A morphological approach for kinetic façade design process to improve visual and thermal comfort: Review

Visual and thermal comfort for occupants significantly depend on exterior environmental climatic conditions, which are continuously changing. In particular, optimizing visual and thermal comfort simultaneously is a difficult topic due to mutual conflicts between them. This literature review article studies the façade, as a complex interface between inside of buildings and the outside that has a capability to function as a protective or regulatory element against severe fluctuations of external climate. Six interrelated subjects are studied including kinetic façade, biomimicry, building form as a microclimate modifier, energy efficiency, comfort condition, parametric design thinking. The literature review process answers following research questions: (1) what are the interdisciplinary subjects corresponding to kinetic façade design process for creating an innovative architectural process? (2) What is the most important factor in kinetic façade design with the aim to improve occupants’ visual and thermal comfort simultaneously based on multidisciplinary investigation? Many research has been carried out about kinetic façade concepts strategies, principles, and criteria. However, interdisciplinary studies for proposing kinetic façade form is relatively rare. Also, adaptive daylight façade with daily solar geometry variation has been highly required. Therefore, generative-parametric and quick form finding method for responding to different climates would be a solution for providing more adaptability to dynamic daylight. This study aims to propose a kinetic façade design process which have capability to improve occupant visual & thermal comfort simultaneously by controlling on-site renewable energy resources consist of solar radiation and wind. Façade as an only interface between inside and outside of building, far from the literal and historical perceptions, is recognized by intrinsic functional attributes including complexity, heterogeneity and multidisciplinary. Moreover, the interrelated subjects impact façade form individually and aggregately regard to functional scenario that is changed the perception of kinetic façade from elegant and fashionable state to a functional and practical element.