1. c
Asian Architecture (ARC 2234 / ARC60403) Project 1: Case Study Paper
Topic & Issue Proposal (10%) Due Date: 30 Sept 2014
Preparea two-pagetype-written proposal,including aconceptmapping,asummaryof the topic and/or
issueto be explored,someof the questionsyou hopeto address,alongwith a title, and anannotated
bibliographyof sources.
Studentname and ID: CHEW UNG HENG 0315397
Tutor: MS. SHAHRIANNE MOHAMAD SHAH
The Vernacular Courtyard Design and Climatic Design Used In
The Courtyard House
WIND
ENVIRONMENTAL
SIMULATION
SIZE &
ARRANGMENT
AIR
VENTILATION
MATERIALS
QUADRANGLE
COURTYARD
AIR &
HEAT FLOW
THERMAL
COMFORT
2. Research Question(s):
QI: Howis the Courtyard Houseborrowthe referencesfrom the Chinesevernacularcourtyard
housesettlement?
Q2: What are the vernacularcourtyard design and climaticdesignusedintheCourtyard House?
Q3: What are the functionsof the courtyard designusedin the Courtyard House?
Q4: Howis the differentvariants andsizes of the courtyard usedfor windenvironmentinthe
Courtyard Houseto achievehigherthermalcomfort?
Q5: Howis the quadranglecourtyard providewindenvironmentadaptabilitywith totally opposite
climatecondition?
Summary ofthetopic (300words):
TheapplicationofChinesevernacularcourtyardenvironmentadaptabilitydesignstrategiesin Chinese
contemporaryarchitectural designarebecomingmorewell knownamongChinesearchitects.For
Instance,in siheyuanhouses, the connectionwithnatureisexpressedthroughthe centrallylocated
courtyard. It maintainsthewell-beingofthe inhabitantsbybringinginnaturallight andproviding
ventilation to the building.ThecourtyardHouseisoneof the buildinginspiredbythe Si He Yuan
courtyard house,the projectseeksto readaptthe vernaculartypology foundin the northernlegaleof
China,to a detachedhousetypologyinan urbanizedtropicalcontext.TheCourtyardhouseare
enclosedandinwardfacingtoprotectthem from the harsh windsandthe dust storms andthe structures
that are built withintwo floors whichensuredmorefreshnessdueto addedshadow.
EachHouseshave windowswhichhelptoreplacetheair in the room,regulatehumidityandreducethe
risk of mouldgrowth.Highlevel of thermalinsulationtheventilationof the livingarea is of major
importance.Throughcorrectventilationbehaviouryou willbe ableto createa pleasantliving
atmosphereandroom climateandsimultaneouslypreventdamageto the building.Besides,The
perforatedconcretewallallowsforair-flowandglimpsesof the gardenbeyondbut shieldsthe western
sun andits adjacentneighbours.
Themassing,comprisingoftwo blocksina north-southorientation,delineatethesite with a front
garden,the centralcourtyardwhereall the roomslookedintoand a backgarden.Forthe backgarden,it
maintaintheenvironmentalconditionsandtemperaturecontrol.Ventilationsystems in gardenactually
serve four imperativefunctions:temperaturecontrol,humiditycontrol,CO2/oxygenreplacement,andair
circulation.. In the conclusion,Thepatiohouseismoreunderlinetheairventilationand insurancefrom
outsideby the courtyard configuration andclimaticoutline.
References:
Siheyuan Culture.(n.d.). Retrieved September29,2015.
Traditional ChineseVernacularDwellings.(n.d.).Retrieved September29, 2015.
Blaser, W. (1995).Courtyard House inChina/ Hofhaus in China:TraditionandPresent/ Taditionund
Gegenwart.Basel:Birkhäuser.
TheCourtyardHouse/ FormwerkzArchitects.(2013, August 8). Retrieved September29,2015
