Editor's Note by Mui Ho |
I was entranced with the efforts to integrate sunshading into the very well detailed facades of the new high-rises. The sun shielding is necessary in the extreme climate. It is like a second skin on the buildings making the exterior more interesting while still allowing lots of natural light. Probably the cost of the exterior skin is balanced by the drop in cooling costs, although it didn't seem like cost was a major factor in any of the designs. One custom I found very different was the shift in hours of activity. People get up late they do not venture out till after sunset. The malls are packed at night and the lighting of buildings becomes as much a part of their design as the sunshades. (No doubt our flight out of the country left at 3:00am) Since schools start in the morning, like most schools, young students told me the hardest thing was to going to bed at 10:00pm in order to get up for school. They said it takes a few days to a week to adjust after school holidays. Another surprise was finding one of our members, Sima Tawakoli, in the Riyadh conference. She gave a paper on 'Lighting Silhouettes as an Element in Vernacular Architecture: Inspiration for Contemporary Design.' |
How about a good conversation? by Karen Van Dorn |
Update on Retreat 2024 by Rachel Slonicki |
More images of the Emirates |
Eames Archive, Richmond California |
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