seminar: architecture and urban climate 

The seminar highlights the notion of “urban climate“ and its manyfold implications for architecture and urban design since the beginning of the 20^th century. Due to its man-made character, the city climate differs fundamentally from the natural climate. By looking at the historical emergence of this concept and the complex adaptation in the field of architecture and urban design, a robust architectural knowledge for today’s discussions on the so called “urban heat island effect” shall be provided. After an introduction into the history of urban climatology and climate-related urban architecture, case studies and methods with particular relevance for architects will be addressed. In the centre of the seminar’s second part are the cities of Geneva (Switzerland) and Santiago (de Chile). The seminar includes small exercises and reading sessions.