Abstract
The tropics are areas that get sunlight every year, besides that, the tropics also have high humidity. Buildings in the tropics require designing the skin or facade to suit the climate; protection from heat and rain, as well as high humidity which will affect the comfortable temperature in the room. One common design response in tropical countries is to use a secondary skin. There are 4 factors that influence the use and design of secondary skins which are aesthetics, materials, functions / needs, and technology. This study focuses on the use of secondary skin in residential houses in Indonesia with tropical countries outside Indonesia which aims to compare the factors that influence the design and use of the secondary skin. The results show that most of the use of secondary skin in residential houses is influenced by thermal aspects, but many other factors influence the design, such as privacy, security, and aesthetic value. As well as there is also a combination of the use of materials with philosophy and aesthetics.
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