Just a few weeks ago, the Argentina it was for several days the hottest area in the world. With temperatures that reached 45 degrees, neither fans nor air conditioning were enough to provide relief. The electrical system was saturated and there were power outages in various provinces and localities. And far from being a surreal and extreme postcard, these episodes are becoming increasingly common.
From the hand of climate changethe heat waves They are becoming more frequent and extensive. And while some governments and regional and global organizations have begun to consider joint actions to confront the Environmental crisis, the architecture already outlines its own solutions. In times of extreme temperatures, it is time to rethink the places to live.
Of Vanguard
Although Argentina has been the epicenter of the heat recently, this is a problem that overwhelms everyone. Therefore, the first strategies began to be seen in Europe, Asia and the United States. Roofs that hang like umbrellas and protect both the inhabitants of the interior and pedestrians from the sun, others with white coating or full of vegetation, cross ventilation systems and premises of the bioclimatic architecture (that which builds taking advantage of the available resources and the local climate) are some of the strategies that have been put into play in recent years.
In this last point, the use of mushrooms, one of the most avant-garde proposals. More specifically, of myceliuma kind of yeast growing in a cell structure. “As it develops, it assembles long, dense connections that become mushrooms. Instead of letting the structure grow in the classic way we all know, Mycelium can grow in specific shapes. And it does it very quickly, becoming visible in a matter of hours,” he details. Gabriela Lopez, architect and design trends analyst. The latter makes the material not only efficient and ecological, but also profitable.
And how is it used? We are beginning to explore how plastic substituteand at Dutch Design Week 2019 a pavilion made entirely of mycelium was created by the designer Pascal Leboucq in collaboration with the Krown Design studio. “The exposed panels were grown from fungi and coated with a bio-based product developed by the Incas, in Mexico. The mycelium provides the necessary resistance and the panels were attached to a wooden frame to allow their reuse,” López describes. This material is also being used in interior design: in acoustic panels, lampshades, textiles and flower arrangements.
Materials and techniques
On the local front, new construction has also begun to implement changes to help mitigate the effects of climate change.
“From the pandemic onwards, the semi-covered and naturally ventilated spaces They are the most requested in the premises. Therefore, the challenge is how to generate comfort conditions with lower energy consumption. Not only do we have to think very carefully about what technology to use, but above all what orientation to choose to counteract the effects of heat,” he details. Juan Bardi, from the Box Arquitectura studio, in charge of gastronomic establishments from brands such as Quotidiano, Mostaza and Masaii. Furthermore, he adds that the greater rainfall It is also a point to take into account in the future. “The flat roofs They are increasingly less efficient for storm drainage,” he describes.
Along this path, much more efficient materials are beginning to be used in terms of thermal insulation. For example, the retak bricks, composed of sand, cement, lime and an expanding agent, which results in a paste that contains internal and independent air cells, which generates an insulating condition much superior to that of traditional bricks. It is also gaining followers steel frame methoddry construction, which generates several layers in a wall to which different functions are added, with thermal, acoustic and water-repellent insulators. “Each of these layers is easy to assemble and is a quick, dry and industrialized method,” says Bardi. These resources help improve the thermal coefficient of interior spaces.
Communion with green
The transformations in the way we live are also seen in how we live. outdoor spaces. For the architect Martin Gomez, from the homonymous studio, these changes have a response from architecture. “Higher ceilings, wider galleries, more covered spaces outside: we generate a lot of situations to live more outside but with comfort. Today, from the raging heat to skin cancer, they lead us to think about these intermediate spaces in more depth,” he says.
Among his works, this can be seen for example in La Magnolia, a house built in 2015 that is accessed through a reflecting pool with an immaculate magnolia allowing “to generate strong sensations in transitional environments.” At the same time, the hallways on the upper floor are accompanied by an elevated garden.
Meanwhile, in Boji, a house designed in La Juanita, Uruguay, the surrounding landscape of forest, beach and sea seems to be absorbed into the construction. “In love with José Ignacio’s starry nights, one of the demands of the project was that that sky be present in the house, so a glass circulation connector was created that unites both floors,” they describe.
Make it massive
In a country in constant crisis, the greatest challenge that this new architecture presents is that sustainability strategies are applied, beyond some isolated cases or the largest budgets. The new generations could be the drivers of this. This is how you notice it Adriana Miceliarchitect and specialist in environmental management, also holder of the chair of Sustainable Architecture at FADU UBA. “I see a lot of interest in the students. Learning about these issues leads them to change the way they design, and they feel it is something they have to do at this time of such a sustainability crisis.” Thus, although he believes that these types of tools do not have massive activation, he does see a change of consciousness as for the new design and construction paradigms.
There are also some incentives that can accelerate this evolution. For example, the Puertos neighborhood, in Escobar, is one of the pioneers in rewarding buildings that are efficient from an energy point of view. “Homes are given sustainable construction categories and there are even discounts on expenses. I think the future is there,” Bardi enthuses. This private neighborhood also proposes a landscape project with a preponderance of native species and offers a 60-hectare biological corridor as a shelter for lake fauna. One of the most interesting beacons to begin looking at future ways of living.
