Thermodynamic Architectural Surfaces: An Integrative Modeling Method for Thermal Design of Wood and PCM Lightweight Structures

Designing thermodynamic architectural surfaces in architecture, is driven mainly by material performance, excluding subjective thermal sensation, as a driving design factor. The aim of this paper is the development of new integrative methods for the implementation of thermally active responsive material structures in architecture and construction, focused on application for intrinsic non-isolated thermodynamic architectural surfaces. Through an experimental case study, we present new methods to identify, develop and test novel lightweight structures, combining wood and phase change materials, with bespoke thermal performance. The research findings suggest that the coordination between geometric configuration, material hierarchy and human proximity, can allow for high-resolution steering of the wood-PCM thermodynamic performance in an architectural scale. This in turn allows a material- driven approach for developing a thermally responsive system directly engaging with human thermal sensation.