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Constellations Thesis Book by Nesrin Zidan

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178

The influence of major celestial

bodies isn’t only relevant to astronomy,

but to other sciences and fields too. The

sun especially is a crucial element to be

accounted for. Moreover, in architectural

composition, the placement of a building

should be strategic and intentional to take

external views and environmental factors

into account. Astronomical studies consider

such data.

Scientists study the motion of the

sun, moon, and other celestial bodies, to

predict natural phenomena such as eclipses

and the lunar cycle. An equivalent tactic

used by architects is building orientation,

which aims to improve certain features of

its surroundings, such as street attractiveness,

scenic views, drainage issues, etc.

Architects conduct thorough analyses

of any site they work with to make

informed decisions on its construction

to improve the experience of the user in a

given space. Climate, wind, and solar direction

are some of the default data an architect

needs to consider before designing

the building.

While certain passive solar features

are relatively new, orienting a house to the

Sun’s path is a tradition that predates early

civilization. There are countless examples,

including the amazing Pueblo remains in

southwest Colorado and the south-facing

doors on Neolithic and historic Ming Dynasty

homes. The precise orientation of

the structure is a key aspect of passive solar

design since the relative position of the

Sun has a significant role in heat gain in

buildings (Gromicko & Gromicko).

SPRING/

AUTUMN

EAST

Fig. 4.5. Sun positions considered for

building orientation

NORTH

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