Asian Architecture (ARC 2234 / ARC60403) Project 1: Case Study Paper

Topic & Issue Proposal (10%) Due Date: 30 Sept 2015

Prepare a two-page type-written proposal, including a concept mapping, a summary of the topic and/or issue to be explored, some of the questions you hope to address, along with a title, and an annotated bibliography of sources. Student name and ID: LEE JO YEE 0314880

Tutor: Ms. Shahrianne Mohd Shah

Solution to Heat Gain Challenge Using Double Roof Structure As an Approach to Climatic Responsive Design

In Safari Roof House, Petaling Jaya. Research Questions:

1. In relation with the contextual climate, what are the roles of roof as a climatic responsive

design in tropical climate?

2. What is a double roof structure and its function in the Safari Roof House?

3. What are the significant features adopted in the double roof structure of Safari Roof House to

reduce heat gain?

4. How does each of the features aids in the efficiency of the double roof structure and help in

solving the problem faced?

5. What are the differences and similarities between single roof and double roof design in tropical

climate?

Heat

Gain

NATURAL

FACTORS Materiality

Surface

Reflectivity

Orientation Form

SOLUTIONS

Safari Roof

House

Climatic

responsive

design

Double

Roof

Structure

Summary of the topic:

Today, sustainability has dubbed as a fundamental of any modern or post-modern buildings. Buildings

that are sustainable adapt to the local climate and response with appropriate building science,

construction and technology in order to provide thermal comfort to the occupants. Such importance can

be seen from the history and development of the local vernacular architecture. In this case, the focus of

this paper will be the study of traditional Malay housing and further narrow down to a single physical

element ------the roof.

The Safari Roof House, designed by Kevin Mark Low located in Petaling Jaya, Selangor has implied a

modern designed double roof structure to tackle the issue of heat gain from the glaring sun. The roof

that is lifted off the body of the house to facilitate wind cooling is inspired by the tropical Landrover from

which it takes its name, resembles the use of ventilated double roof in the traditional Malay house. The

paper will start with an introduction to the significant of roof design as part of the strategies to bring

thermal comfort in relation with the contextual climate. As the background set in the hot and humid

weather, the topic will focus on the design of the safari roof to direct wind flow, the occurrence of stack

effect, the position of roof openings, heat convection and radiation. Different aspects such as low

thermal capacity materials, surface reflectivity, orientation of the roof and roof structure will be

discussed in the topic to increase the capability of the roof to reduce heat gain. Lastly, the paper will

conclude with a comparison of single roof and double roof in a tropical climate building.

Bibliography 1. Burhanuddin, W. (1984). The Malay House: Learning from its elements, rules and changes. In L. a.

(eds.), Design Policy: Design and Society (pp. 28-33). http://www.hbp.usm.my/wburhan/malayhouse/mhousepaper.htm This paper provides an introduction to the Malay Vernacular architecture and details on each physical elements, spatial elements and functional elements.

2. Low, K. M. (2015, September 29). Safari Roof House. Retrieved from archnet.org:

http://archnet.org/sites/6469/publications/2223 http://archnet.org/system/publications/contents/2223/original/FLS2600.pdf?1384757902 This is a presentation panels of the Safari Roof House explained everything from concept implimentation to execution. In the publication also shows series of photos taken from different angle in the house to provide a better understand of the spatial arrangement.

3. Paul Gut, D. A. (1993). 3.3 Design for warm-humid zones. In D. A. Paul Gut, Climate Responsive

Building - Appropriate Building Construction in Tropical and Subtropical Regions. Switzerland: SKAT. http://collections.infocollections.org/ukedu/en/d/Jsk02ce/3.4.html This book writes about the suggested approaches and strategies in tackling climate issues in various context. A focus is placed in chapter 3.3 where it talks about the design implication in hot and humid climate.