Envelopes and exteriority

Local specificity and extended exterior as design criteria for architectural envelopes

Abstract

This article discusses the relationship of architecture to its surrounding environment. The objective of the article is i) to reposition the relationship of architecture and its surrounding exterior by expanding the understanding of architectural envelopes, and ii) to systematically define exterior space as design input. The notion of the envelope encompasses a spatial recognition defined by interactions between interior and exterior environments that affects an inhabitant’s experience of architectural space. This research is organised in three sections: a) a literature review to systematically examine the terminologies of this research, b) selected case studies that consider exteriority as a design criterion, and c) research through design inquiry to combine a systematic approach with design thinking. The study applies both conceptual and method-oriented approaches to develop an integrated design approach focused on the climatic and atmospheric performances of architectural envelopes.