Over the last few years, population growth in London has created an imperative need for increasing housing supply. At the same time household structure is radically changing with one-person dwellings accounting for a large proportion of the demand. Terraced housing has provided satisfactory living conditions for many years and still defines much of the city’s housing stock. However, current social trends and the need for energy efficiency require a critical review of the dwelling type. This project aims to transfer the principles of the terrace type to a proposal for a new housing scheme. Meeting the housing needs of the changing population through environmentally responsive design is the main objective.

The aim of this project is to explore possibilities for learning environments in the informal settlements on the outskirts of Bogota, Colombia. This topic emerged from the growing necessity to provide schools in the poorest municipalities surrounding the Colombian capital where hundreds of internally displaced people arrive every month. The initial research focused on the history of educational architecture as a means to establishing common denominators, trends and priorities, particularly in relation to pedagogy and climatic context. A private school and a learning centre, two schools from the opposite ends of the spectrum, have served as precedents for this thesis in order to obtain a better understanding of the environmental performance of buildings in this climate and the challenges of sustainable growth. Further research is presented to inform design decisions along with the analytical work that served this purpose. Special attention was drawn to the roof and its potential as a thermal moderator, as well as to the quality of daylight in highly obstructed spaces. Finally, the design process illustrates the methodology and development of the main concepts for a school in the hillsides of Soacha, one of the fastest growing municipalities south of Bogota.

In Colombia, even though the construction of social housing has increased there is still a high demand that has not been fully covered. In addition, the majority of current schemes lack in comfort and consideration of local climatic conditions. This project focuses on the design of affordable urban housing units. The introduction of climate-responsive strategies is a principal aim for improving living conditions. Design proposals have been developed for locations in two different cities illustrating response to different climatic conditions in the country.

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The focus of this dissertation is the urban roofscape of Athens and aims to identify the variables, as well as to explore the potentials that are associated with the sustainable regeneration of this particular layer of the urban configuration. The investigation of the prevailing types and spatial characteristics of this layer will identify the variables affecting the environmental behaviour of the urban rooftops and whose assessment, through microclimatic simulations and literature review, will establish the layout of possible interventions; the outcome of this research is related with the specific climatic context and the factors that define the perception of outdoor comfort. Finally, these environmental factors will formulate the design proposal for an urban rooftop in the centre of Athens.

This dissertation project is research and design process to improve living quality of low-income people in urban area of Bangkok, Thailand. Design objective is to provide comfort conditions and create environmental responsive architecture by using passive design strategies and knowledge from traditional Thai house as the main approach.

Methodology of this thesis started from understanding local climate of Thailand and comfort condition of Thai people. Subsequently, passive design strategies and environmental performance of traditional Thai house were analyzed from relevant literatures. In addition, field research was conducted to identify the main problems and existing conditions of selected communities. The gathered information from the research part has been integrated in design process as a significant part that forms architectural expressions.

According to the final design assessment, results show great potential of applying the knowledge from traditional Thai house and passive design strategies with low-income housing. The design also concern about the use of local materials and construction cost for practical applications.

Daylight can be very informative in the generation of architectural form and has been a celebrated tool in highlighting cultural, contextual and experiential regard in architectural design. Exploring this concept, the dissertation assesses and re-interprets spatial, sensorial and form-giving characteristics using religious buildings as a forum.

The project explores the effects created through daylight in three iconic religious buildings; Notre Dame du Haut, The Church of Light and the Bagsvaerd Kirke; the daylighting effects created in these buildings are identified, evaluated and analyzed. Then an attempt is made to recreate and integrate them in built programme though the development of new tools.

Chile is one of the most seismic countries worldwide. Despite this, it does not have a proper relief policy to overcome the stressful consequences that an earthquake has over the affected families. It also does not take into account how to react in the different climatic scenarios that Chile presents.

This study addresses the design of post disaster housing to be applied in different climatic contexts of Chile. In the north, represented by Antofagasta, and in the south represented by Punta Arenas.