7.6.USA-2-detail-b
by Charlie Szoradi
Title
7.6.USA-2-detail-b
Artist
Charlie Szoradi
Medium
Drawing - Ink On Paper
Description
USA 2: Detail (b) Highlights Relevant to Sustainable Design:
We can rethink the form and function of natural ventilation.
For connecting wood, the dovetail joint in the upper left of this sketch is strong and effective. It is time-consuming to produce and requires a high degree a carpentry skill for the angle cuts and pegs, so it has largely been replaced by metal brackets. The diagonal bracing and the roof vents that adorn the top of this barn are common in many regions across the country. Regardless of shape, size, and color, barn components typically serve a function.
Hot air rises up and out through slats along the cupola sides. Often the top also features a weathervane with a directional wind arrow and an animal ranging from a horse to a fish. Not surprisingly, we are so enamored with the look of the familiar barn cupolas that they appear on roofs of buildings across America that have significantly different functions from barns. Some gas stations, banks, and fast-food "country" restaurants have the familiar cupola. Of course the cupolas are never intended to work as they do on countless barns, but the look reminds us of something we like. For better or worse, cultural memory unabashedly takes over reason. We might find that homes and even some commercial and industrial properties would benefit from natural ventilation to reduce their energy consumption on heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC), especially in temperate seasons like spring and fall. With the advent of "smart controls" and building automation, the idea of intelligent design could work well with old tech strategies integrated with new tech tactics.
This barn cross section is cut though the ground plane on the walk outside of a hill to also illustrate the passive geothermal advantages of using ground temperature below the frost line to keep the animals cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter than the outside air temperature. Advancements in geothermal active technology make it more affordable now to bury coils underground, but passive geo-strategies are readily applicable and proven to be cost-effective.
Author and illustrator: Charlie Szoradi is an architect, inventor, and the CEO of Independence LED Lighting. He writes about many other topics related to cupola design and HVAC through his extensive travels around the world.
If you have found this posting online, it is an excerpt from Mr. Szoradi's book Learn from Looking that served as the inspiring seed content for this drawing share resource. For additional drawings and insights on cupola and other barn design features, we hope that you enjoy exploring LearnfromLooking.com. You can search via general terms such as sustainability as well as narrower terms such as cupola, geothermal. And dovetail joints.
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November 27th, 2016
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