Victorian Architects Knew How to Design Off-Grid
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 02.11.08
Dylan Reid at Spacing quotes Michael Redhill's novel Consolation, describing an 1856 photography studio:
They did not have the benefit of Mr. Ennis’s skylight to effect the passage of light into the room, but the front south-facing window was almost as good. A series of three mirrors brought light in off the street and into the middle of the shop. … Being indirect, it was softer light, and exposures were longer and therefore more uncertain.
He then continues with a description of what other tricks architects used back then to make interior space usable.
At a time when artificial light was either weak (candles) or very expensive (gaslight), the maximization of natural light in a building was vital to a building's success.
"When I interviewed City Councillor Adam Vaughan, he suggested that one of the reasons why preserving Victorian buildings is valuable is that they had developed a range of techniques for managing natural light and its energy efficiently — techniques that we can learn about and bear in mind as we try to move towards a more sustainable, less energy-intensive future.
These techniques brought in direct light and heat in the winter, but only indirect light in the summer to keep the interior cool. Bay windows, for example, are not just ornamental. They bring in a lot of light with less exposure of energy-leaking windows, while in the summer they keep the heat of the direct high sun away from the main part of the room." ::Spacing
Here's a puzzler fer ya.
Except for Washington DC, most towns and cities on the US' East Coast ,having been laid out with a mixture of random cow-path style French or Dutch laid street patterns ,have unpredictable orientations. A challenge for architects and developers wanting to capitalize on the sun.
Towns in and cities in the US' Midwest, however, having the benefit of good German planning and surveying skills, are almost universally laid out an a Town/Section/Range based pattern with streets on a N-S, EW pattern with diagonal boulevards transecting. A very different challenge.
The question is, which is superior for green design and efficient traffic management?
FYI for a cool example in contrast, use Google maps to look at the street patterns of Green Bay WI, which was laid out downtown with a French style pattern and then expanded based on the NS grid style.
JL, there is no superior design option until all site conditions and issues are known. an areas climate, topography, wind patterns etc all factor into what is the better model for city planning.
a predominantly cold climate will want to take advantage of the sun year round and block strong winds, while a hot climate will want to do the opposite.
the best thing is to work with the site you have and not try to force a predetermined design where it may not be appropriate
I used to work in that building in the late 1980's (The Brick Shirt House). 601 Yonge St. Smart article. Fun working there.
There's alot of good design before WW2. People more often built to own and use. They took light, heat and durability into consideration.
After WW2, companies were building as fast and cheap as possible to sell and there was alot of hype about power too cheap to meter.
For example, Thomas Jefferson's house is still there after more than 200 years and is perfectly comfortable with no A/C or electric lights during the day. The visitor's center on the other hand, is ugly and uncomfortable even with A/C and electric lights.