COAT4Housing: Flexible air permeability combined with flexible sun shading equals complete control

This report answers a research question. This main research question of this report is: How can an extrashell of fabric improve the gallery flat, Bosboom-Toussaintpleinin Delft, on both its comfort and its energyperformance? A design is made using an extra fabricshell for the gallery flat.The methodology chosen for this project is ‘researchby design’ system. This method is used to structure theresearch leading into the design. Normally research bydesign starts of by analyzing a real world problem. Inthis case it started of with a fascination, a fascinationfor fabric. This fascination led to the initial researchon fabric, how fabric played its role in architecture,what fabric is, and what fabric can do. Later, due tothe case study, fabric is combined with a double skinfacade. The research question splits up in two mainparts, the energy part and the comfort part. Both theseparts determine what is needed from the extra layer.The main problems are stated, criteria are looked at,possible solutions come into play. This leads to a list ofrequirements. Once this list of requirements is finished,conceptual designs are made, and quickly tested onwhether these design can pass these requirements.The first concept that meets the requirements is the‘full control’ concept. This concept is a roll that combinedPVC sheets and PTFE open woven fabric. Theidea is to create an extra frame as a new facade, but thisframe could hold two types of cladding. Design parametersare defined, by using equations on air- and heatflow. The design ‘COAT4Housing’ starts to take shape.The design is evaluated using the list of requirements.Fabric offers great possibilities, it can shade the sun, itcan take care of draft, it can reduce maintenance, it cancreate a comfortable space and above all I think it canimprove the gallery flat, Bosboom-Toussaintplein inDelft, on both its comfort and its energy performance.Most requirements are met by the design. The fullcontrol it promises should be able to be realized. Yes,an extra shell of fabric, can improve the gallery flat,Bosboom-Toussaintplein in Delft, on both its comfortand its energy performance