2024 - Light regeneration for High-density Urban Residential Complex in East Asia based on solar trajectory and mirror reflection

Background:
In the process of rapid urbanization in East Asia, based on the basic and high demand for housing and the tight housing funds when people poured into the city, in order to ensure people’s basic living needs, a group of tower houses that did not meet the current building standards appeared in the 1980s and 1990s, which were only used as high Density concentrated residential units. These types of houses are usually densely crowded and crowded, with lower and northern units that lack light for a long time.
Current situation:
Due to various historical reasons, the atrium area of such high-density communities is still underlighted. Among them, Haitang Bay Tower is located in Haitang Bay Area, Chengdu, which has a subtropical monsoon climate. This is a thirteen-storey tower residential building with an octagonal public courtyard. The area and angle of the courtyard are not enough for the sunlight to reach the bottom of the courtyard, which is why sewage and garbage have long-term cross-flow, making it a breeding ground for bacteria and crime. This not only affects the daily life of residents, but may also have a negative impact on their mental health. In order to improve this situation, we have explored a solution that can be achieved in the short term, using reflective devices to increase the light in the atrium area.
Solution:
By setting up a reflective device on the top of the building, the sunlight can be reflected to the atrium area, thus providing more natural light. This solution can not only improve the brightness of the atrium area, but also help save energy and reduce dependence on artificial lighting. In addition, improving lighting conditions can also improve the quality of life of residents and increase the vitality of the community.
Device principle:
The reflective device is usually composed of a series of mirrors or reflective materials, which are installed on the top of the building. These devices use optical principles to reflect sunlight into the atrium area. The position and angle of the sun need to be considered in the design to ensure that the reflective device can effectively capture the sun and guide the light to the area where light is needed. Residents can bring sunlight into the room through the second reflection device in the corridor.
Final effect:
After installing the reflective device, the lighting conditions in the atrium area have been greatly improved. The idle atrium has become the activity center of the residents, and the residents enjoy more natural light, which greatly improves the living environment of the residents and the living quality of the community.