Re: how does the venturi effect relate to architectural design

how does the venturi effect relate to architectural design?

910998682.Eg

Dear friend.

I'm not sure I understood your question, but if I managed to get through 
the right interpretation of it maybe I could help.

Once I've visited a wind tunnel used by Embraer (a large aircraft company 
in Brazil nowadays manufacturing a wonderful 50-seat airplane named 
EMB-145) to study basic aerodynamic effects over wings at low speeds, and 
I've been pleased with the astonhishing demonstration of a non-usual 
application of a wind tunnel: Building archictecture!

It's so obvious that most people don't think about it. The vast majority of 
actual buildings have been tested in wind tunnel laboratories!  I would 
dare to say that wind tunnel profit comes from bridge and building testing, 
more than of aeronautical activity.  It's funny, because building are very 
different from airplanes, but they have something in common:  they are big, 
they have structural flexibility and both have room for life-support 
environments.

Now, your question.  Venturi effect in architectural design, as seen from 
my aeronautical engineer point of view, it's about wind tunnel compression 
effect when a moving mass of air passes through a large corridor with a 
variable cross section.  Sometimes, temporary constructions, like those 
that are erected for some special event or exposition, suffer from 
aerodynamics problems.  Archictecture, and archictects, deals with space 
management and, in great extent, they are artists.  Have you ever saw the 
city of Brasília?  Or the Guggenheim museum at Bilbao or the Sydney Opera 
House (at Sydney, of course...)?  They have radical design and wind 
patterns must be studied carefully to avoid surprises (structural or 
environmental ones).  Sometimes, venturi effect can work for you, in the 
sense that controlling wind effect can substitute air conditioning system 
or any other mechanical/windmill decoration inside some large corridor.

Best regards,

Fernando Grau