Jinxi Wei

This studio concentrated on neutralizing carbon emissions and saving energy by integrating architecture and engineering thinking. The brief focused on refurbishing one of the buildings at Macquarie Primary School, Canberra, for the ACT Education Directorate. Through the site visit and subsequent research, solutions to address glare, thermal comfort, efficiency of the building envelope for Canberra’s wide diurnal range and future expansion of enrolment numbers were all required. It was necessary to understand and apply both passive and active design strategies within a creative aesthetic.

My new build component focused on façade elements and roof shapes and sizes to create pressure differences to enhance passive ventilation, while still providing shelter and a buffer to winter and summer wind conditions.

The siting of the new addition, addressed the poor orientation of the existing conditions, as it shaded the existing classrooms from the afternoon sun.  The design integrated thermal chimneys and algae panels to various elevations throughout the site to provide a passive heating solution for the heat exchange pump, as the algae releases heat when it comes into contact with sunshine and also produces oxygen, which can be mixed into the mechanical ventilation system in the afternoons, to improve occupant’s concentration. The thermal chimneys to various classrooms also worked with the façade design, to improve natural ventilation and fresh air intake.