Brise soleil: transform buildings into machines for living and working
Brutalist architecture is frequently decried these days as the epitome of ugliness and drabness that exhibits a general ambivalence towards its inhabitants. The fact remains, however, that the avant-garde architects at the forefront of this building style – Le Corbusier, for example – were actually most enthused by the idea of making life more efficient. While beautiful but dysfunctional buildings increasingly require additions such as brise soleil, glass louvres or external louvres to keep them aerated, insulated and well-lit, the likes of The Barbican in London has these kinds of sensible instruments already built into its structure. Of course, many people would not want to sacrifice old or attractive buildings that contain within in them quirks and memories. Most people would not want to rebuild whole towns and cities using Brutalist master Le Corbusier as a guide. But the fact remains that we still hanker after more efficient living and working spaces that are more comfortable because the air circulates within more freely and the sun does not come glaring in.
The brise soleil actually optimises heat flow through buildings, meaning that greatly contrasting ice-cold and stuffy rooms within the same building can be a thing of the past. Certainly, these features turn buildings into better ‘machines for living’. Intelligent and environmentally friendly as heat balancing systems, brise soleils have the added benefit of helping to reduce our heating bills: you won’t find yourself turning a radiator up to full blast in one particularly chilly room any more because the device redistributes and balances heat fairly and appropriately between larger and cold and smaller, usually warmer rooms.
At a time when we are all striving to be thriftier though energy expenses are rising, such a ventilation and heating system really is a worthwhile investment. Beyond the home, the workplace can also benefit from modern systems that maximise the efficiency of our offices. Very frequently workers delight in and benefit from getting direct sunlight as they work but in some buildings pleasant brightness can quickly turn into a headache-inducing glare. To minimize this unwanted side-effect an external louvre is recommended: consisting of extendible slats akin to a mechanical awning, this piece of architectural ingenuity can be rolled out at the times when the sun is at its harshest and rolled back again at will. Glass louvres can function similarly but, tailored to the individual’s needs, are often the first choice of architectural style hunters.
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