This demonstration lecture explores climate-responsive envelope design through the lens of Islamabad’s humid sub-tropical climate, addressing summer glare, monsoon overheating, winter chill, and chronic load-shedding that burdens Pakistan’s working families in the attached housing. Students gain an intuitive understanding of passive strategies, south orientation for winter solar gain, deep overhangs with jali screens for shading, and high-ceiling courtyards for ventilation, connecting traditional Pakistani precedents with contemporary equity concerns. Through Rhino/Grasshopper demonstration, participants experience parametric design as accessible “architects’ Lego blocks,” rapidly iterating envelope solutions to achieve glare-free daylighting and 22-26°C thermal comfort without requiring prior computational expertise. A hands-on sketching exercise challenges students to redesign affordable family homes within PKR 300K budgets, balancing PKR 52K annual energy savings against diverse socioeconomic needs. Drawing from my Penn State PhD research, ClimateStudio simulations reveal 45% energy reductions, proving scalable performance. These Pakistan insights directly translate to Turkey’s similar continental climates, aligning with Bilkent’s performance studios. Participants develop computational intuition alongside social responsibility, emerging as designers of resilient housing through inclusive critiques valuing social equity, resource conservation, and cultural diversity. The 45-minute interactive session equips students with practical tools for environmentally responsible, contextually sensitive housing design, fostering the creative, critical designers essential for addressing regional sustainability challenges.

Biography:

Dr. Maryam Aman is a Fulbright Scholar and PhD graduate in Architecture from Pennsylvania State University. Originally from Pakistan, she holds degrees in Architecture and Urban and Regional Planning and has professional experience as both an architect and urban planning researcher. Her work focuses on computational and climate-responsive housing design, using parametric modeling, energy simulation, and optimization to improve thermal comfort, daylighting, and energy efficiency, particularly in the context of Pakistan.