Lecture- Architectural Design Principles for the Sonoran Desert at Mustang Library

Doug Sydnor had an architectural practice in Scottsdale for many years. His presentation will explore the Sonoran Desert and the environmental conditions that suggest how an appropriate architecture should respond to these conditions. Such responses will include a series of passive energy saving concepts that can apply to a wide variety of building types. They can be maintaining existing site drainage patterns, building orientation, need for well insulated wall and roof envelopes, exploiting day lighting, natural ventilation, use of shade, to name just a few. Recent and locally built architectural examples will be used as case studies to demonstrate how such concepts can be integrated into such structures. As the Scottsdale area continues to develop, the hope is that such basic design principles for our climatic and physical environment will be remembered and utilized, leading us toward a more sustainable future.