117: Carioca Modern Façades: Performance Analysis and Optimization of Mobile Shading Systems

This article examines three tropical modern buildings in Rio de Janeiro - Dona Fátima, Angel Ramirez and Sambaíba - designed by MMM Roberto and built between the 1940s and 1950s without mechanical air conditioning, focusing on their daylight performance. It thus evaluates the buildings’ mobile shading systems - including brises, louvres and muxarabis - to enhance their performance. The study aims to minimise solar gain and maximise interior illuminance through combinatorial modelling and detailed simulations using Ladybug, Honeybee and Python optimisation. Analysis revealed potential improvements for two buildings: reposition the shading system in Dona Fátima and adjust or relocate mobile elements and muxarabis in Sambaíba, while noting limitations in the Angel Ramirez system. The research integrates traditional shading practices with computational methods to optimise natural lighting and mitigate tropical heat, and proposes operative guidelines based on quantitative simulations. This study underscores the significance of modern Carioca architecture and highlights the role of computational tools in enhancing building performance in tropical climates.