Architecture Engineers Award

Building lift-up design, a vernacular architectural strategy commonly found in tropical climates, involves elevating structures above ground level using columns. Traditionally used to improve ventilation and reduce heat gain, this feature has also been incorporated into modern buildings in tropical and subtropical cities. Despite its long-standing presence, only recent research has systematically examined its influence on urban microclimates. This study reviews the environmental performance of lift-up design across multiple scales, from individual buildings to complex urban configurations. Vernacular Origins and Contemporary Applications Historically, lift-up structures were developed as adaptive responses to hot and humid climates, allowing airflow beneath buildings while reducing exposure to ground moisture and heat. In contemporary architecture, this strategy has been reinterpreted in large-scale urban projects and landmark buildings. However, the transition from vernacular to mod...

Growing global energy concerns have increased the importance of energy-efficient building strategies that reduce dependence on mechanical cooling systems. Natural ventilation is a critical passive design approach capable of improving indoor air quality, preventing moisture accumulation, and lowering cooling energy demand. However, many previous ventilation-oriented design studies rely on simplified models, focus on single climatic scales, and address only specific stages of the building design process. This study introduces an integrated methodology for ventilation-oriented building design that operates across multiple spatial scales and design phases. Limitations of Conventional Ventilation Design Approaches Traditional ventilation design methods typically evaluate airflow conditions at a single scale, often focusing only on building form or façade openings. These approaches rarely incorporate broader urban wind environments or consider how ventilation strategies evolve throughout ...

Passive building envelope technologies such as passive radiative cooling (PRC) and thermochromic windows (TCW) are increasingly promoted as effective strategies for reducing building energy consumption under global warming pressures. Despite their promise, most existing studies assess these technologies at the scale of isolated buildings, neglecting the complex influences of urban microclimates. This research addresses this gap by emphasizing the necessity of urban-context-aware evaluation to ensure realistic performance assessment and reliable energy-saving predictions. Limitations of Conventional Simulation Approaches Traditional simulation frameworks often assume idealized boundary conditions, overlooking urban heat island (UHI) effects and contextual shading from surrounding buildings. Such simplifications can significantly overestimate the performance of passive envelope technologies. The study critically highlights how these omissions contribute to discrepancies between simula...