A parametric approach to design a wooden climatic responsive village in Atacama Desert (Chile)

The typical architecture of countries in a hot arid climate is a valuable source of principles that today we call bioclimatic and sustainable. Ancient people knew very well how to avoid the harshness of the desert and their knowledge came from centuries of experience and attempts. Among these principles, we can remember the typical narrow winding alleys, the courtyard houses, the domes and the large thermal mass of the walls. It was decided to combine this knowledge with computer techniques to try to parameterize these aspects in order to optimize and make them as effective as possible, allowing us to add something to what had been handed down. The project was born from a practical need, creating new settlements in places far from civilization, but close to important human activities. The first aim of the project is to design self-sufficient houses, using the sustainable desert principles, and the second aim is to use the concept of folding architecture to build a village as soon as possible. From an energetic point of view, the patio has a crucial role to enhance the inner environment: producing shade, it supports natural ventilation. Starting from a “zero organism”, through generative algorithms made in Rhino/Grasshopper, this effect is optimized by maximizing the area of the shadow produced by the roof inside the patio, during the hottest hours. By classifying the various organisms obtained, through structural (i.e.: length, compressive stress) and energetic parameters (i.e.: radiation analysis, cooling loads), a ranking open to various solutions has come out.