Design with the climate in housing environments: an analysis in Northern Cyprus

Today, we need one sector to show the way towards sustainable development. Housing, because of its ability as a total entity to satisfy all the levels of need, is in a unique position to set this example, of a more holistic policy which proactively considers the broader issue of the global environment together with local tradition (Oktay D. Planning Housing Environments for Sustainability: Evaluations in Cypriot Settlements, YEM Publications, Istanbul, 2001; WV Vliet (Ed.), The Encyclopedia of Housing, Sage Publications, London, 1999). So far as housing is concerned, local sustainable development deals with improving the quality of life of the local community through the prudent use of local resources. The aim, therefore, is for a high degree of local self-efficiency, which is related to the ecological site design as a determinant of urban ecology. In this context, certain design issues need to be addressed in new developments to meet requirements for sustainability. Design with climate is one of the most important criteria to be considered. Each region has its own climatic conditions and cultural patterns, which must be the basis for the solutions in each individual case. In fact, each country or region has a traditional settlement and building form or ‘vernacular architecture’. Since these cases embody a great deal of experience, wisdom, and cleverness, the layout, basic design, and orientation of older buildings are worth studying in some detail for valuable clues and ideas. In particular, vernacular architecture is almost always climatically appropriate. Protection from sun and heat plays an important role in the areas with a hot climate during the summer months, while the problems of areas with a cold climate are quite different. To this end, this paper attempts to evaluate the housing settlements in Northern Cyprus where the vernacular urban and architectural patterns provide useful hints for designing more sustainable environments. In this context, the courtyard, the element providing the most significant climatic utility in a hot climatic region, will be introduced as a design tool for the new developments.