort.
Research Questions:
1) How is the local climate in Chengdu, China (South West Region) and how’s the
local architecture at that region?
2) What is the design features of the traditional courtyard house in ancient China
3) What define a thermal comfort environment?
4) What is the role of courtyard in contribution to thermal comfort?
5) How’s those design features of traditional courtyard adopted to Sky Court in
related to local climate?

Thermal Comfort
3.0 Formation of Courtyard House design in response to local
climate
Dwellings are always designed in response to environmental context – climate,
since ancient times in order protect us from the vagaries of weather and provide
physical comfort. In traditional Chinese houses, varies style had been adopted in the
building form as to adapt to the local condition. This consideration of climate in
traditional dwelling can be seen in the practice of geomancy. Geomancy, also known
as Feng Shui (wind and water), which is the understanding of the nature to ensure the
building achieve harmonious state with the surrounding. Thus, knowing the
environmental climate is crucial in analysis the building features.
Chengdu, located in province of Si Chuan is situated in the South western of
China. Playing its role of Si Chuan’s capital city, Chengdu has the most population in
the province. It is located at 30.67 degrees north latitude, 104.06 degrees east
longitude. Being at the southwestern region, Chengdu is influenced by the monsoon
climate which encounters long and sweltering summer but freezing and short winter.
Annual mean is 16.14 ºC, range from -5.9 ºC to 37.7 ºC. It’s warm and temperate
climate thus received sufficient sunlight compare to the northern region with moderate
rainfall. South Asia Monsoon and East Asian Monsoon control it in summer.
Figure3.a: Cheng Du. (n.d.). Chengdu Overview. Retrieved from:http://gochengdu.cn/about/chengdu-overview

Thermal Comfort
China is located in the northern hemisphere, locating near to the Pacific Ocean
and to the east of Europe, such strategic location for the monsoon to happen. As a
result, China is suffering monsoon very frequently. The wind direction changed
periodically due to different region and seasons. During the winter, most areas such as
desert zone and loess regions are suffering strong wind from north or northwest and
northeast. The origin of dwellings, which located along the Yellow river covers areas
where strong wind exist. Therefore, the best solution of protecting from the strong wind,
wall is built high, creating an enclosure on four sides, forming the traditional Chinese
architecture- courtyard house.
The courtyard, enclosed by the wall from four sided, creating a small introverted
world. The formation of the empty space in the middle is due to the explanation of Lao
Tzu in ‘Dao De Jing’, which related to geomancy (Feng Shui). The significance of
emptiness is explained in ‘Dao De Jing’: “ We put thirty spokes together and called it a
wheel; but it is on the space where there’s nothing that the usefulness of the wheel
depends. We turn clay to make vessels; but it is on the space where there’s nothing
that the usefulness of the vessels depends. We pierce doors and windows to make a
house; and it is on these spaces where there’s nothing that the usefulness of the house
depends. Therefore, we just take advantage of what is, we should recognize the
usefulness of what is not.” (Knapp, 17)
Figure3.b: China monsoon direction. Geography Practice Test. Retrieved from
http://staff.harrisonburg.k12.va.us/~cwalton/My%20Pictures/monsoons.jpg

Thermal Comfort
According to Confucianism teaching, humanity should exist coherently with
nature. It maintains the comfort of the inhabitants by bringing in natural sunlight and
ventilation to the building. Throughout 2000 thousand years of China establishment,
more than the replacement of 20 dynasties, the creation of void became a thoughtful
design when there’s invasion of the changing dynasties. It protects the inner life from
outward misfortunes, living their lives in happiness throughout centuries without any
essential changes.
The empty hole in the middle of the Chinese courtyard house is known as the
most sacred location according to geomancy belief. The middle openings allowed the
sky ‘Qi’ to enter the house combined with the earth ‘Di’, forming a miniature universe.
The neutrality of both elements which are the sky that representing ‘Yin’ (Positive
energy) and earth that representing ‘Yang’ (Negative energy) is created by the middle
openings in the courtyard house. Neutralize the surrounding is significance to achieve
harmony in between the environment and human according to the book ‘I Ching’ by
Lao Tzu.
Incorporating the surrounding into building design has always been the
objective in forming courtyard house since ancient China. The courtyard house had
been the basic unit of the city throughout many years in China. Due to various
significant feature of courtyard house which very considering the surrounding; it is
incorporated into formal city planning, which arrange the courtyard formed houses in a
grid system in order to achieve a comfort live among the people.
Figure3.c: Combination of Yin and Yang.
Retrieved from http://www.penninetaichi.co.uk/index_files/Page1058.htm

Thermal Comfort
4.0 Design Features of Courtyard House in order to achieve
thermal comfort
Referring to ASHRAE Standard 55-2010, thermal comfort is defined as “that
condition of mind which express the satisfaction with the thermal environment and is
determined by subjective evaluation. It is also known as human comfort.
Thermal comfort is immeasurable as it is subjective depending on individual’s
definition of comfortable in relation to the thermal environment. It depends on the
relative air velocity, air temperature, metabolic rate, and thermal resistance of clothing,
air temperature and humidity in the environment. Referring to a book of Vitruvius, “Ten
Books of Architecture”, explain the essential relationship between the climate, comfort
and architecture. He mentioned that the climate, comfort and architecture could work
together to provide comfortable spaces in an uncomfortable climate surrounding.
This design strategy can be seen in Chinese courtyard house, which vary from
region in region, according to the local climate in order to achieve thermal comfort.
Courtyard house’s design features such as orientation, form, size, proportion,
landscaping, finishing materials and openings may affect the thermal performance.
Figure 4.a: Adaptive approach of thermal comfort diagram.
Retrieved November 21,2015, from http://www.new-learn.info/packages/clear/thermal/people/adaptive/index.html

Thermal Comfort
4.1 Courtyard Size
In Northern area with colder climate, courtyard is built with wide opening and
normally is in one floor level. However, in Southern area with warmer climate, courtyard
is built with small and narrow openings and normally is built high. (More than one floor)
Courtyard houses of central Shanxi (North east China) were almost the same,
except some tended to be narrower- in other words to be rectangular or square. In
southeastern of Shanxi, the courtyard system was followed as the standard Beijing
courtyard house but was built in two stories. In central Shanxi, where courtyards were
built log and narrow, roofs of the wing were sloped only for one side. Most houses with
sky well are those encountering hot summer.
The degree of openness to the sky, defined as the aspect ratio serves the
formula of:
Aspect ratio = area of the courtyard floor
(Average height of surrounding walls)
The formula stated the higher the ratio, the higher exposure of courtyard. High
respected ratio (wide and shallow courtyard) served as sun collector while low respect
ratio (high and narrow) served as sun protected.
Several studies had done by Mohaisen and Gadi (2005) in finding the ideal
proportion of circular, polygonal and rectangular courtyard house. The finding had
shown that varying the proportion might deeply influence the shading and exposure
percentage of sun radiant. The study resulted that shallow courtyard has better
performance than deeper one in terms of exposure.
2
Figure 4.1.a: Circular form of courtyard. Mohaisen & Gadi (2005)
Retrieved from http://iicbe.org/siteadmin/upload/4274C0615072.pdf

Thermal Comfort
During the study, recommended form for achieving low energy consumption for
cooling in summer resulted in polygonal shape of courtyard. Referring to figure 4.1.b as
shown below, shows the deeper the form, the more internal shaded areas in summer.
For winter, shallow form is preferred as more exposure area to sunlight.
The study not only involves circular and polygonal form of courtyard but also in
traditional form of courtyard in China, which is the rectangular courtyard. The outcome
showed the desired courtyard height to obtain preference thermal performance in
summer and winter is three stories in hot humid climate, two stories in hot and
temperate climate and single story in cold climate.
Figure 4.1.b: Polygonal courtyard forms. Mohaisen & Gadi (2005)
Figure 4.1.c: Rectangular form of courtyard. Mohaisen & Gadi (2005)

Thermal Comfort
Therefore, northern region in China that suffers long period of cold winter and
short summer. Having minimal sunlight throughout the whole year had resulted the
courtyard to be built slightly bigger to allow excessive solar penetration into the building
during wintertime and provide protection from the strong wind during winter. Insulation
of the building is achieved by the use of 370mm thick brick wall and window with
sealed rice paper. However, in Southern region of China, climate is warmer and
temperate with excessive sun radiation. This affects the size and proportion of
courtyard to be slightly narrower and higher to prevent excessive sun radiation. Table
below shows the difference of height in northern and southern of China.
Northern China Courtyard House Southern China Courtyard House
Heilongjiang province, Northeast China Jiang Xi province, Southeast China
Beijing Province, North China Fujian Province, Southeast China
Shanxi Province, North China Jiang Nan Province, Southeast China
Table 4.1.a: Courtyard house comparison between North and South China

Thermal Comfort
4.2 Courtyard Orientations and Arrangement
Building need to able to adopt the hot summer and cold winter. Thus, building
should be able to keep the heat inside while during summer; building should be able to
block the heat from the outside and allow cool air to enter. This can be done in
response to the building orientation and arrangement as it affects solar penetration and
air flow into the building.
Traditional courtyard house in China is always found to be South-facing. It is
actually based on the cosmic Chinese belief in achieving the state of harmony as
stated by Confucianism.
City plan of ancient China is in a cardinal grid, which having rectangular
arrangement in four cardinal direction. The cardinal grid is formed by the cosmic
Chinese definition of the world which north is considered as the central of the world.
Therefore, emperor building had been situated at Northern part of the city. From this
central point, the building is facing south at all times. According to the cosmic Chinese,
emperor building is required to face south. This city plan had been adopted through 7
Figure 4.2.a: Cardinal Grid of the Tai’Chi Palace (Chang’an) in the central northern axis
Retrieved from: https://quadralectics.wordpress.com/4-representation/4-1-form/4-1-3-design-in-city-building/4-1-3-3-the-
squarerectangular-model/

Thermal Comfort
imperial cities in Chinese history such as the Forbidden City and the City of Chang’an
as shown in the figure 4.2.a.
This had affected the orientation of the local family courtyard house, which built
according to the Forbidden City. They tend to have most of the function space to face
south. The south facing direction is also work efficiently in response to the local climate
as south direction serves the most sun exposure. High exposure to sun radiation is
essential in building during wintertime as it cool north wind.
In southern region, building tends to arrange in a compact way and higher
compare to northern region, which has spatial building area. The compact block
arrangement acts as ‘Cool Island’ as it demonstrates efficient solar control. The
grouped buildings formed shaded alleys by the overhanging roof and thus deflect the
solar rays enabling the house to be in cool state during hot summer. In northern region,
building area is built with wide coverage area and more spatial to allow excessive
sunlight due to long winter.
Figure 4.2.c: South region courtyard house with compact arrangement
Adapted from Tu Shuo Min Ju, by Q. J. Wang, 2004, China.
Figure 4.2.d: North region courtyard house with wide arrangement
Adapted from Tu Shuo Min Ju, by Q. J. Wang, 2004, China.
South
Figure 4.2.b: South oriented courtyard house
Retrieved from: http://www.plea2014.in/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Paper_3A_2257_PR.pdf

Thermal Comfort
4.3 Openings
Air movement occurs when there’s difference in pressure or temperature
between two locations. Existing of the large opening in the middle of the courtyard
house (the courtyard) allows the occurring of pressure difference and temperature
difference. This drives natural ventilation throughout the building. However, building in
China region need to able to adopt the hot summer and cold winter. Thus, building
should be able to keep the heat inside while during summer; building should be able to
block the heat from the outside and allow cool air to enter.
Courtyard opening also known as atrium/sky well (depend on size), acts as heat
sink. The floor beneath the courtyard acts as heat storage and radiant, which receive
the heat from the surrounding, and radiant to the in contact medium through
conduction.
During the daytime, the heated air rises to the roof level and replaced by the
outside slightly cooler air into the building, forming stack ventilation. However, during
night time, the exchange of heat occurred between the roof level and the bottom of the
courtyard through convection (Hot air rises and cold air sinks). The newly formed cool
layer of air (due to the cooling night sky) sinks through the atrium and flows into the
interior of the house. The cold air flow into the house and withdraw the heat stored from
the massive interior wall and floor elements. Ventilation occurs when the exchange of
heat occurs through convection process. The cooled interior wall during nighttime is
Figure 4.3.a: Cold air formed at the roof sinks into the courtyard ground floor (night time) &
Cool air stored within the shaded wall radiates to the surrounding (day time)
Adapted from The Courtyard House as a Temperature Regulator, D. Durham
(September 1960)

Thermal Comfort
then radiates to the cool the surrounding during daytime. The cycle then goes again.
Therefore, small openings near the courtyard openings is advisable to enhance cross
ventilation through the building but need to be sealed during winter time to prevent the
prevailing winds from entering the interior.
Figure 4.3.b: Stack ventilation and cross ventilation by convection within the courtyard
Retrieved from: http://www.architecturalreview.com/pictures/606x422fitpad[0]/8/5/5/1292855_TYPICAL_COURTYARD.jpg

Thermal Comfort
4.4 Landscaping
It is written that the culture of having a built in garden with the house started
from Northern Song capital. It is not known how many gardens exist within but they
must have been breath-taking and exist in large scale. Private garden was
considerably important during the Song Dynasty and was built throughout the whole
China at that time. Some were the pond-and-hill variety, either one pond two hills such
as Fuzheng Garden or one hill with two ponds such as Huanxi Garden. Artificial
mountain was also introduced into the building at area without hills. Others were the
flower-garden type which being adopted by courtyard house nowadays as the scale is
much more smaller.
Water feature is then corporate normally in the middle of the plantation. Indeed,
water feature is as important to a geomancer’s design as are mountains. Water is as
wealth and the source of energy. All ‘Qi’ depends on transport by water. Thus, building
with water features is considered as at strategic sitting. Water feature has higher heat
capacity compare to the concrete pavement and thus able to absorb more heat during
the daytime. The evaporation of the water feature also contribute cool air to the
Figure 4.4.a: Courtyard house with water feature and vegetation
Retrieved from: http://www.blairmus.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/interior-courtyards-with-chinese-rounded-
door-also-stone-pool-garden-and-gray-clay-roof-915x607.jpg

Thermal Comfort
surrounding, cooling down the temperature but might provide milder effect around the
area which suitable during summer time.
By adding vegetation into the courtyard is the most economical way in increase
thermal comfort within the courtyard, since grass require relatively high quantity of
irrigation and thus contributed to the increase in thermal comfort. By replacing the
concrete floor by vegetation provide warmer condition in winter and cooling effect in
summer. Soil and grass floor may increase the cool down the surrounding temperature
by evapotranspiration, which works at the same principle than the water ponds. The
canopy of the vegetation also provides shaded area in the courtyard that then resulted
in thermal comfort.
Figure 4.4.b: Evaporation process by vegetation in courtyard
Retrieved from: http://collections.infocollections.org/ukedu/collect/ukedu/index/assoc/sk02ce/p157a.gif

Thermal Comfort
4.5 Materiality
Building can be insulated from quick heat transfer via the choosing of
construction material. Material, which seemed to be denser, has higher heat capacity
and thus slowing down the heat transfer process. The amount of heat that can be
stored in high heat capacity is higher than those with lower heat capacity. Usually
denser material has higher heat capacity such as brick, masonry and adobe.
Spaces with these materials help to cool down the surrounding by absorbing
heat from the surrounding during summer. In winter, these materials can prevent heat
loss to the surrounding. This can be seen in the early dwelling in dessert area in
Shanxi, China. Dwelling at this place is built using mud obtained from the surrounding
known as ’Yao Dong’, normally built within the topography, the cave. The early
courtyard house was built by brick façade with fire prevention function.
Figure 4.5.b: Yao Dong located at Shanbei, China
Retrieved from: http://m.xjlxw.com/xb/sx/mfms/7696.html
Figure 4.5.a: Brick façade of traditional courtyard house
Retrieved from: http://r-ec.bstatic.com/images/hotel/840x460/566/56644124.jpg

Thermal Comfort
5.0 Adaptation of Modern Courtyard House
(Sky Court, Chengdu)
Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province is undergoing a rapid growth in
urbanisation. Urbanisation brought advantages to the growth of economics, agriculture
and etc. However, there’s side effect of the urbanisation. Referring to the journal The
Challenges of Urbanisation in Chengdu, China (n.d. December 22,2012), Chengdu is
now having the challenge of losing the traditional culture. Modern building had been
emphasized during the modernisation process. To prevent losing of the culture, local
traditional building is renovated to become another function space and building at this
region is preferably to take reference from the traditional building.
Sky Court, Chengdu took reference from the traditional courtyard house,
functions as the corporate club house which house the short-term housing, offices, and
entertainment facilities.
Figure 5.a: Overview of Sky Court, China
Adapted from Sky Courts / Höweler + Yoon Architecture. Arch Daily. 25 October 2012. Accessed 22 November 2015.
Retrieved from http://www.archdaily.com/285679/sky-courts-howeler-yoon-architecture
A

Thermal Comfort
Locating in southwestern China, Sky Court tend to adopt traditional courtyard
house which located at the southern part of China which has the significant small size
of courtyard (sky well) arranged in a compact form. Unlike those normal courtyard
house, which has the central focus where plays as the main space of the house, Sky
Court does not have the focal space. It’s arranged in a compact form with a network of
multiple sky wells, courtyards, multiple alleys and multiple centres. Due to the site
constraint, which locates in the middle of the city, Sky Court is unable to build as in grid,
which that ancient courtyard house practiced.
The irregular arrangement help in preventing direct exposure to the sunlight suited the
local climate of long and hot summer with short cold winter. It is built refer to the typical
southern region architecture as mentioned in previous chapter. (Chapter 4) The
layering of the courtyard also enables the reflection of airflow within the courtyard. This
had not done in the ancient time which function very suitable to the urban context with
high temperature.
Figure 5.a: Irregular arrangement of Sky Court via plan drawing
A

Thermal Comfort
Adopting the ancient southern courtyard design, Sky Court is built in great
height. This is to protect the interior of the courtyard from the exposure of the strong
summer sun penetration. Unlike the ancient roof design, Sky Court adopted inward
sloping roof, which made by ceramic tiles. Without having the overhanging eaves to
shade the pedestrian, Sky Court has a shaded courtyard. The roof design is influenced
by the Yuan Nan architecture at southern east of China. Due to the site restrain, Yuan
Nan people hardly have space to extend their roof to overhanging eaves. Therefore,
roof is built inward. Besides, referring to the book of Tu Shuo Ming Su (Q.J. Wong,
2004), Yuan Nan people have the belief of having an inward sloping roof has the
symbol of coming wealth into the family. This is because during raining days, the water
will flow inwards the courtyard, and symbolize coming wealth to the building.
Figure 5.b: High courtyard façade elevation
A

Thermal Comfort
Surrounding the courtyard has the whole stretch of fenestration, enhancing the stack
ventilation in between the courtyard. It is adopted by the overhanging spaces around
the courtyard. However, the Sky Court is sealed with glass window. In ancient
courtyard house, some do not even have doors, but using of arch to differentiate the
inside and outside as shown in figure below.
Figure 5.c: Fenestration surrounds the courtyard
A
Figure 5.d: Fenestration surrounds the ancient courtyard
Retrieved from http://www.travelchinaguide.com/images/photogallery/0002000/yonghegong%2010001845tm.jpg
A

Thermal Comfort
Material used in the fenestration is by a material called Corten. This Corten
material creates the wood-like texture in Sky Court. Corten is type of weathering steel,
which has high resistance in corrosion. The advantage of weathering steel is it forms a
stable rust is appeared to atmospheric pollutants. Different patterns will be formed by
catalyse corrosion. This material will create more interesting texture in urban area,
which contain higher intensity of pollutants, giving the building a wood-like texture. The
Figure 5.e: Fenestration of Sky Court
A
Figure 5.e: Fenestration material of ancient courtyard house (timber carving)
Retrieved from: http://www.chinancient.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/carved-windows-01-300x210.gif
A

Thermal Comfort
replacement of timber material with steel is the higher resistance to urban climate
which timber might have corrode faster than steel.
Referring to the site plan above shows the existing of landscape within the courtyard.
Landscaping had been one of the significant features of traditional courtyard house,
which help in regulating the surrounding temperature.
Water feature and Vegetation
Figure 5.g: Site Plan of Sky Court
A
Figure 5.h: Existing of vegetation in Sky Court
A

Thermal Comfort
Since ancient China, courtyard house is built by using high thermal mass
material like stone, brick or adobe. Due to the better thermal performance of highly
thermal mass material, Sky Court is adopted the brick as building material. The
arrangement of brick is further development into slightly in angle for further
enhancement of cross ventilation. The small openings created by the arrangement of
brick allows breezes and partial sun light penetrate into the building, forming passive
cooling and heating, environmental friendly building in this highly compact urban
context.
Figure 5.i: Brick façade of Sky Court
A

Thermal Comfort
6.0 Conclusion
In conclusion, traditional vernacular Chinese house adapt to their site context
very well based on the local climate according to the geomancy which aim to achieve
harmony between the nature and the man. Although the whole China practice the
same courtyard house, but resulted in different style of courtyard house in response to
the local politic, economic status, people culture and mainly affected by the climate.
The adaptation of building to the surrounding is totally be forgotten when design in city.
Emphasize of urban design had been put into cost management, and efficiency.
Design without considering the context will definitely facing problem of excessive
energy assumption. Passive design is highly recommended in urban planning as it
consumes little energy and little harm to the surrounding context. Adaptation of Sky
Court, Chengdu was amazingly done by the America architect, Höweler + Yoon
Architecture. Further development of courtyard features was done, such as the
arrangement of fenestration along the courtyard and the choices of material in
consideration of site context. Modernisation is brought in to combine with the traditional
vernacular design, which will end up in an astonishing way. Design should not be
deviated between nature and human. The wisdom of the ancestors should be
continued and further enhanced to achieve the ultimate goal of every being referring to
the cosmic Chinese, which is the state of harmony.

Thermal Comfort
7.0 Reference
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Courtyard and Its Design Application. Paper presented at 47th
International
Conference of the Architecture Science Association, pp. 493-502
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http://anzasca.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/7.pdf
2) Mohammad Talinggani (2014). Dwelling on Courtyard, Architecture and the
Built Environment. Retrieved from
http://abe.tudelft.nl/index.php/faculty-architecture/article/view/taleghani
3) Sheikh Mehreen Feroz (2014). Achieving Thermal Comfort by applying Passive
Cooling Strategies to Courtyard Houses. Retrieved from
http://bspace.buid.ac.ae/handle/1234/696
4) Swasti Sthapak & Abir Bandyopadhyay (2014) Courtyard House: An Overview.
Retrieved from
http://recent-science.com/
5) Ronald, G. K. (1992) Chinese Landscapes. Retrieved from
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ct+building+arrangement&source=gbs_navlinks_s
7) Xu, P (1998) Feng Shui Model Structured Traditional Beijing Courtyard House.
Journal of Architectural and Planning Research 15:4, 271.
8) Friedrich, R (2003) Traditional Domestic Architecture of Arab Region.
Retrieved from
https://books.google.com.my/books?id=dLWm6eVwnwAC&dq=south+facing+co
urtyard+house+advantage&source=gbs_navlinks_s
9) Paul, W. (2012) How the Rise of the Megacity is changing the way we Lived,
Chengdu. Retrieved from
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2012/jan/21/rise-megacity-
live?CMP=twt_gu
10) Arvind Krishan (2001) Climate Responsive Architecture. Retrieved from
https://books.google.com.my/books?id=3FiQnjYAEKwC&dq=heat+capacity+ma
terial+in+courtyard&source=gbs_navlinks_s
11) Limor, S., David, P., Evyatar E. (2011) The Influence of Trees and Grass on
Outdoor Thermal Comfort in a Hot Arid Environment. Journal of Climatology, 31:
1498–1506. Doi: 10.1002/joc.2177
12) Daniel, D. (1960, September 8). The Courtyard House as a Temperature
Regulator. The New Scientist, pp. 663-666

Thermal Comfort

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Asian architecture case study