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Escandón, R.; Suárez, R.; Sendra, J.J. (2015, 09-11 de Septiembre). Upper Lawn Pavilion: an energy assessment of its invisible restoration.

CONGRESO: Proc. of 31th International PLEA Conference. Architecture in (R)Evolution

PÁGINAS: 1-8

CIUDAD: Bolonia (Italia)

ABSTRACT:

Alison and Peter Smithson incorporated a new sense of environmental responsibility into their architecture, which was more sensitive to climate and energy resources, by integrating the use of passive conditioning systems. The best example of this is the Upper Lawn pavilion as it was both their holiday home and a laboratory in which to prove that “solar heat can be obtained most of the year round and that its build up can offset heat loss”. Comfort deficiencies were detected in the pavilion after analysing the energy behaviour of the pavilion in its original condition.

A careful restoration carried out by Sergison Bates Architects in 2003 attempted to resolve these deficiencies after the Smithsons had left the pavilion. As the Upper Lawn Pavilion is classified as a Grade II listed building, this restoration project respected its original exterior and interior appearance. The restoration work improved the insulation of the envelope and the glazing airtightness, as well as incorporating a new general active thermal conditioning system into the building in the form of radiant floor and ceiling heating. This research aims to analyse the energy behaviour of the Upper Lawn pavilion following the 2003 restoration. The methodology applied makes use of the comparison of results of energy simulations carried out using DesignBuilder software for the original and restored models, to highlight the benefits and drawbacks resulting from the measures implemented in the restoration. It is concluded that the restoration noticeably improves the environmental behaviour of the pavilion in winter, while thermal behaviour in summer is worsened. In any case, it is considered a clear point of reference for the necessary environmental and energy restoration of major examples of Modern Movement.