Thesis (MArch) - Cyprus International University. Institute of Graduate Studies and Research Architecture Department

Includes bibliography (sheets 115-122)

ABSTRACT The functional and physical characteristics of modern cities and their architectural constructions vary substantially. The number of interventions on building envelopes has increased in recent years, especially through the media facade. The term "media façade" refers to the point where media, technology, art, and architecture meet. This field presents a new sort of communication platform, as well as urban space and public awareness, in order to attract people to these buildings while also increasing architectural expressions and establishing a connection to the environment. Since a media façade has many advantages for a building, including providing an advertisement point for the building owner and establishing a landmark. In another hand applying a media façade on a specific building should be done with awareness, with consideration of the façade construction system, as well as not to affect the surrounding, pedestrians, and drivers, so as not to create light pollution. This study aims to distinguish precisely the types of façade construction systems and their connection with media façade systems. Then defining the techniques of illuminating a building façade, and methods for measuring lighting luminance. The study also focuses on the standards and guidelines of media façade. In order to achieve visual comfort. Therefore, besides analyzing standards and guidelines of media façades, different types of media facades are going to be studied for proper media façade solutions. More the less for this process qualitative and quantitative case study methods are going to take place, with a detailed literature review and background of media façade systems are going to be clarified and categorized, by analyzing several international cases. On another hand, two software are used in order to gain the purpose of the thesis which are the DIAlux Evo simulation program and Sketchup Pro, to calculate the light illuminance on the media facades. Three case studies of media facade buildings from Erbil city are going to be taken for further analyses, including façade construction, lighting simulations, and comparing them to the standards and guidelines of media façades.