Architecture & Urbanism


Circo Voador - The Flying Circus
Rio de Janeiro/Brazil, 2001 – 2004
Concept & calculation for climatization (Design: DDGarquitetura)

The aim was to achieve a good thermal comfort for the audience under varying parameters – from classic concerts to rock concerts, from high temperature and high relative humidity outdoor situations in tropical summer nights to relatively low temperatures in winter nights. The implemented measures range from low cost – low tech to low cost - high tech and are, as an integrated package, highly effective. The positive side effect is a growing interest in bio-climatic architecture, once it was shown, that this kind of architectural approach is perfectly compatible with modern well designed architecture in tropical latitudes.

Depending on the outdoor parameters, the number of persons and the equipment being used, the sensible heat load can reach 400 kW, the latent heat load up to 260 kW. To create comfort, 7 ventilators with 4,6 kW and a high pressure pump with 0,4 kW are being used, summing up to 5 kW. The ratio between heat load and air conditioning system is 132 : 1. The implementation cost of the alternative air conditioning system is around 1% of the total construction cost, while traditional air con systems for – easier to air-condition - office buildings cost already around 25%.

This project has been elected as “Good Practice”-Example for resource efficient construction by the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Energy & Environment / Germany.