Sandra Day O'Connor United States Courthouse
Meier, Richard
Download1A1-MR-SC-A7_cp.jpg (500.7Kb)
Date
1994-2000Description
View of the west elevation, detail; To cool this space, a process known as "phenomenon of adiabatic cooling," in which the increase in the humidity of a given space generates a substantial drop in air temperature, without a significant addition of energy. The firm of Ove Arup was brought in to design this evaporative cooling system. The inspiration was the misting cooling systems that bring down the temperature of outdoor cafes in warm climates. Ove Arup's evaporative cooling system brings outside air into the atrium just under the roof of the courthouse, then it moves across the space to the courthouse block. Here, air is sprayed with water from nozzles located along the sixth floor south corridor. For more see: http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/portfolio/archives/0103courthouse-1.asp
Type of Work
legislative buildingSubject
architectural exteriors, contemporary (1960 to present), Modernist, Neo-Rationalist
Rights
Rights Statement
Licensed for educational and research use by the MIT community only