Beton – Concrete – the design of public spaces in terms of material and technology energy efficiency
Paweł Mika
Czasopismo Techniczne, Architektura Zeszyt 7 A (14) 2014, 2014, s. 165 - 173
Based on executions of contemporary designs in the field of landscape architecture, an attempt has been made in the following article to identify the properties of concrete which can help reduce energy consumption throughout the life cycle of a building and its immediate surroundings. The projects selected for the analysis included such urban public spaces as parks, squares, plazas and passageways, where the basic material, determining their aesthetic appeal, is concrete. To provide the widest possible range of issues discussed, construction works located in different climatic zones have been chosen. The properties of the material described in the text have been compiled with the exemplary executions of designs, depicting a creative approach to issues related not only to functionality and aesthetics but also to energy efficiency of the applied solutions.
Paweł Mika
Czasopismo Techniczne, Architektura Zeszyt 3 A (3) 2014, 2014, s. 131 - 146
https://doi.org/10.4467/2353737XCT.14.038.2488This article describes some examples of contemporary architectural realizations in Barcelona and Madrid where the finishing materials, which determines the final aesthetical effect on the façade, are precast concrete elements. The author analyzes potential within the scope of the manners of composing elevations and limitations imposed by the applied technology. He also presents issues related to the impact of selected façade solutions on the reduction of energy consumption as well as the formation of the function of a given building. Development observed in this field has given contemporary architects a very wide range of possibilities while shaping the form, the colour, the texture and the durability of prefabricated units which means a considerable number of interesting objects raised in recent years.