Tropical Sustainable Architecture : Social and Environmental Dimensions

by Bay; Ong

• ISBN13: 9780750667975
• ISBN10: 0750667974
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-09-26
• Publisher: Elsevier Science

Summary

The tropical belt where large areas of South East Asia, India, Africa and parts of both North and South America are located forms the biggest landmass in the world and has one of the highest numbers of rapidly developing cities. Coincidentally, architecture in these regions shares common problems, the most easily identifiable being the tropical conditions of climate and natural environment. The context for architecture here is fraught with conflicts between tradition and modernization, massive influx of rural poor into urban areas, poorly managed rapid urban development as well as the cultural and social strain of globalization. Many local and overseas architects, planners and city fathers are interested in the social and environmental dimensions of these areas that contribute towards short terms solutions and long term sustainable developments. This book, developed from the first conference of the International Network for Tropical Architecture, supplies a wealth of information from experts worldwide covering the cultural, environmental and technical aspects of thinking, researching and designing for the tropics. * Provides a holistic view of the subject, covering both technical and cultural issues * Includes a variety of tropical case studies by an international team of experts * Essential reading for architects wishing to develop their skills, technology and knowledge of these rapidly changing cities

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. vii
Preface	p. xiii
About the Authors	p. xv
Social and Environmental Dimensions in Tropical Sustainable Architecture: Introductory Comments	p. 1
Architectural and Environmental Theories	p. 15
Rethinking Design Methodology for Sustainable Social Quality	p. 17
The Selective Environment: Environmental Design and Cultural Identity	p. 29
Green Design in the Hot Humid Tropical Zone	p. 45
High-rise High-density Living	p. 57
Socio-Environmental Dimensions in Tropical Semi-open Spaces of High-rise Housing in Singapore	p. 59
BEAMs and Architectural Design in Singapore Public Housing	p. 83
Building and Planning Requirements	p. 99
Policy and Evaluation System for Green Building in Subtropical Taiwan	p. 101
In Search of a Habitable Urban Space-Built Ratio: A Case Study of Building and Planning Regulation in Dhaka City	p. 125
Urban Environmental Impacts	p. 149
Designing High Density Cities - Parametric Studies of Urban Morphologies and their Implied Environmental Performance	p. 151
The Urban Heat Island Effect in Singapore	p. 181
Tropical Urban Street Canyons	p. 201
Experimental Sustainable Projects	p. 219
Tropical and Traditional: Inventing a New Housing Model for the Old 36 Streets Quarter in Hanoi, Vietnam	p. 221
ECOPET 21: An Innovative Sustainable Building System for Ecological Communities in Tropical Regions	p. 241
Critique on Tropical Architecture	p. 265
Is Sustainability Sustainable? Interrogating the Tropical Paradigm in Asian Architecture	p. 267
Index	p. 287
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