But before we dive in, hi my goodbugs!! It’s been toooo long. Life’s gotten bz (adulthood is getting real :’)) but I miss writing on here. So here I am at 1am on a Sunday night writing to y’all! Miss y’all and hope to be writing here more often!
Quick check in as always! 🤗👇
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Nooow let’s get in. Consider this one a seasonal special ;)
Shark-finned buildings?
Imagine this: you’re lounging in your sun-soaked apartment, but instead of sweating it out, you’re cool as a cucumber—all thanks to some clever shark-fin-shaped protrusions on the building. Sounds wild, right? But it’s true! Engineers have discovered that adding these angled features to the sunniest side of a building can actually keep it cooler.
This isn’t a new idea, either. Our ancestors were pros at using natural design tricks to beat the heat—think of the Roman amphitheaters or the stunning wind towers of Yazd, or even the cool Marble walls of the Taj Mahal. But somewhere along the way, we traded those cool designs for boxy buildings that soak up heat like sponges.
Now, researchers from Purdue and Colombia universities are on a mission to bring back these smart, simple solutions. They’re looking at ways to retrofit our modern homes to make them naturally cooler, just in time for those ugh-don’t-touch-me-it’s-too-hot summer months. It’s all about mixing a bit of old-school wisdom (turns out your momma and her momma’s momma were all right) with new-school ingenuity to keep us comfy as temperatures rise!
These clever angles, resembling the sawtooth roofs of old factory buildings, can actually shave 5.5°F off your indoor temperatures—how cool is that? The design works like a charm by deflecting heat from two directions: the ground’s radiating warmth and the sun’s blazing rays.
Figure from research article titled, ‘Realizing optimal radiative cooling walls in building-energy nexus via asymmetric emissivity’.
The secret sauce? Ultra-white paint that reflects sunlight and special materials that keep ground heat at bay. Now, Cheng and his team are gearing up to patent this design and turn it into a product. They’re thinking of using corrugated iron, which they tested and found could slash HVAC energy usage by a whopping 14%. Stay tuned—your summer just might get a whole lot cooler!
The answer may just be yes. In northwest India, a stunning family home has been making waves on the award circuit for its cool, clever design—literally.
The Mirai House of Arches, a nearly 10,000-square-foot marvel, is built to keep its three generations of residents comfortable, even when the temperature hits a scorching 104°F (40°C).
This architectural gem is wrapped in natural stone and wood, with a standout feature: a curvy terracotta envelope that’s as functional as it is beautiful. The envelope creates shaded balconies, porticoes, and patios, perfectly positioned to catch the breeze and block out the sun’s intense rays. Thanks to the thermoregulatory magic of natural materials, this house stays cool during Rajasthan’s eight-month-long summers.
⚙️ The secret sauce lies in the clever gap between the house and its terracotta shell. As the sun heats up the outer envelope, wind and moisture are able to flow through the space in between, keeping the heat from penetrating the living areas.
Nestled in Bhilwara, a city known for its rich history and as the "city of looms," the Mirai House of Arches feels right at home. The house’s playful mix of volumes—cozy single levels for bedrooms, lofty double heights for dining, and a unique 1.5 level for the living room—adds to its charm and functionality. With multiple prestigious awards under its belt, including the Architecture Master Prize 2022 and the Best Residential Project in Architecture at the CDA Awards 2022 in Paris, this home is as cool as they come.
Maybe this is something engineers and architects can finally agree on.
Hello there, welcome back!
Looking forward to more of these 😁