Design to Zero Toronto
Team CastelGhazi
University of Toronto
Toronto lies on the shore of Lake Ontario, Canada. Due to its proximity to water, it has a humid continental climate, with warm humid summers and cold winters.
The city experiences four distinct seasons. However, Toronto winters can be longer than the other seasons. Snow storms mixed with ice and rain often disrupts city life; snow falls anytime from November to mid-April.
Precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the whole year, yet summer remains the wettest season accompanied by several thunderstorms.
Climate Diagrams
Jan Apr Jul Oct
Temperature
Daily Maximum (°C) -1.3 11.5 26.5 14.2
Daily Minimum (°C) -7.9 3.5 17.6 7.2
Daily Mean (°C) -4.5 7.5 22.1 10.7
Extreme Maximum (°C) 16.1 32.2 40.6 30.0
Extreme Minimum (°C) -32.8 -15.0 3.9 -8.9
Precipitation
Rainfall (mm) 22.7 58.1 71.0 62.7
Snowfall (cm) 35.5 7.3 0.0 0.5
Precipitation (mm) 55.2 65.4 71.0 63.3
Extreme Daily Rainfall (mm) 63.5 59.7 98.6 86.9
Extreme Daily Snowfall (cm) 39.9 21.1 0.0 12.2
Extreme Daily Pcpn. (mm) 52.3 59.7 98.6 86.9
Month-end Snow Cover (cm) 9.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Sunshine Hours 95.5 187.7 278.0 145.7
Days With
Maximum Temperature > 0°C 14.0 30.0 31.0 31.0
Measurable Rainfall 4.0 11.0 10.0 11.0
Measurable Snowfall 11.0 2.0 0.0 trace
Measurable Precipitation 14.0 12.0 10. 0 11.0
A generic site has been provided in the competition. In order to explore themes of modularity and adaptability, our project was tested in a local site of Toronto. The site meets the competition criteria and has been selected for its intrinsic and unique socio-cultural characteristics.
The Junction: Wabash and Sorauren
Our site is located to the south-west of Toronto (Roncesvalles), on the north-east corner of Sorauren and Wabash
A community park exists to the north east of the site, as well as a baseball diamond and dog park. Program/Use: residential use, quiet area; light industrial has been converted to artist studios and lofts; sparse commercial use along Sorauren. Architectural character to the West of Sorauren is Victorian; Souraren is heavily treed / large urban canopy (deciduos)
Sources of inspiration were the tree and root systems; tree ability to sustain itself while supporting several secondary branches on a single main dominant steam;
the interconections of roots and its metaphoric relation to community housing.
Study of root system shows different patterns of growth.
The skin of our building represents in its simplified open form, the initial branching of a tree root, converging in a middle point.
The structure features three similar distributed plan, to facilitate construction. Our aim was to make the building simple, easy to build, and economical. The design will aim to inspire and educate the families on sustainability and a healthy life style.
The shape of the building is benefitial since it offers privacy to each house, since they do not face each other.
The plan is arranged along the east-west axis, featuring the social spaces to the south side of the houses. In this way, they get the best solar exposure and daylight. Private spaces such as the rooms are all located on the second level, except for the family of six members which includes a room/bathroom in the first floor.
Houses are equally proportioned according to the members which will inhabit them. They all share a common courtyard located at the entrance of the compound, and three private smaller courtyard spaces are to be used privately.
Spaces are designed taking into account: cooking, dining, washing, entertaining, sleeping, hygiene, working, thinking, playing, storing, arriving, and sharing. Although they are compact, they allow for the comfort of the families.
Parking space is being developed to the south of the compound.
Three trees have been removed, six new ones will be planted instead.
The architecture of the building facilitates passive solar systems through a series of factors such as location, shape or strategic windows. The building features rectangular floor plans, elongated on an east-west axis, a glazed south-facing wall, a thermal storage media exposed to solar radiation which penetrates the south-facing glazing, mechanical overhangs which sufficiently shade the south-facing glazing from the summer sun, and during the winter months will be lifted up. Finally, vertical windows on the east and west walls to enjoy sunrise and sunset, and few strategic ones on the north walls.
Abstract Model Representation - First Stages
Initial massing shows the structure blending into the context, facing south for best exposure
Massing Studies / Topography Analysis
Departing from the initial design, the structure was separated into two buildings, one of two stories and three stories respectively. Taking into account the amount of green area surrounding the compound, the structures take advantage of floor area in order to provide the families with comfortable spaces.
The structure of the façade also determines the ground plan; the greater the number of window axes in a room, the more important the function of the user. The spaces which are used the most during the day are located in the south, while the rooms remain to the north of the upper floors.
DISTRIBUTION AND CIRCULATION
The non-traditional distribution of the compound -specifically of the houses of four and six members, translates the metaphor of root's interconnection to the shifted living spaces.The lower floor of the 'house of six' finds its upper floor above the 'house of four', and viceversa. The crossing of their paths resembles the intertwining of roots.
Circulation diagrams show flexibility of movement within the dwellings. The 'house of six' was carefully designed to allow freedom of movement, taking into consideration senior citizens with disabilities.
The houses of 'four and six' were located on the ground floor in order to facilitate access, since these two dwellings would be occupied by a greater number of people.
The building envelope of the compound features a dynamic facade installed in the south, where solar gain needs to be maximized.
The changing of the facade and the organic movement of the plates, recall the essence of roots not only in their primary function of supporting and 'feeding' th tree but in their flexibility and adaptability.
Powered the solar panels and operated manually as well, the facade changes constantly according to sunlight. Through the combination of effective shading and unobstructed south facing windows, capital costs would be reduced as well as cooling energy consumption due to decreased internal gains (lights) and solar gains (shading). With glazed facades, the energy savings for cooling due to automated shading and lighting control could reach 40%, while the lighting energy consumption can be reduced by more than 60%, compared to a passive envelope design.
Abstract diagram shows ondulating movement of the facade
Section shows detail of the facade recycled aluminum plates
The compound accesibility is accessible from both streets, with bus stops within a walking distance of approximately 15 minutes in north and south direction. Houses of 'four' and 'six' have parking at ground level, while there is also free and paid parking along Sorauren street.
Aerial View South Facade
North Facade - East
Lower: North West
Physical Model in context
The initial stage of the rendering shows massing and plan
Model out of context- Main views
Our goal is to design a building with potential to develop into a zero-net energy community housing, by using both active and passive solar technologies.
Given the climate of Toronto our design will focus in gaining solar energy to provide space heating.
From our root inspiration, we are investigating into pushing out design further and translating the concept of root interconnection to the exchange of energy between the houses. Perhaps, one house will feed from the energy produced by another one when implementing passive and active solar technologies.
Solar Panels-High efficiency flat panel collectors which work best for limited space are located on the inclined roof panels . The panels will be angled 20 degrees for best solar exposure (best angles are from 10 - 45)
Wooden panels located on the sides shelter the house and provide both shade and privacy to the houses.
South glazing windows take advantage of winter sun/ Collection of solar energy through properly-oriented, south-facing windows located in all three houses was a main concern
Celestories are placed to allow cross ventilation inside the houses
Insulation type - rigid foam insulation
The front courtyard will have a rain water collection system installed. The water collected will be used later for irrigation of crops, and flushing of the toilets.
The roof has a separate wooden operable section (large blinds) which inclines downwards to act as an overhang, protecting the house from overheating in the summer months. At the same time, they remain in upward position duing the winter months in order to let the sunlight into the houses.
Use of composite wood - a mix of recycled plastic and sandust which does not expand or contract
Other materials: concrete, tiles
Flat arrays of photovoltaic cells has been chosen, since they create no shading, reduce roof loads, they act as additional insulation, and they can be installed at lower costs.
There are two rain water collection systems in the compound. The roof has a subtle inclination towards the north to allow the rain water to fall into the pipes located at the back of the buildings and directly into the storage. This water will be used for flushing toilets among other uses. The other system features a cistern in the front green space, for irrigation of crops during low rain seasons.
Double-glazed windows in the facade protect from winter cold while isolating heat during the summer months. Trees alocated in the back protect back porch/patio from cold northern breezes in the winter. Insulation is also implemented -foam in place- with an R21 value.
Water Collection System will be placed at the back overhangs. This system function in addition to the cistern installed at the front courtyard. The goal is to allow the houses to have their own independent water supplies.
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