Shading Architectures—Bioclimatic Approach to “Well Tempered” Civic Spaces

Abstract

In relation to the growing impact of urban heat island, thermal wellbeing in outdoor spaces becomes a relatively new environmental problem architectural designers have to take in charge. Bioclimatic approach to architecture can give a substantial contribution to achieve liveable conditions in outdoor spaces as well as to maintain multi sensorial comfort conditions, sustain natural rhythms, and stimulate human senses. Adaptive approach to thermal comfort in inner spaces—recently adopted by UE—is opening the road to more sensitive comfort approaches also for outdoor spaces. Green structures contribute to mitigate urban microclimates through a multi scale “climate control strategies”: shading, air temperature reduction, setting off and canalising cold breezes. Architects have now a responsibility to develop bioclimatic-based design to promote mutual support among natural and social communities of living beings as a tool for co-existence and progress. A toolbox can supply architects a basic knowledge on green systems morphology and metabolism in order to develop sensibility and bioclimatic design capability by shaping accordingly the green/built environment since the preliminary design phases. Basic knowledge of such a toolbox are: bioclimatic urban and building design tools; morphology, metabolism and sociology of green systems; building physics; principles of urban climatology; sensorial experiences, and evaluation of comfort conditions in outdoor spaces.