Mills as an Example of Vernacular Architecture

The mills are examples of vernacular architecture. The main feature of this architecture is its design and materials.

The plan of the building are regular and the vertical layering of the building allow two different customs: at the ground floor, the equipment of the mills; at the next on the upper floors floors, the house of the miller.

Material, such as stone, wood or brick, enhance the personality of this architecture.

The mills are constructed from load bearing walls arranged in two or three bays, which It's create small and high spaces (between 3-4 meters). These space are separated with subdivided by wooden floors. Another main feature of this architecture are the mono-pitched or pitched roof.

However, the element that makes special this kind of architecture special is the water. Coming through the irrigation canal, and going through the mill.

Laura López 

The mills are examples of vernacular architecture. The main feature of this architecture is its design and materials.

The plan of the building are regular and the vertical layering of the building allow two different customs: at the ground floor, the equipment of the mills; at the next floors, the house of miller.

Material, as stone, wood or brick, enhance the personality of this architecture.

The mills are constructed from load bearing walls arranged in two or three bays. It's create small and high spaces (between 3-4 meters). Those space are separated with wooden floors. Another main feature of this architecture are the mono-pitched or pitched roof.

However, the element that make special this kind of architecture is the water. Come through the irrigation canal, and go through the mill.

Centre for Training and Specializing in Natural Materials

Exterior: This project consists in a rehabititation of a semi-demolished warehouse. This building responds to the harsh climate of the summer months of Moron de la Frontera, in Seville. The sunlight and the elevate temperatures influenced the design of the building. Thus the project main façade is made by adobe bricks wall, and the rest of the building was made using low energy cost and materials.

Interior: The plan of the building is rectangular, a ramp allows you get to the fist floor.

Workshops were developed in big areas inside and outside the building creating a direct interior-exterior connection.

Light: The building is flooded with natural light through the horizontal windows in the north façade. And also spills into the spaces through the skylights.

Structure: The original grid steel structure and the roof truss were reinforced using welded sections, in order to preserve the original structure.

Foundations were also reinforced by concrete slabs.

The rest of the building had non-load bearing masonry made by clay bricks. 

Services: Services in the building were minimum possible, due to the adobe wall that creates an appropriate interior atmosphere. 

Sara de la Encarnacion


Exterior: This project consists in a rehabititation of a semi-demolished warehouse. This building responds to the harsh climate of the summer months of Moron de la Frontera, in Seville. The sunlight and the elevate temperatures influenced the design of the building. Thus the project main façade is made by adobe bricks wall, and the rest of the building was made using low energy cost and materials.

Interior: The plan of the building is rectangular, a ramp allows you get to the fist floor. Workshops were developed in big areas inside and outside the building creating a direct interior-exterior connection.

Light: The building is flooded with natural light through the horizontal windows in the north façade. And also spills into the spaces through the skylights.  

Structure: The original grid steel structure and the roof truss were reinforced using welded sections, in order to preserve the original structure.

Foundations were also reinforced by concrete slabs.

The rest of the building had non-load bearing masonry made by clay bricks.

Services: Services in the building were minimum possible, due to the adobe wall that creates an appropriate interior atmosphere.

School, Burnhaupt-le-Haut

The new school of Burnhaupt-le-Haut employs an innovative environmental approach. It is the first school in Alsace and the second in France to produce more energy than it consumes. The architect Thomas Weulersse of the Studio d-Form was inspired by the German concept of "Passivhaus",where buildings are so energy efficient they need little or no outside energy source.

The facade clad with ceramic panels. Ventilating and insulating in clay constitutes an ideal principle of construction for the insulation and the protection from the external environment.

A durable and effective insulation contributes to the reduction of the consumption of energy for heating and in air conditioning.

The system of double flow ventilation  is associated with a 15kw wood pellet boiler. The very strong insulation in natural and ecological materials is assured by 46 cm walls and 56 cm roof thicknesses in absorbent cellulose cotton and rigid wood wool. Windows are triple glazed and the roof windows are quadruple glazed. Electrical energy production is guaranteed by the implementation incorporation of 280 m2 of photovoltaic panels exposed facing due south.

These factors provide optimum levels of occupant comfort and operational efficiency.

The heating constant building temperature is assured assisted by three sources of energy:

• the sun, the building are orientated to take advantage of south light and 85% of the south facade consists of big large horizontal glazed  windows,
• a small wood pellet boiler and
• the occupants of the school.

Inma Martin


The new school of Burnhaupt-le-Haut is the first school with positive energy in Alsace and the second in France. The project joins in an innovative environmental approach. The architect Thomas Weulersse of the Studio d-Form was inspired by the German concept of "Passivhaus" so this school produces more energy that the one that it consumes.

The facade clad with ceramic panels, ventilated and insulated in clay constitutes an ideal principe of construction for the insulation and the protection from the external environment.

A durable and effective insulation contributes to the reduction of the consumption in heating and in air conditioning.

The system of ventilation double flow is associated with a boiler in pellet of 15 kW. The very strong insulation in natural and ecological materials is assured by 46 cm walls and 56 cm roof in absorbent cotton of cellulose and wool of stiff wood. Windows are in triple glazing and the windows of roof in quadruple glazing. As for the production in electrical energy, it is guaranteed by the implementation of 280 m2 of the photovoltaic panels exposed due south.

That provide optimun levels of occupant comfort and operational efficiency.

The heater is assured by three sources of energy:

• the sun, the building are orientated to take advantage of south light and 85 % of the south facade consist of big glazed horizontal window,
• a small boiler wood.
• the occupants of the school

SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE

Sustainable architecture is a response to current needs. Architecture that consumes little energy in its manufacture and will consume as little as possible in its operation.

 

As basic approaches we can look at of situation, volumes, facades and roofs.

Situation

You must know the weather data and to incorporate passive design measures. As fundamentals are:

• temperature
• direction
• humidity
• solar radiation
• wind

To achieve better comfort, you have to take into account the orientation and direction of the prevailing winds, proximity to wetlands, harnessing solar radition and natural ventilation.

Two things, the sentence us a bit confused and reads better:

To achieve better comfort you should take the proximity to wetlands into account and also the orientation of the building in order to harness solar radiation and natural ventilation from the prevailing winds.

Another sentence from Murcutt you could have used: Sustainable architecture should respond to climatic conditions and function without air conditioning or heating through controlling sunlight penetration and manipulating the breezes.

Volumes

The optimal form of the building is based on searching the thermal balance: lower reducing heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer less. This depends on the type of weather. In extreme climates as optimal the optimum form would be compact volumes.

Sectorization Division of housing is also recommended: Near ¿Distinguish between? night vs day area, for increased energy demand, more or less depending on occupancy.

Facade

The facade must harness solar radiation, natural lighting and ventilation. The holes apertures are also key elements. In colder climates larger apertures that allow heat and solar gain are advisable. Whereas in warm climates the holes apertures must be protected to prevent excessive heat gain the temperature rise, also called the greenhouse effect.

Roof

The roof is the most important element as it can be exploited for passive use of solar radiation, passive cooler element and natural light. You can also pipe and collect water or use a roof garden which has the advantages of thermal and acoustic insulation. 

Manuel Gómez Pérez

Sustainable architecture is a response to a current needs. It is designed and built more efficiently and lower costs.

As basic approaches find aspects of situation, volumes, facades and roofs.

Situation

You must know the weather data and to incorporate passive design measures. As fundamentals are: temperature, direction, humidity, solar radiation and wind.

To achieve better comfort, you have to take into account the orientation direction of the prevailing winds, proximity to wetlands, harnessing solar radition and natural ventilation.

Volumes

The optimal form of the building is based on searching the thermal balance: lower heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer less. This depends on the type of weather. In extreme climates as optimal are compact volumes.

Sectorization of housing is also recommended: Near night vs day area, for increased energy demand, more or less depending on occupancy.

Facade

The facade must harness solar radiation, natural lighting and ventilation. The holes are also key elements.

In cold weather it is advisable large holes that allow heat and solar gain. In warm climates the holes must be protected to prevent the temperature rise, also called the greenhouse effect.

Roof

The roof is the most important element in the sun. This can be exploited as passive use of solar radiation, passive cooler element and natural light. You can also pipe and collect water or use a roof garden.

Roof garden has advantages of thermal and acoustic insulation.