Adaptation opportunities for balconies to achieve continuity of their environmental functions

Abstract

Balconies have a vital role in achieving various environmental building functions. These functions are affected by external natural variables, besides the occupants’ different preferences and needs. Using fixed balconies will certainly lead to ignoring these functions' achievements temporarily or permanently, besides if balconies are not prepared to accept changes, buildings’ facades will be visually distorted and inconsistent temporarily or permanently when trying to deal with any of the various affecting variables on the balconies' functions. Designers and specialists should develop proper solutions to help balconies achieve the utmost continuity of their functions without conflicts, and they should help them accept the changes within pre-determined forms that lead to final homogenous facades of multi-options for each balcony. The paper aims to explore the abilities of balconies designs to achieve their different functions in the maximum possible continuity without conflicts to be applied and combined whenever needed. It is preferred to be achieved depending on natural stimuli or occupants’ actions rather than energy-consuming devices. A model of a balcony was simulated to propose an adaptation process for two balcony functions during a summer day, noting that all other functions should be included for a comprehensive adaptation.

Keywords

• Balconies
• Adaptation
• Green architecture
• Interactive building
• Environmental functions