Home Improvement @ dotindigi

Imagine a bright tropical house, that is comfortable with shade. Shading devices like louvers is often used as secondary skin. Secondary skin concept for tropical houses has become popular Lately. This concept blends with modern architecture concept by complementing a considerable solution to deal with tropical climate, which also has an aesthetic value.

What is secondary skin concept

modern minimalist house secondary skin
Astudio design by

You might have read or know from TV shows about ‘secondary skin concept’ or second-layer wall of a building. This concept is originated from an analogy; house as a human skin.

Biologically, human skin has, to protect human from many danger, virus, disease, and other thread outside the human body. Skin has a function to manage a relationship between body and outside the body. For example, if it is too hot, human skin will about them by keeping temperatures stable, for example sweat.

Human also has a way to about them to an external condition for example, by using clothes. There are clothes for hot weather, cold weather, etc.. Clothes can be made to fit our comfort.

In architecture, it is Known The concept of building as human skin, that has a function to protect the human body. Building can be designed, to fit tropical climate, from heat and rain, and from other climate related environmental condition.

‘Secondary skin concept was derived from analogy of human skin and clothes, and this concept can be used whenever one layer of building’ skin ‘is not quite enough to deal with climate impact.

modern minimalist house secondary skin
Sketch by Probo Hindarto

In the above sketch that I made, I describe one concept of secondary skin. Human inside a room is isolated by the Wall and glass. Wood louvers act as ‘secondary skin’ to hold heat direct from the sun to directly enter the room. So in this example, heat will not directly enter the glass wall.

modern minimalist house secondary skin
Photo by Samoke (Eko Wahyu, SAMM). House design by Kamil Ridwan
The house is using thousands of bottles for secondary skin.

To apply secondary skin at home

To apply secondary skin concept it is important not to be mistaken with creating building ornaments, because usually, house facade will look more aesthetic than using just a single wall.

Many houses and more tropical skin secondary use concept. this is because tropical houses need more advanced concept than just a single wall concept. to apply secondary concept for Your Skin home consider these points;

When designing, observe the surrounding houses. are they comfortable enough? In terms of water freshness. humidity, etc. If you feel that it is not really fresh and comfortable, consider to use secondary skin for your future home.

If your house is already been built, see if there is a possibility that you could better the level of water and natural light comfort by adding secondary skin.

In houses of tropical areas, most secondary skin for buildings are made of wood louvers, steel, or other materials. One unique example is one house that was designed by Ridwan Kamil using bottles as secondary Skin. Other materials like bamboo, recycled materials, glass, etc can be used innovatively

Level of human comfort in tropical areas is quite specific. Consider some rather dark room is comfortable. How much natural light can get in to a room is one of play considerations beside water flow, humidity etc. Nowadays, often ate glass materials being used. The impact is higher temperature levels.

The use of secondary skin is quite similar to being below the shadow of a tree. You can imagine that being under the shadow of trees when the sun shine very hot is very comfortable.