Circular Building Design & Climate Management
Various aspects provide for ventilating a circular building, including an external wall of the building in the shape of a circular polygon, a plurality of vertical wall sections each forming a side of the polygon, each vertical wall section secured to an adjacent vertical wall section at a vertex of the polygon and a metallic frame for supporting the vertical wall section. A glass skin may be secured to the metallic frame of the vertical wall section, the glass skin including an exterior opening and a vent chamber configured for receiving air from the exterior of the building through the exterior opening in the glass skin. The vent chamber may include an interior opening for communicating air from the chamber into the interior of the building and a movable flap for controlling a flow of air through the vent chamber.
The present application claims the priority benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/331,161, filed on May 4, 2010 and titled “Roundhouse Technology (RHT), Building design and construction technology;” the present application is also a continuation-in-part and claims the priority benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/404,263 filed on Mar. 13, 2009 and titled, “Engineered Architecture,” the disclosures of the aforementioned applications being incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND1. Technical Field
The present application relates generally to circular building design and more particularly to ventilation of circular buildings.
2. Description of Related Art
A circular building may use glass as a siding material for exterior covering and structural support. Unfortunately, ventilation of the building is difficult because structural glass is difficult to move for opening and closing while maintaining strength of the structure.
SUMMARYVentilation of a circular glass building can be addressed using a ventilation chamber attached to the glass siding. Rectangular sheets of the glass siding may be used to form a panel or section of the exterior wall of the circular glass building. Each segment may provide a face of a circular polygon forming a perimeter wall providing structural support for the circular building. A metal frame may connect adjacent segments and provide support for the glass siding. An exterior opening in the glass siding may admit fresh air into the ventilation chamber. An interior opening in the chamber may provide the fresh air to the building. A flap may close the exterior opening and/or the interior opening. The flap may be adjusted to control the flow of air through the ventilation chamber. A screen may cover the exterior opening and/or the interior opening to prevent insects and debris from entering the building. The ventilation chamber may be supported using a frame or the glass siding. A ventilation tower disposed over a central portion of the building may draw air through the ventilation chamber.
Various embodiments of the present invention include a ventilation system for a circular building. Such systems may include an external wall of the building in the shape of a circular polygon comprising a plurality of vertical wall sections each forming a side of the polygon. Each vertical wall section may be secured to an adjacent vertical wall section at a vertex of the polygon. The vertical wall section may include a metallic frame. A glass skin including an exterior opening may be secured to the metallic frame of the vertical wall section. A vent chamber configured for receiving air from the exterior of the building through the exterior opening in the glass skin, may include an interior opening for communicating the received air from the vent chamber into the interior of the building. A movable flap may control a flow of air through the vent chamber. The system may further include a screen disposed at the interior or exterior opening. In some embodiments, the movable flap is configured to close the exterior or interior opening. A flat plate steel spandrel may be configured to support the vent chamber. The interior opening may be configured to direct a flow of air from the chamber upward into the interior of the building.
Various embodiments of the present invention include a circular building. Such circular building may include a substantially circular exterior wall in the form of a polygon. An exterior panel forms a face of the polygon, the panel including a glass skin and a metal frame and a ventilation chamber is disposed between the top and the bottom of the panel. An exterior opening in the glass skin is configured to admit exterior air into the chamber, and an interior opening in the chamber is configured to communicate the admitted air from the chamber into the interior of the building. A channel is configured to secure the chamber to the glass skin. A ventilation tower disposed above a center of the building is configured to draw air through the ventilation chamber. A fan may move air through the ventilation chamber.
Various embodiments of the present invention include a method for ventilating a circular building. Such method includes admitting exterior air through an exterior opening in a glass skin into a ventilation chamber supported on the glass skin, the glass skin supported on a metal frame and comprising a face of an exterior wall of the circular building, the exterior wall in the shape of a circular polygon. The method further includes communicating the admitted air from the chamber through an interior opening in the chamber into the circular building. The method further includes screening the communicated air and urging the air through the chamber and into the building using a ventilation tower. The method further includes adjusting a flap in the chamber to control a flow of the air through the chamber. Air may be directed from the chamber upwards through the interior opening into the building.
The round house 100 is based on an internal frame 200 and a circular peripheral wall 102. The frame supports a roof slab 104. The roof slab 104 may be fabricated from materials such as concrete and metal, such as steel and aluminum. An optional ventilation tower 106 is disposed on the roof slab 104. The ventilation tower 106 may be disposed over a center of the round house 100. An optional parapet or railing 108 is disposed around an edge of the roof slab 104. The peripheral wall 102 of
The round house 100 includes the frame 200 for supporting the roof slab 104 and the panels 110 of the exterior wall 102. The frame 200 of
The interior opening 408 is illustrated in
The embodiments discussed herein are illustrative and not restrictive. As these embodiments are described with reference to illustrations, various modifications or adaptations of the methods and/or specific structures described may become apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art. All such modifications, adaptations, or variations that rely upon the teachings of the embodiments, and through which these teachings have advanced the art, are considered to be within the spirit and scope of the present application. Hence, these descriptions and drawings should not be considered in a limiting sense, as it is understood that the present application is in no way limited to only the embodiments illustrated. It will be further understood that the methods of the invention are not necessarily limited to the discrete steps or the order of the steps described.
Claims
1. A system for ventilating a circular building, the system comprising:
- an external wall of the building, the external wall in the shape of a circular polygon;
- a plurality of vertical wall sections each forming a side of the polygon, each vertical wall section secured to an adjacent vertical wall section at a vertex of the polygon;
- a metallic frame for supporting the vertical wall section;
- a glass skin secured to the metallic frame of the vertical wall section, the glass skin including an exterior opening;
- a vent chamber configured for receiving air from the exterior of the building through the exterior opening in the glass skin, the vent chamber including an interior opening for communicating air from the chamber into the interior of the building; and
- a movable flap for controlling a flow of air through the vent chamber.
2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a screen or filter disposed at the interior or exterior opening.
3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a metal column configured to support the vertical wall section.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the glass skin includes a panel of double pane glass, the double panes separated by a gas.
5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a flat plate steel spandrel configured to support the vent chamber.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the movable flap is configured to close the exterior or interior opening.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the interior opening is configured to direct a flow of air from the chamber upward into the interior of the building.
8. A building comprising:
- a substantially circular exterior wall in the form of a polygon;
- an exterior panel forming a face of the polygon, the panel including a glass skin and a metal frame;
- a ventilation chamber disposed between the top and the bottom of the panel;
- an exterior opening in the glass skin configured to admit exterior air into the chamber;
- an interior opening in the chamber configured to communicate the admitted air from the chamber into the interior of the building; and
- a channel configured to secure the chamber to the glass skin.
9. The building of claim 8, wherein the polygon comprises at least 32 panels.
10. The building of claim 8, further comprising a spandrel configured to support the vent chamber.
11. The building of claim 8, further comprising a tubular column supporting a spandrel beam configured to carry the exterior panel.
12. The building of claim 8, further comprising a spandrel beam extending from the exterior panel to an adjacent exterior panel.
13. The building of claim 8, further comprising a ventilation tower disposed above a center of the building.
14. The building of claim 13, further comprising a venture and a fan configured to move air through the ventilation tower.
15. A method for ventilating a circular building, the method comprising:
- admitting exterior air through an exterior opening in a glass skin into a ventilation chamber supported on the glass skin, the glass skin supported on a metal frame and comprising a face of an exterior wall of the circular building, the exterior wall in the shape of a circular polygon; and
- communicating the admitted air from the chamber through an interior opening in the chamber into the circular building.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising filtering the communicated air.
17. The method of claim 15, further comprising urging the air through the chamber and into the building using a ventilation tower.
18. The method of claim 15, further comprising adjusting a flap in the chamber to control a flow of the air through the chamber.
19. The method of claim 15, wherein the glass includes two panes separated by a gas.
20. The method of claim 15, further comprising directing the air from the chamber upwards through the interior opening into the building.
Type: Application
Filed: May 4, 2011
Publication Date: Aug 25, 2011
Inventor: Eli Attia (Palo Alto, CA)
Application Number: 13/101,099
International Classification: E04B 1/70 (20060101); F24F 13/10 (20060101); F24F 7/00 (20060101); F24F 7/007 (20060101);