Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Arequipa, an UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, is a good example of how the harmonious interaction between climate, local materials, construction techniques and traditions can generate architectural solutions with positive values in terms of quality of life and cultural identity. The paper discusses under an environmental prism and with the help of scientific instruments the architectural patterns of the city. On-site measurements and energy computer simulations have been used to study the effect of climate factors on the adaptation process of the European models to a new natural surroundings and cultural context. The research has been focused on the study of traditional typologies by using a methodology in which environmental and technological aspects are related. The traditional architecture of Arequipa had never been analyzed before using real measures and computer science technologies. The research contributes objective and novel data about the advantages of vernacular solutions in light of a modern environmentally aware evaluation.