INTELLIGENT TERRITORY

A responsive cooling tower and shading system for arid environments

ALINA HRAMYKA1 , NEIL GREWAL2 , MOHAMMED MAKKI3

and BRITTNEY DILLON4
1,2,3,4
The Architectural Association
1,2
{alinegromyko|neildsgrewal}@gmail.com 3,4 {Mohammed.Makki|
brittney.dillon}@aaschool.ac.uk

Abstract. Climatic change coupled with desertification processes

impacting cities located around the Mediterranean, has raised serious
questions for the capability of the affected cities to adapt to the
rapidly changing environmental conditions. This research aims to
design small-scale tower structures and shading devices in Nicosia,
Cyprus through employing environmental analyses within a generative
design process to create an intelligent, adaptive system. Guided by
Bernoulli’s principles, geometrical design parameters acquired from
fluid simulations, alongside solar analyses of the existing city fabric,
were used to generate an evolutionary algorithm for design. The
research develops a methodology to facilitate environmental flows
in urban architectural systems, generating cooling processes in arid
environments that facilitate the adaptation of cities to changes in climatic
and environmental conditions.
Keywords. CFD Simulation; Generative Design; Desertification;
Passive cooling system.

Figure 1. Tower and shading system in Nicosia, Cyprus.

Intelligent & Informed, Proceedings of the 24th International Conference of the Association for
Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia (CAADRIA) 2019, Volume 2, 571-580. © 2019
and published by the Association for Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia (CAADRIA),
Hong Kong.
572 A. HRAMYKA ET AL.

1. INTRODUCTION
Desertification, a process that transforms fertile land into desert as a result of rising
temperatures, has driven the built infrastructure of affected cities towards being
better equipped to respond to the changes in climatic conditions (Shoukri, E. and
Zachariadis T., 2012). Small-scale structures have been used in both urban and
rural environments to lower temperatures and increase airflow. However, while
these interventions have helped cities adapt to climate change, the geometry of the
structure has proven to be highly influential in how efficient they are in mitigating
the changing environmental conditions (Weinstock, M., 2011).
The research presented in this paper is part of a larger body of research,
conducted by Brittney Dillon and Alina Hramyka, on both urban and rural
conditions in Cyprus. Specifically, the content presented will focus on the design
of a responsive urban environment (Figure 1) while contributing a computational
methodology for architects and designers involved in urban planning. The research
aims to create a responsive architectural ecological system for border conditions
susceptible to desertification that can collect, store, distribute water, provide shade,
lower temperatures, and decrease evaporation levels along the United Nations
(UN) Border.
A generative process is developed to design a tower structure and shading
system that is driven by data gathered through solar analysis (using Ladybug, a
grasshopper add-on) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Additionally, an
evolutionary algorithm (the Strength Pareto Evolutionary Algorithm - 2 (SPEA-2)
used in the grasshopper add-on Octopus) is used to develop the design of
infrastructure in four impacted zones within the walled city of Nicosia through
tackling a multi-objective design problem; whose solutions and relationships are
catalogued and can be implemented in future responsive design interventions.
The impact of desertification in Cyprus will be explained, as it played a key
role in the selection of affected zones within the city. In addition, a brief summary
of the developments in the field of environmental systems will also be engaged, as
its key principles play a significant role in providing a proper foundation to design
small-scale tower structures and shading devices.

2. NICOSIA, CYPRUS
2.1. DESERTIFICATION
In its latest estimate, The Department of Environment in Cyprus projects that
50% of Cyprus will become a desert by 2050 (Shoukri, E. and Zachariadis T.,
2012). This will result in temperatures that exceed 55 degrees Celsius (Figure
2) and a significant shortage of water (Sofroniou, A. and Steven, B., 2014).
As temperatures rise, evaporation increases resulting in long-lasting droughts,
especially during the summer months. Current climatic and environmental
analyses being conducted have demonstrated that temperatures above 35 degrees
Celsius have had a detrimental impact on the island (Shoukri, E. and Zachariadis
T., 2012). Mortality rates due to higher temperatures could increase by 30,000
deaths annually by 2030 and 50,000 to 110,000 deaths annually by 2080 (Bank
of Greece, 2011). Such changes directly influence the ecological system and
 INTELLIGENT TERRITORY 573

human habitation in both urban and rural environments. Agricultural production

in rural environments is reduced due to low precipitation, leading to severe land
degradation, while urban environments suffer from both production loss and
inhabitability due to rising temperatures (Ministry of Agriculture in Cyprus, 2013).
This is further amplified due to the urban heat island effect. The use of high thermal
absorbing building materials in Nicosia, such as Yellowstone and asphalt, as well
as a lack of water bodies and vegetation results in heat waves that can last up to
several weeks.

Figure 2. Land surface temperature map (left); Areas sensitive to desertification processes over
the next 30 years (right).

Stagnant air is a result of the dense city fabric both within and outside
the walled city, further impacting rising temperatures; resulting in significant
increases of energy consumption (primarily for cooling). Moreover, it is projected
that the areas shown in Figure 2, are the first patches of land that will see the
impacts of desertification within the next 30 years (Ministry of Agriculture in
Cyprus, 2013). These areas indicate the starting points for design intervention
and played a crucial role in site selection.

3. AN INTELLIGENT URBAN SYSTEM

3.1. OVERVIEW

Figure 3. Proposed hyperbolic tower structure designed using Bernoulli’s principle of fluid
dynamics.
574 A. HRAMYKA ET AL.

While many strategies reduce urban heat island formation, this research addresses
two main factors; urban geometry and reduced vegetation. The objective is to
alter the dimensions and spaces between built infrastructure and generate tower
structures that will provide shade to lower temperatures, encourage vegetation
growth, and promote convective air movement. Guided by Bernoulli’s principle of
fluid dynamics (Hydrodynamica, 1738), tower structures were designed to prevent
air stagnation. Tall, chimney-like geometries allow for air movement between
high temperatures and low temperatures. Even slight interventions can impact
how air is exhausted, consequently, increasing air extraction efficiency. The
geometry of the tower plays a significant role. A tower with negative Gaussian
curvature (Figure 3) is more stable against external pressures than straight towers
(Asadzadeh, E. and Alam, M., 2014).
In order to satisfy all design ambitions, an evolutionary algorithm was used to
optimize a multi-objective design problem. Environmental data, solar exposure
and existing wind flow conditions were collected and used as an input to drive
the evolutionary simulation. In addition, urban surfaces were analysed during
extensive heat periods to highlight areas needed for increased shading and air
flow. Locations that have a low solar and wind performance index highlighted
the areas where the tower infrastructure would impact the micro-climate towards
reducing the urban heat island effect. Even a shading device can reduce surface
temperatures up to 7°C (Armson, D., 2012). Solutions are generated to increase
performance, and an iterative process of design and environmental analysis is
performed to create an intelligent, responsive urban system.

3.2. SITE
Although the complete body of research tackles both the urban and rural
environments, the research presented herein focuses on the urban condition,
specifically within Nicosia’s walled city. Characterized by long, narrow streets
(3-6 meters) and open public squares, the city was analyzed both functionally
and environmentally. In July, a day can last 14 hours and reach temperatures
up to 45°C. A lack of shading on pedestrian walkways, coupled with very
little vegetation throughout, make it difficult to occupy public spaces during the
day. Although the city is relatively dense (almost 2,500 inhabitants per square
kilometer), public spaces are predominantly empty due to lack of relief from heat.
As such, four plazas were selected (Figure 4) to represent areas within the city most
affected by desertification processes. Each plaza is defined by its overall area,
the ratio of hard-scape to soft-scape, location of existing vegetation, public and
private space, existing street network, existing wind flow conditions, and amount
of shadow.

Figure 4. Four selected sites within Nicosia walled city.

 INTELLIGENT TERRITORY 575

3.3. GENERATIVE ALGORITHM

3.3.1. OVERVIEW
As each site needs to adapt to both environmental and functional implications,
a generative algorithm was used to provide solutions to a design problem with
multiple conflicting objectives. The aim is to create a responsive, urban system
that strives to maximise air movement and maximise shaded area within each
selected plaza through the design of a tower structure and shading system. An
evolutionary solver allows the designer to edit, assess, and select a set of solutions
rather than a single solution that only satisfies one objective. This gives a broader
understanding of how design parameters can affect the solution’s geometry.

Figure 5. Genetic algorithm workflow.

The set of solutions are numerically assessed, where the evaluation is based
on the solutions ability to either encourage airflow or provide shade; design
relationships are derived and used as inputs for a second iteration of geometric
optimisation (Figure 5). The generated feedback loop makes this methodology
an intelligent one, allowing the designer and evolutionary solver to generate an
air-cooling, shade-promoting design, responsive to any arid environment

3.3.2. SELECTION STRATEGY

The iterative process generated a population of solutions that respond to the
environmental and climatic context for each selected plaza. Design solutions
were selected based on three criteria; 1. distance between design intervention
and existing infrastructure to provide pedestrian pathways; 2. placement and
orientation of towers to provide maximum shadow; 3. and solutions that provide
a cooler micro-climate that facilitates increased vegetation growth. The selection
process employs methods that are independent from the ones used to develop and
run the evolutionary simulation. As such, the generated solutions were evaluated
a second time according to static pressure, air velocity, and shadow, on the ground
(Figure 6).

Figure 6. Selected individuals.

576 A. HRAMYKA ET AL.

3.4. EXPERIMENTAL SETUP

The experiment uses both fluid simulations and solar analysis as inputs for a
generative algorithm (Figure 7). The use of these tools allow for recursive
experimentation that are difficult to simulate physically. Several parameters are
used to facilitate airflow movement and shading techniques.

Figure 7. Solar radiation analysis; Dividing plaza surfaces into cells for calculation (left);
Initial CFD simulation testing existing condition (Plaza 1): Air velocity = 10 m/s (right).

3.4.1. COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS (CFD)

The Bernoulli Effect can be observed through air mass movement in CFD
simulations. These simulations provide quantifiable data for informed
geometric manipulation of tower infrastructure. A three-dimensional
analysis is computationally demanding (˜2 hours per simulation), therefore,
a two-dimensional analysis was conducted using a section perpendicular to the
prevalent wind direction (Figure 7). A velocity of 10 m/s was tested to simulate
the maximum wind velocity in the southwest direction in July. A preliminary
CFD simulation was conducted on the existing urban fabric on a simplified 3D
model of the city. Tower structures were added to the model to test a range of
geometric configurations that maximise air movement through the plaza. The
towers’ distance from the ground was incrementally adjusted to increase fluid
speed. The distance between multiple tower edges were tested to control static
pressure, where each edge was assigned an angle between 20 and 45 degrees
to maximise wind velocity. Note that the CFD simulations show the relative
difference between existing atmospheric pressure and proposed excess pressure,
the values indicated in the figures are not absolute.

3.4.2. SOLAR ANALYSIS

In addition to CFD, solar analysis was used as an input for the generative process.
In order to analyse solar radiation, a 3D model of the existing city fabric was
divided into a series of cells (Figure 7). Each cell was assigned a sun vector
and calculated the amount of sun hours exposed in July; a month that consists
of long-lasting days and intensive heat. A shading device was added to the digital
model to test a range of curvature and perforations on the surface to create shadow
on the ground plane.
Each cell was restrained in the x and y direction and could move in both
 INTELLIGENT TERRITORY 577

directions. Perforations were added to the surface, where the diameter of each
opening could range between 0.25 meters and 4 meters. The angle of each cell
and the size of the opening worked to limit the sun exposure and maximise the
shaded area within the selected plaza.

Figure 8. Tower structure parameters for generative algorithm.

The tower’s placement, height, and distance above the ground facilitate global
wind flow, while the shading surface curvature and porosity facilitate both local
wind flow and shadow on the ground plane (Figure 8). In addition, the research
conducted assumed that materials used in all experiments were of low thermal
conductivity, as to ensure excess heat is not absorbed and released by the used
materials, thus impacting airflow through the proposed tower structures.

3.5. RESULTS

Figure 9. CFD Simulation of proposed tower and shading system measuring static pressure, air
movement, and air velocities on four selected plazas.

3.5.1. AIR MOVEMENT

The results indicate that the height of the tower structure, presence of a shading
surface, and the distance of the intervention from existing infrastructure, play
a key role in controlling air movement. Mainly, if the height of the proposed
tower exceeds existing infrastructure the tower acts as a screen resulting in global
578 A. HRAMYKA ET AL.

pressure differentiated zones. The air velocity in these zones are controlled by the
tower’s geometry where hyperbolic geometries created zones optimal for air mass
movement.
As seen in Figure 9, when A < B, and C < D, the tower intakes air. However, if
the height of one side of the tower exceeds the other and both sides have congruent
geometry facing wind direction, then a gradient of static pressure from high to low
along the prevalent wind direction is created. Where A < B, A < D, and C < D,
a lower static pressure is observed within the tower. Note that the results show
the difference between existing atmospheric pressure and pressure created by an
object, otherwise known as excess pressure.
The figure indicates that when a taller tower is placed at farther distance from
its smaller counterpart in the prevalent wind direction, turbulence between both
towers is increased. The hyperbolic shape of towers accelerates the influx of air,
improving cooling efficiency.
In contrast, when A > B, C < D, and the diameter is increased, the tower
extracts air. However, it is observed that when the distance between towers
exceeds 18 meters, any design intervention minimally impacts the plaza’s ability
to increase air flow and provide more shade. The proposed tower structures are
raised above the ground plane to increase air movement within habitable zones.
All experiments revealed that a gap between the ground plane and bottom of the
structure less than 2 meters, may have increased air velocity by 10 m/s, beyond
human comfort level (Stathopoulos, T., 2009).

3.5.2. POROSITY
The diameter of an opening on the surface, as well as the distribution between
openings, plays a key role in both air movement and the resulting shadow on
the ground plane (Figure 10). An indirect relationship is observed, where larger
openings yield lower air velocities and higher solar exposure, while smaller
openings yield higher air velocities and lower solar exposure. When the opening
is less than 1.8 meters, the air velocity is increased and the air pressure above
and below the surface is equalized. It is observed that in plazas smaller than 500
square meters, a dense grid of openings yields larger shadow coverage (Figure
13). In plazas larger than 500 square meters, the placement, size, and shape of an
opening on the surface has a greater impact on overshadowing than the number of
openings.

Figure 10. Solar radiation analysis measuring impact of porous canopy system on Plaza 3 (left)
Density pattern of opening on curved shading surface - Plaza 3 (right).
 INTELLIGENT TERRITORY 579

4. ANALYSIS
The results indicate that the geometry of the tower and openings on a shading
canopy can create differentiated pressure zones, catalysing air movement as well
as providing shaded environments for vegetation growth and human occupation.
Though reasonable results were obtained, future work should focus on the
implications of geometrical variations of the hyperbolic towers, and how building
materials can impact the performance of the tower system.
It is evident that the hyperbolic geometry of the tower can work to circulate air.
A preliminary attempt to test varying degrees of curvature was taken. It should,
however, be noted that geometrical refinement would impact air movement even
more. In future, it is advised to create geometries that do not generate air velocities
over 10 m/s on the ground, exceeding human comfort level.
The materials used for the experiment assumed low thermal conductivity.
Although not within the scope of this study, future work should test how to
minimise heat absorption and promote air movement.

5. CONCLUSION
This paper presents an ecological system that responds to climatic change and
desertification processes. This topic is important for designers involved in urban
planning, using environmental data and analysis as inputs for design. Using CFD
simulations within the generative process mobilize precise geometrical adaption to
control flows within urban environments. The strategy to design tower structures
and shading devices that can adapt to rising temperatures, urban heat island
formation, and stagnant air has significant potential for employing an intelligent
system in areas prone to climate change. Incorporating geometrical parameters
that will not only increase shadow in public spaces, but will also control the air
flow for cooling within the existing city fabric, can influence the responsive system.
By using hyperbolic tower structures and a connected curved, and porous shading
surface, the desired environmental performance can be achieved.
While the methodology presented in the paper showcases overall improvement
from the existing condition, there is still possibility for further improvement. For
example, the proposed intervention has created zones where air velocity exceeded
the initial input of 10 m/s. As the research aims to create a comfortable, responsive
urban system, habitability should be measured. In addition to human occupancy,
the tessellation on the curved, porous surface should be geometrically adapted to
provide optimal conditions for vegetation growth; as discussed, increased areas
of vegetation helps reduce evaporation and can contribute to a productive urban
landscape.

6. FURTHER INVESTIGATION
Future research should focus on the rural conditions impacted by desertification
in Cyprus (Figure 11). The methodology used to design tower structures will
remain, however, the generative process will encompass water collection systems
to respond to higher levels of precipitation outside the city to address water scarcity.
The methodology should also consider not only built infrastructure, but also how
580 A. HRAMYKA ET AL.

design can integrate with both the natural landscape and productive societies. The
landscape should be evaluated based on existing topological conditions, vegetation
patterns, water bodies, and interaction with local communities. This data will be
quantified and used as input for the generative process outlined in this paper to
provide resources for humans residing in dense city fabrics.

Figure 11. Water collection system within generative design process in rural conditions.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We thank Michael Weinstock, Elif Erdine, Antiopi Koronaki, and George
Jeronomidis for guiding the research at The Architectural Association School in
Emergent Technologies and Design Master’s Programme.
We also thank Andreas Papallas, Nadia Charalambous, Pavlos Schizas for their
support on-site in Cyprus.

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