Fine Art Museum Arch 140- Energy and the Environment
Detroit, Michigan
Beginning with a fixed floor plan, the main objective of this project was to design a space that met the sensitive light requirements of fine art display while maintaining thermal comfort throughout the year in Detroit's climate, which ranges from very low temperatures and snow in the winter to fairly high temperature and humidity in the summer. To account for both of these parameters, several techniques were used to provide indirect light to the interior spaces at levels low enough to protect the art on display while still allowing heat into the building during the colder months. A clerestory window combined with a light shelf carefully delivers dispersed light to the half of the museum designed to display the most sensitive pieces. The roof overhang above this clerestory window allows more solar rays to enter during the winter when heat is needed and blocks direct solar gain during the hot summer months. The other half of the museum is lit indirectly with a combination of a light wall and brise soleil-shaded window, providing slightly higher levels of indirect light to accommodate less-sensitive pieces that could benefit from more light. The brise soleil once again allows for increased solar gain in the cold winter months while preventing direct solar gain during summer. Three interior dividing walls further disperse all natural light to ensure even, safe levels throughout the space while increasing the amount of wall space available for displaying paintings.
Diagrammatic Section Showing Solar Gain at Different Times of the Year
Plan
Daylighting Model Used to Measure Proportional Levels of Light Penetration
Results of Two Rounds of Tests Using Daylighting Model
