Design Alternatives of Light Shelves using Altmann Linkage

This paper proposes a novel new light shelf design with Altmann linkage using its kinetic principles: geometry and rotational angles. As previous studies explain a light shelf’s design in two ways: static and movable, the proposed one in this study has the potential to track the path of the sun due to its diagonal movement. The primary purpose is to direct the light shelf to intermediate directions, such as southeast and southwest, by utilizing the geometric properties of the Altmann linkage. The study explains how to dimension the links, calculate rotation angles, and model this device in Relux to test its daylight performance on specific dates in a year. A total of nine variations were analyzed during the three phases of design. They include shelf forms such as a rectangle, two rectangles, two squares, and varying link lengths, which define the distance to the windowsill. The final set of variations with two-square forms moving west and east successfully satisfied with sDA values as 71.52%, 72.99% (w), 75.92% (e); with ASE values as 8.83%, 8.56% (w), and 8.22% (e). This best design of Altmann linkage would be beneficial as an adaptive façade module that can direct daylight inside and achieve proper shading throughout the day and year.