Beijing Star Garden

Climactic Design Properties

Winter:
1) Keep heat in and cold temperatures out.
2) Protect from the cold winter winds.
3) Let the winter sun in.

Spring/fall:
1) Use natural ventilation for dehumidication
2) Intermediate season has to be stretched for minimizing energy consumption.

Summer:
1) Keep the hot temperatures out.
2) Protect from summer sun.

Comparison between original design and proposed alternatives

Original Block Plan and First Revised Scheme A

	Problems - North wing units do not receive enough southern light. - Privacy compromised between north wings. - Building plan exposes too much surface to outside, increasing heat loss. - Too compact unit plan creates poor natural ventilation within units. - Symmetry of plan does not consider local climate conditions.(ie. west sun, north winds)
Original Block plan
	Improvement - More compact design decreases exterior surface area. - Improvement of natural cross ventilation. - Privacy provided between north wing units. - Interior south-facing areas increased for apt units. - Sequential hierachy of spaces in unit plan.
Scheme A

Second Revised Scheme B and Scheme B'

Features:
- A more compact form decreases surface area of the building. This greatly reduces heat loss thru exterior walls.
- Service core at north of building buffers residences from winter winds.
- Each apt. has both south-facing bedrooms & living areas.
- Living areas contain sunspaces that mediate extreme outdoor conditions.
- Deep closable niches between units provide ventilation in summer and act as buffer spaces in winter.

Scheme B	Section - A through sunspaces
Schem B'	Elevation & Section - B through niches

5 Unit Scheme A

Features: - Building is divided into 5-story cluster configurations. - Each cluster contains a common space for ventilation. This common space allows for natural ventilation of building in temperate seasons thru the stack effect. - Each unit has both south-facing bedrooms & living areas. - Living areas contain sunspaces that meditate extreme outdoor conditions. - Roof garden absorbes heat gain from roof. - Cross ventilation possible thru each units.
	Secion A-A'
Scheme A-1
Scheme A-2	South Elevation

5 Unit Scheme B

Features:

- 2 floors / elevator stop (skip-stop).
- Maximum southern exposure.
- Minimum north expsure.
- Service core north-west buffer.
- Natural ventilation for common space.
- Avoids west exposure.

Scheme B - Upper Level Plan	Diagram
Scheme B - Lower Level Plan
Scheme B - Split Level Plan	Axonometric

Revised 12 x 24 Plan

Shading Design Study

Design 1
Design 2
Design 3

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