1_ES - Via Pian due Torri - Michela Ridolfi

At first I converted the unit of measurement in the metric system , using the command MANAGE - PROJECT UNITS . Then I changed the location from the button below the cube orientation, pressing SET LOCATION and importing the aerial image of the area. I set the picture of the map on the base level, I pressed MODEL - CREATE MASS and then I  drew the perimeter of the buildings. Subsequently I created the volumes of buildings considering a height of 3 meters on each floor and 4 meters for the ground floors.
At last I activated the solar mask and the shadows from the icons SUN PATH and SHADOWS on the toolbar, to analyze the relationship between buildings and sun at different times of the day March 13, 2014 (9.00 AM, 12.00 AM, 3.00 PM, 6.00 PM).
Finally, with the command CAMERA, I took some pictures positioning the camera with the same perspective of real photos that I had taken earlier, in order to compare them.

The building where I live is located in Via Pian due Torri (neighborhood of Magliana nuova), in an area densely populated and formed by buildings of 6 or 7 floors. It is surrounded on all four sides by other buildings, in some cases they are very close together and consequently the streets are quite narrow .
I analyzed the complex formed from the building where I live and the neighboring area in different seasons of the year and at different times of the day, especially dwelling on the west side because my apartment is located right there, on the third floor (I mark it in red on the images). 
After several studies I noticed that:

- 9 a.m. : the East and the South facades are directly illuminated by the sun, but on the East one there is the shadow of the near building. 

                                  Foto reale h. 9.00 lato EST                                                  Foto reale h. 9.00 lato SUD

                                 Ombre in Vasari h. 9.00 lato EST                                     Ombre in Vasari h. 9.00 lato SUD

- 12 a.m. : the East and South sides are still illuminated but the sun is so high that the lewer floors are shaded by the buildings in front of my.

Foto reale h. 12.00 lato EST                                                Foto reale h. 12.00 lato SUD                                              Foto reale h. 12.00 corte 

Ombre in Vasari h. 12.00 lato EST                                  Ombre in Vasari h. 12.00 lato SUD                                  Ombre in Vasari h. 12.00 corte

- 15 p.m. : finally the sun reaches the West side, while on the South side the shadow extends itself to the upper floors.

Foto reale h. 15.00 lato OVEST                                         Foto reale h. 15.00 lato SUD                                               Foto reale h. 15.00 corte

Ombre in Vasarai h. 15.00 lato OVEST                                              Ombre in Vasari h. 15.00 lato SUD                 Ombre in Vasari h. 15.00 corte

- 18 p.m. : the sun is already very low and the buildings are completely in the shade, exept for a slim strip on the top floor of building's West side.

                                  Foto reale h. 18.00 lato OVEST                                         Foto reale h. 18.00 corte  

                                   Ombre in Vasari h. 18.00 lato OVEST                            Ombre in Vasari h.18.00 corte

In spring and in autumn my apartment is illuminated by direct sunlight from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. ,  in summer from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.  and in winter only from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
As regards the rest of the building, I noticed that in summer all fronts receive a lot of sunlight  for most of the day, with the exception of the north and east sides that are illuminated only in the early morning . In winter, instead, the east facade is the one that can enjoy the solar irradiation more durable .
In particular, my building has a "pianta a corte"  open on the west side , a peculiarity that prompted me to study the shading of the court at different times of the day. In fact, I noticed that the side of the court oriented to the north was always shady when I went out in the street to take pictures . I consulted VASARI to see how the situation was during the other seasons and I have found that it doesn't change at all, except for a few hours in the summer (in fact is the area of the building with fewer airconditioners!) 

          Ore 9.00                                                 Ore 12.00                                                 Ore 15.00                                               Ore 18.00

            Equinozio Primavera h. 12.oo          Solstizio Estate  h. 12.00                       Equinozio Autunno h. 12.00           Solstizio Inverno h. 12.00                                     

During the confrontation between my photos and Vasari's images I found some differences, but then I realized that in modeling step I had not considered partition walls and containment walls, which shadows really affect on lower floors.