Thermal Space in Architecture

Present research is revolving around the design process and the use of digital applications to support the design process among architects. This work is made in relation to the current discussions about sustainable architecture and the increased focus on energy consumption and the comfort in our buildings. However at the bottom of this lies an understanding of how we inhabit the space in our buildings and how we historically have adapted to the changing conditions of the seasons in our buildings. Through an increased understanding of this adaptability of and to our buildings, our work with spaces and understanding of spaces in buildings can change significantly and instead of the creation of frozen geometrical spaces, thermal spaces can be created as it is suggested in meteorological architecture where functions are distributed in relation to temperature gradients. This creates an interesting contrast to the current discussions about passive houses that today is starting to set the standards in a Scandinavian context, where the highly controlled indoor environment is in focus relying on mechanical ventilation, creating spaces with a narrow margin for comfort. One can raise the question if re-introducing an increased adaptability in the architecture can be a part of re-defining the environmental agenda and re-establish a link between the environment of the site and the environment of the architecture and through that an increased appreciation of the sensuous space here framed in discussions about thermal comfort.