Peru Architecture has a Hole

There's been a fashion in recent years for 'sun tunnels' (also called sun pipe, solartube, sky tube, sky tunnel) in Britain. It's a similar concept, but smaller. In this case, a tube with a shiney inner surface runs from the roof of the house to the ceiling of the room or closet, and has a clear cover in the roof to allow light to enter and bounce down into the room below. Here is an example.

These allow natural light to enter, and often concentrate it by use of mirrors and reflectors (Britain is not that sunny!). They do not, as far as I know, allow ventilation like this shaft does.

Sun Tunnels, thanks Ash, this is good name, and I appreciate the link. Many Latino type buildings have a sun tunnel, I normally just thought of them as wire management tunnels that were needed because the building are make of concrete. The sun coming in the window really made me think of the sun, I had the window open for ventilation. Concrete rooms need good ventilation or their is moisture.

Andy,

Some refer to it as a light chase or ventilation chase.

Having a bird-screen at the top might be an improvement.

Eric

Yes birds and mosquitoes screens would be an improvement.

It is called an "air-way/tunnel/conduit" in Greece, they are quite common. They can make quite a difference in the summer. Architects, at least the smart ones, take the climate into account when designing a building.

Air Conditioning is the answer to bad architects.

AC is a solution to a list of Hotel Problems:

1. Keeping the bugs and mosquitoes out of the room, because you do not have to open windows.
2. Damp rooms
3. Fans that are loud, the new type of AC is quiet.
4. Having to rent a room on the bottom of a building to be cool.
5. You do not need a mosquito net.
6. Privacy because you close the windows and doors.
7. Quiet because the windows are closed.

From my Blog post in Burkina Faso. http://www.hobotraveler.com/2007/09/burkina-faso-hotel-air-conditioning.html

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