A school integrated with semi-open spaces, Fatemeh Rostami nasab

Project Name: A school integrated with semi-open spaces \ Function: school
Lead Architect: Fatemeh Rostaminasab
Location: Tehran/ Niavaran
Total Land Area: 10000 Sq.m \ Render: nozhan forouzandeh
Email: Frostaminasab@yahoo.com

Natural ventilation has long been used in buildings as one of the most important cooling techniques. In the modern era, the prevalence of air conditioning systems has led to disregard for the design of isolated buildings and the use of natural ventilation. Environmental problems and problems associated with students’ health, declining efficiency, and reduced indoor air quality mostly due to the use of air conditioning systems cause a greater tendency to use natural ventilation. Most previous studies have addressed the effects of sunlight on buildings, and little research has explored the effects of ventilation, especially in schools. In addition to issues related to ventilation, there is a greater need for focusing on the function of semi-open spaces especially in applications with the possibility of collective and active events such as schools. Besides, more attention should be paid to developing semi-open spaces by combining closed space and observing the spatial hierarchy as these spaces have been almost forgotten. This research project sought to establish a connection between semi-open spaces and efficient ventilation and focus on semi-open spaces to be used as an efficient element to reduce energy.
The depth of semi-open spaces was selected as the most important factor to reduce energy consumption for analysis. The required data were collected through different research methods and tools such as library studies, comparative analysis, case studies, and computer simulation (Design Builder). Besides, the collected data were analyzed using statistical techniques and logical reasoning. The results suggested that an increase in the depth of the semi-open space will reduce the temperature felt by the person indoors. It was also shown that this decrease in temperature was due to reduced direct sunlight, and ventilation had no effect in this case. As the depth of the semi-open spaces increases, the rate of indoor ventilation decreases. As a result, in the design of the semi-open spaces associated with classrooms where students stay for a long time, the walls are considered movable to maximize wind efficiency and prevent undesirable radiation from the sun. Finally, it was found that the integration of closed, semi-open, and open spaces throughout the building creates favorable specs both qualitatively and climatically.