Chapter 4

This chapter talks about climate and how we should adapt to climate and its changes to better our indoor and outdoor environment.

 Now days with technology and mechanical advancements we tend to make nature submissive to our needs rather than adapt to it. We rely on air conditions and other outside sources to control the temperature inside. ‘Controlling’ is not always the best solution, so we need to learn from traditional ways of building as they had no choice but to adapt to nature. So, primitive houses in light of their study of nature were built in a way that responded to various conditions in nature and their usage of local materials.

This is not to say that we romanticize on old way of housing, it is very restricted and limited to change and it has been repeatedly argues how unhygienic and unhealthy those spaces were, but there is definitely a very great knowledge of climate that we have taken for granted and seem to ignore in our design. A house is a shell, that protects you from weather, animals etc It also is to give him freedom to do other activities necessary for his survival protecting him from the undesirable environment.

 There are places that need extreme measures and protections from the outside climate while there are others that need little or no protection. They can be roughly divided into Arctic areas, which is extremely cold, hot and dry like deserts and tropical areas. The severe the climate ,the lesser the chance of ‘choice’ terming it as ‘pure climatic functionalism’.

Builders or local peasants show a very in depth knowledge of wind, shade, study of weather in all times of day and their accurate knowledge of local materials and their characteristics for best usage and comfort. Much like the early settlers of a new country, who would stick to their old form and bring changes to it according to the climate. Primitive houses observed in Africa had no changes in them, while the ones in Europe had individual modifications to each one of them. What is also very interesting to note is the change in the built structure due to the change of climate in different seasons. It is noted that in Asia and Siberia, for e.g a conical tent a tipi, changes from layers of fur and snow half way piled up for warmth in winters to hides in summer. Sometimes the change is even greater people change houses from tents in summer to pit dwellings in winters. Some even change locations, live in concentration in river valleys in winters and in summers on sides of hills, with the change in weather not only man but livestock is also taken into consideration while making these changes.

Response to climate can be categorized into four main criteria

·         Temperature

·         Humidity

·         Wind

·         Rain

·         Light and radiation

For hot and dry temperatures, temperature is usually very high in the saytime and falls in the nighttime so materials that absorb heat and reradiate at night work best like mud stone etc. with a compact geometry, which is maximum volume with minimum surface area that is exposed to the heat also the use of double walls and double roofs is very effective.

Hot and humid climate usually involves a lot of rainfall and very less variation of temperature so the requirements are the complete opposite of hot and dry climate. Cross ventilation is extremely important and it helps the body to lose heat, shade and wind are the two main factors. An open and raised floor is usually what is used in Malaya. Hammocks are very common as they have no heat capacity.

Roof becomes a very dominant element in this type of climate, It is large and sloped to avoid the water of rainfall, it is light and of less mass, and can usually breathe to avoid condensation. Overhangs protect from sun and rain. Way of addressing to the same climatic region in a different way usually depends on the culture and traditions of that place. An open plan creates problems of privacy so in regions like Pakistan and India where there is proper segregation between men and women jail (open work screens) allowing the house to breathe.

In cold temperatures, heat loss is made as minimum as possible by introducing elements of heat in the center of the house usually known as ‘hearth’. Insulating materials that reduce the heat loss as much as possible are used and air leaks and drafts are prevented.

Wind is desirable where it is hot humid and discouraged where it is dry and cold. In igloo to discourage wind, the entrance is usually in the direction of the wind and in a curved tunnel. An igloo has one main entrance and then linked by interior passages for more effective wind blockage. Entrance can also be on the windward side blocked by a low snow wall. On the other hand wind in the tipi is controlled by two ears on the roof attached to two tall poles; the ears are controlled by the two poles and can close and open according to the weather. In Normandy, the farmhouses are in the shape of a ship turned upside down where the bow is in the direction of the wind and stern is facing the east. In Canada and Mexico, houses stone houses are half sunk in the ground so that the north wall facing the direct wind is one story high whereas the south wall is two story high and has window openings. Wind poles in front of the house and wind breaks are also very common to break the force of wind.

Rain in arid regions is important to collect and protect from evaporation, in Italy cistern under the house are directly accessible from the house and also have a cooling effect on the house. In hot and humid areas verandahs are a best way of ventilation during rainy seasons.

Radiation and light also go along side of temperature. In Eskimos since window is used facing the winter sun and during the hot summer, dark tents to avoid the light.

In hot dry areas, light I discourages by painting the house white and light colors to enable maximum heat radiation.

Different cultures and places adapt to their climate that works with their traditions, norms family and social lives. A lot of solutions are available to us, if one looks into the study of primitive houses in all the different regions of the world which are working in a far better way the ones built in the recent times.

Sakina Talib