Light is one of the keys to a comfortable building, and Golestan Apartment, a residential building in Tehran, Iran, is explicitly designed to control natural light throughout the course of the day. The building makes use of angled window insets and balconies to shade the interior spaces partially, with light being revealed and obscured as the sun moves throughout the course of the day.
Natural light is often lauded in architecture, and for good reason, but there can be too much of a good thing. Tehran is a hot city, and the sun shining into a building excessively contributes to higher energy usage by forcing more liberal use of air conditioners. Golestan Apartment's windows are angled in such a way that at high noon, when the heat is at its most intense, the apartment is most shaded.
Artfully Shaded Apartments
'Golestan Apartment' Uses Angles to Interplay Light and Shadow
Trend Themes
1. Controlled Natural Light - Designing buildings to control and optimize natural light throughout the day.
2. Angled Window Insets - Using angled window insets to partially shade interior spaces.
3. Energy Efficiency - Incorporating architectural features that reduce energy consumption, such as shading windows to minimize the need for air conditioning.
Industry Implications
1. Architecture - Opportunity for architects to innovate in building design that maximizes natural light while minimizing energy consumption.
2. Real Estate - Developers can market properties that prioritize natural light and energy efficiency, attracting environmentally conscious buyers.
3. Renewable Energy - Integration of solar-powered shading systems in buildings to reduce reliance on traditional energy sources.