Cameron Griffin
MSA BA Hons 2022 | Technologies Case Studies
TECHNOLOGIES - CASE STUDIES STUDY BRIEF: DRAWING GALLERY | ARCHITECT: RICHARD ROGERS | BUILT YEAR: 2020
CAMERON GRIFFIN
CLIMATE |
LOCATION - LE PUY-SAINTE-RÉPARADE | FRANCE
The Drawing Gallery by Richard Rodgers Architects is located in Le Puy-Sainte-Reparade in the south of France. After looking at the maps, the most accurate climate information for the building would come from a location called Marseille which is highlighted in the zoomed in map above
Marseille receives an average of approximately 12.5h of daily sun across the year with it peaking at approximately 15.5h and 9h at it’s lowest. This means that fairly high amounts of solar shading is required year round primarily during the summer. For the most part, the building does not need to worry about glare due to the mostly windowless sides. The large spanning window on the end of the structure is facing North-East meaning that solar gain is not a huge worry either. The high amount of daily sun year round results in fairly high temperatures during the summer and above zero temperatures during the winter season resulting in passive cooling being a more focused factor over preventing heat loss for the buildings in the area. Cameron Griffin
CLIMATE |
SHADOWS, AIR POLLUTION AND RAINWATER AFFECTS
EVENING SHADOWS
Due to the sun rising from the east to west, it results in the shadows of the structure being cast down the hill.
MORNING SHADOWS
It also means that the main window on the end of the structure is not exposed in direct sunlight resulting in less glare being caused and therefore adding to the users comfort
AIR POLLUTION LOCATION - MARSEILLES | FRANCE
The primary pollutants in the air of Marseilles consists of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Sulphur Dioxide(SO2) which can at times reach exceeding levels beyond legal limits of what the air should contain The pollution in Marseilles is good most of the year round with the PM2.5 (partial matter of 2.5 micrometers) value around 10.7 nano-grams/m^3. While the air quality is mostly good year round, there are time during the year where this value can rise significantly This can be attributed to the fact that Marseilles is a small coastal town and as such, brings in high tourism and as such, transport pollution in the form of cruise ships and public transport is high
IMAGES RENDERED IN SKETCHUP
RAIN WATER The structure is good for keeping it’s users dry due to the solid framework, there is also only one door and as such only one point for water to enter, this water can be removed however during the entrance where there is a small lobby area. Additionally the water is unable to enter the structure through the foundation due to the counter levered design which keeps the main floor of the structure far away from the wet ground Rainfall is not a huge issue for the structure as there is not copious amounts of rain, except, during October time there is more rain than the rest of the year and as such waterproofing and weatherproofing is important to take into account for the structure. The structure consists of a solid slightly sloped top which would direct the water off the sides of the structure rather than water poring over the entrance way or balcony which would reduce comfort
Cameron Griffin
PROGRAMME |
FOOTPRINT, ECOLOGICAL DAMAGE AND PASSIVE COOLING
ACCESS
When comparing the footprint of the gallery during the initial stages of construction and it’s final construction, it can be seen that a number of trees had to be cleared from the area for the structure to reside and as such possibly damaging some of the local wildlife’s homes. Luckily, due to the structures slim shape, the clearing of wildlife would have been kept to a minimum resulting in no significant damage to the local area Access seems to be a more significant problem however, with no observable parking spaces for coaches or cars in the area due to the structure residing in the Château La Cost Vineyard. This is a problem when looking back at how the area is known to be a prominent tourist location and as such, people may not have their own vehicles and most likely rely on public transport to access the location. It also causes many people to drive through the area consisting of the dirt roads within the vineyard resulting in the wearing down of the landscape IMAGE FROM GOOGLE MAPS
The structures large rectangular shape and matching interior allows for many uses other than being used as an art exhibition. It’s shaded interior, due to it’s suspended angle combined with the view over the landscape, also allows for the space to be used as a great scenic view point over the spanning vineyards and as such could possibly be used for business meetings
IMAGE FROM ARCH DAILY
During the daytime, an airborne animal may perceive the large reflective surfaces (such as the two large glass windows present) to be sky which may result in birds colliding with the surfaces at high speed, the high visibility orange beams, whilst making the structure more visible, may not reduce the collisions for animals such as birds. The floating overhang of the structure casts a shadow on the ground below throughout the day whilst also blocking rainfall (noted by the blue rectangle), the lack of rainwater would usually diminish the growth of flora in the area, however as the structure is of a thin shape and the flora is on an angled plane, it should not effect the growth significantly, and especially not as much as if it where on a flat plane.
Cameron Griffin
PROGRAMME |
SUNLIGHT AND INTERNAL TRAVERSAL
Due to the structures North-East facing design, it results in high amounts of sunlight hitting the east facing side of the structure during the day, which when combined with the metal facade fixed to the sides of the structure, may lead to significant heat being captured within the structure and as such, a more uncomfortable environment when relating it to the previously mentioned 29 degree Celsius temperatures. To counter this heat, the structure is in a shape which has the accidental benefit of brilliant passive cooling using the wind. The wind can enter through the entrance of the structure and flow through outside to provide an even and consistent passive cooling to comfort the people within The interior is coated in white paint providing the interior space with vast amounts of natural light during the day from the light cast in from the two main windows. These windows are recessed into the frame of the structure to ensure that glare is minimised to increase the comfort of the people within, along with to avoid any damage to canvas based artworks that may be currently exhibited
IMAGE RENDERER OF THE SOLAR ABSORPTION ON THE MODEL I CREATED IN SKETCHUP
The structure is an open plan allowing for the space to be traversed and reused in various ways. Additionally the space is large allowing for approximately 100 people to fit within the space, or fit a more reasonable 20 - 40 people comfortably walking around. A building such as this with its large size can accommodate for a number of different activity’s, however, in terms of location, it would best be suited in a large area or on an edge of a hill to view a landscape
Cameron Griffin
STRUCTURE |
JOINTS AND THE ACTING TENSION AND COMPRESSION FORCES
The structure is constructed in a way where it has a counter leaved form which is suspended off the edge of a hillside. This design requires high strength materials and joints in a well designed patterned form to allow the structure to be able to not only support itself, however also withstand live loads, wind, rain and any other forces which could affect the structure during it’s suite The primary makeup of the structures counter leaved design include the one side Pratt truss styled triangulation, the main pivot point fixture to transfer vertical and horizontal loads, and the tensioned cables. For the main structure, it is made up of a triangular framework using circular hollow beams due to their high strength to weight ratio along with their even load spreading capability’s which resist bending in all directions. These are then joined at the pinned joint which needs bracing as these joints are unable to resist moment/rotational forces. Galvanised steel cables in tension are additionally used to counter leaver the structure to prevent snapping during temperature changes in the metal Lateral wind bracing are additionally used across the top and bottom of the structure to withstand any side acting forces on the flat faces of the inner body
RENDERED SECTIONS OF THE MODEL I CREATED IN SKETCHUP
Cameron Griffin
ELEMENTAL CONSTRUCTION |
PANELLING, ASSEMBLY AND COOLING
The wall panelling is clad in stainless steel which is naturally finished in satin finish. This materiality choice results in the panels being corrosion resistant and as such then easier to maintain. This also means that the panels are very resistant to harsh weather conditions year round. The panels are also non combustible allowing them to be used without worry in the dry climate. The panels due to the use of thin stainless steel, are fairly light weight individually (width of 1500mm) and can be easily transported and installed which is important for this structure due to both it’s location (vineyard off of main road, on the edge of a sloped hillside) and structural difficulty in terms of position for assembly. The reflectivity of the panels also allow it to reflect the majority of the sunlight hitting the surfaces (represented in the previously shown light intensity model) and as such reduces the energy absorbed into the surfaces as heat allowing the structures interior to be cooled a lot easier The interior flooring is made of poured resin, this allows for a tough and durable flooring which prevents cracking underneath, resins durability plays a key role in the use of this as a flooring in this structure as when the structure is uses as a gallery, it will result in people freely moving around the space with shoes on and as such, an abrasive resistance surface is key to reduce lasting damage to the surface. The resin flooring also provides a hygienic surface due to it being very easy to clean which is important for such a large interior spaced area. The reflectivity of resin also plays into the previously mentioned use of natural light to illuminate the interior of the structure for the people within RENDERED SECTIONS FOR MATERIALITY OF THE MODEL I CREATED IN SKETCHUP
AC ducts are built into the flooring to allow cool air to be pumped through the structure to help comfort the people within from the high temperature exterior heats. Primary air ducts are fitted within the structures flooring to provide the air, these then lead off to a separate plant room / area
Cameron Griffin
DETAIL CONSTRUCTION |
RAINWATER AND PIVOT POINTS
The structure is fastened to the landscape using two pivot points on the hillside, two sets of tension rods are then used to allow the structure to cantilever via these pivot points. This means that there are only 4 ground contact points for the structure giving it a floating effect . The cantilevering is used not only just for effect, however to also allow the building to be suspended on a hillside in the seismic area that it is located. The tensioned cables are made of galvanised steel so as to prevent snapping during temperature changes in the metal
The slightly slanted roof design allows for the runoff of rainwater into the train track style gutters running along the sides of the structure. This movement of water from the roof away from the structure is important given the strength already required in the structure to ensure it does not fall, if rainwater gathered on the roof it would increase the acting forces on the cantilever to levels which may exceed structurally designed amounts. The size of the roof is approximately 120m^2 (according to arch daily). The minimum rainfall in July on average is 13.3mm, therefore 120*0.0133 = 1.593 cubic meters. During the highest rainfall, September at 85.7mm, 120*0.0857 = 10.284 cubic meters. The inner structure is made of prefabricated steel kits which can be easily transported and assembled by hand. The outer frame work uses circular hollow beams due to their ability to resist bending and shear forces. The main methods of joinery used with these include bolting and welding used in different areas as needed Cameron Griffin
BUILDING PROCESS |
RAINWATER AND PIVOT POINTS
The building is assembled on site from a series of prefabricated parts, this results in the structure being limited in size to accommodate the assembly due to the site being in a remote, difficult to access location. The parts used for the construction are prefabricated at the Bysteel factory in Portugal, this means that the parts would have to be transported approximately 1529km by trucks which is better than importing the parts form overseas. Though the distance is still not ideal it can be difficult to find a local facility which would be able to slice through the thick steel tubes used for the structures framework along with also being able to do large and strong welds to high precision with the metal large metal shrinkage which would occur with the parts used of this scale requiring a high level of skill to accomplish this. The parts then are bolted together in the factory to ensure the parts fit correctly before being later disassembled for transport to site which was accommodated with two lorries and the use of a tractor for accessing the remote vineyard location. On site, A cherry picker was used to lift workers to the higher locations allowing access with a spanner to secure the bolts and other fixings of the structure around a temporary fixing which was in site at the time. The foundation (Pile Foundations) process is very important with this structure due to it only being fixed at 4 small locations to the hillside, the process is described below
Cameron Griffin
BUILDING PROCESS |
RAINWATER AND PIVOT POINTS
The physical model depicts the building processes of the key structural elements of the framework, it also represents the counter-leaver that is achieved by the structure in a physical modelled demonstration. String is used to depict the ties used on the structure which enforce the strength of the horizontal movement of the structure by keeping these ties under tension. Cocktail sticks are used to depict the triangular sections of the framework which ensure the frames strength.
PHYSICAL MODEL CREATED BY DARSHIL MISTRY
Cameron Griffin
TECHNOLOGIES - CASE STUDIES STUDY BRIEF: DESTRUCTIBLE HOUSE | ARCHITECT: RICHARD ROGERS | BUILT YEAR: 2020
CAMERON GRIFFIN
CLIMATE |
LOCATION - LORRAIN | FRANCE
Due to the structures prefabricated nature, it can be constructed and used anywhere, however, by looking at the region of France (it’s initial designed location) it can be seen what types of climates it would have been created to withstand
The structure was initially designed to quick assembly for rehousing war victims in Lorraine (1944), France, and as such, I have dedicated the climate analysis to that of Lorraine. Lorraine is the former region in the northeast of France which boarders Belgium and Germany. The region consists of rural landscape along with the Vosges mountains and the Verdun Forrest providing a range of various landscapes to design around
The climate of Lorraine is fairly average with the temperatures peaking at approximately 26 degrees Celsius along with reaching below zero at periods resulting in a design of a structure which can withstand these fluctuation year round temperatures.
Cameron Griffin
CLIMATE / PROGRAMME |
SUNLIGHT, MATERIALITY AND ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING
During the day, Natural light easily permeates the interior due to the 4 front facing glass panel doors allowing for natural light to fill the large living space during the day if orientated South the single panelled wood based walling would be difficult to withstand temperature fluctuations. Especially the below zero temperatures the structure will likely encounter , additionally, the wood, steel and aluminium materials used in the Structure’s construction may be subject to thermal expatiation during the year round temperature fluctuations. The structure is however well protected from snow, sleet, rain or hail, ect, allowing it to be able to provide emergency temporary shelter for the inhabitance HERE I CREATED A CAD MODEL TO DEPICT THE SUN-PATH AND RESULTANT SHADOWS
At night, the surrounding pods around the house ensure continuous living facility’s in-case of a disconnect of electricity or water. Additionally, Interior artificial lighting is fitted and distributed evenly across the main living space’s ceiling, this combined with the lack of partitioning provides a even light luminance across the room. The structure would suit best to have the main windows / porch, facing a South or SouthWest direction to provide the best sunlight onto the structure to illuminate the main living space along with the secondary attachable units.
7AM
12AM
2PM
Cameron Griffin
PROGRAMME |
USER INTERACTIONS AND ADAPTABILITY
The structure is able to house up to 4 people when necessary provided that an extra double bed is installed, in times of necessity, however, it can support two people comfortably, although it lacks the addition of privacy due to the lack of partitioning. There is two small pods adaptable attached to the exterior of the structure along with the main living space. The main space is meant to be used for essential living and as such has a lack of partitioning making re-adaptability of the space difficult. The spaces are designed to provide essential temporary living arrangements and therefore are not highly luxurious. Since the structure has attachable pods on the side, it allows them to be swapped out and adapted to suit the situation and the requirements best allowing the structure to be ever adaptable to its usage or environment allowing it to be reused as a whole for a wide variety of purposes.
The original structure is made of a combination of wood and metal to allow it to be easily transported to it’s destination which would have been war torn areas. The structure is also designed to be easily assembled in one day by only two people allowing it to provide much needed shelter quickly when needed. The modern RSHP’s adaptation of the structure keeps many of the original design elements, whilst adding elements for comfort which would have been left out of the original design for purpose based reasons. The structure as a whole provides; a satellite bathroom, kitchen, a service trolley for off grid water and electricity, decking that can be controlled via a counter-balance system to allow it to be raised and lowered, being made of steel, wood and aluminium, ect...
Cameron Griffin
STRUCTURE |
FOUNDATION AND LOAD PATHS
Since the structure is portable and not embedded into the ground via a foundation due to it’s portable nature, weights are used to keep the structure on the ground with a series of these attached to the frame’s legs to apply large downward forces at a low centre of gravity to ensure the strucutre is not moved / toppled over by high wind forces .
Cameron Griffin
ELEMENTAL CONSTRUCTION |
FLOORING, WALLING, PODS AND INSULATION
The components of the structure can be assembled / disassembled on site by hand. The external decking is one of the assemble parts who’s height can be controlled via a counterbalance system which may be dependent on the weather conditions, where the decking can be raised to cover the windows to reduce solar gain. The walls where original made up of 6 wooden panels on each wall which was further adapted in the RSHP design to consist of 4 panels of glazing. Some of the panels are adapted to provide an entranceway to connect the pod. The use of these prefabricated panels further saves on assembly time on site along with enabling easy transportation of the parts for the structure over raw materials. These panels are insulated using vacuum insulation between then to ensure the structure is kept at a comfortable temperature year round. RSHP further adapted the original design by changing the materials used for the structure with more durable ones to-adapt to the climate the structure is located in, an example of this is the use of Siberian larch which is a naturally weathered timber resulting in a strong material which can withstand harsh weathering along with having the distinct shade colour which complimented the 6x6 house. The original structure is made of a combination of wood and metal to allow it to be easily transported to it’s destination which would have been the war torn villages. The structure is also designed to be easily assembled in one day by only two people allowing it to provide much needed shelter quickly when needed. The modern RSHP’s adaptation of the structure keeps many of the original design elements, whilst adding elements for comfort which would have been left out of the original design for purpose based reasons.
The structure as a whole provides; a satellite bathroom, kitchen, a service trolley for off grid water and electricity, decking that can be controlled via a counter-balance system to allow it to be raised and lowered, being made of steel, wood and aluminium, ect... The pods themselves are made of steel ring beams for the base and roof allowing them to be corrosion resistant and then further finished with high quality automotive perlesent paint. The walls of the pods are strengthened from rolled square hollow sections of aluminium extrusions with laser cut rolled aluminium gusset plates riveted in to ensure a strong structure and finished using anodised aluminium profiled sheets which are rolled to fit the curvature of the wall, these provide weather proofing along with a clean ascetic finish. These pods are insulated in the walls with vacuum insulated panels similar to the main body of the structure. Ring lights are further fitted into the pods to provide a even spread of light within the structures. The interior walls are clad with kebony timber which is a pressure treated softwood which fit the aesthetic of the pods perfectly.
Cameron Griffin
DETAILED CONSTRUCTION |
MATERIALITY, FUNCTION AND RAINFALL
Services such as electricity and hot water are provided via the service pod which can be placed externally to the structure and slid underneath in order to be hidden from view. It can be easily manoeuvred into position and transported due to the wheels installed to the bottom of the trolley. The electricity is provided by both the trolley, additional when off grid, a series of 4 solar cells which can power the structure during the day. To further push the off grid adaptability that the structure provides, it is fitted with a composting toilet along with a kitchen and bathroom sound attenuated extractor fans which are primary wind driven to save on energy.
The structure has a metal roof which is sloped to allow for the dispersion of rainwater, however, the additional connected pods have flat glass roofs which cause rainwater to pool on top. The roof size is approximately 6x6m resulting in a size of approximately 36m^2 of roof area. With a min rainfall of approximately 52 - 53mm in April, this results in: 0.053*36 = 1.9 cubic meters of rainfall In terms of maximum rainfall of approximately 75mm - 76mm in June, it results in: 0.075x36 = 2.7 cubic meters of rainfall
Metal plates are further used along the steel base to canter-leaver the structure as well as to weight the structure down to lower the centre of gravity for stability
Cameron Griffin
DETAILED CONSTRUCTION |
JOINTS AND CONSTRUCTION
The floor is raised up above the ground to provide space for ductwork, along with separating the structure from possible moisture absorption that could occur due to it’s lack of a burred foundation. Since the structure is built without a buried foundation, it is supported via a series of screw jacks made from suplex stainless steel to be able to withstand possible harsh weathering and as such preventing corrosion.
The floor needed to be insulated well due to it’s raised nature providing airflow which could dissipate any heat with in the structure quickly. The roof is additionally heavily insulated using similar high performance vacuum insulation panels as the wall elements.
The structure has a hollow core to improve it’s strength to weight ratio allowing it to be easier to transport, it further uses a cast iron kentledge to ballast the structure .
Cameron Griffin
BUILDING PROCESS |
FOUNDATION TO FINAL CONSTRUCTION
The adapted structure is assembled by 2-3 people in one day preserving the fast assembly properties of the original structure. The building process begins with the base frame being lifted above the ground by 15 pad like structures which are each stabilised by circular steel components which balance the frame. The two steel frameworks that make up the base of the deck are then attached to the main frame further adding the 4 wooden panels to this via metal sockets to make up the decking. Metal weights are then further added as part of the canter-leaver system used with the decking. The whole structure is then enclosed in a thin metal frame wrap. Next, the additional pod (cylinder) frameworks are attached to the main structure which consist of a circular rolled steel frame with a triangular structure created within by cross beams. Next the main arch point of stability is added to the centre of the main structure, then the 6 wooden slab panels are fitted to the frame to act as the flooring, here the service trolleys begin to be fitted along with the cable ducts to route the wiring and piping beneath the structure. The walls with windows attached are then further added to the structure which are then connected together above via 5 lactate beams which support the metal roof, the rest of the walls of the structure are then added via a extra frame and the roof of the pods are sealed with glass, finally, The roof is added to the structure.
Cameron Griffin
TECHNOLOGIES - CASE STUDIES STUDY BRIEF: SCOUT HUT | ARCHITECT: ARCHITECTS UNKNOWN | BUILT YEAR: 2020
CAMERON GRIFFIN
CLIMATE |
LOCATION - MANCHESTER, ENGLAND
The site is located on 7 Egerton Road South, Chorlton, Manchester, with the site itself having a sloped topography
The Manchester climate has a general temperature typically relating to that of a warm summer and cool winter season. The temperatures in Manchester are relatively cold through the year with the average maximum and minimum temps being 12.6°C and 6.25°C respectively. Due to the low yearly temperatures, high levels of roof / loft insulation is required in many structures to keep heat in where possible from the solar gain through the day. There is an average of constant precipitation through the year with 1/3 of the days of each month being rainy days and ranges from approx 46mm to 80mm of rainfall in a month through the year. This year round rainfall can result in water clogging, floods in low level areas and water damage to structures when combined with below zero winter temperatures. The average wind speed of Manchester is approximately 5.2m/s which is on the high side when combined with the strong gusts of wind that can be experienced from the not so distant coast line
Cameron Griffin
PROGRAMME |
INTERIOR AND SPACE USAGE
The structure uses a series of sky lights to evenly light the open spaces within the structure, this is required as the lowered ground level the building is sat on combined with the prominent tree-line located to the south of the structure causing the sides of the structure to be shaded through most of the day, the sky lights. The structure is of a L-Shape to allow it to integrate into its location and allow for the free access between the indoor spaces and outdoor spaces which ties into the open green-space present on the site.
The open spaces within the structure are not equipped with fixed furniture to allow for the flexibility of reorganisation and reuse of the spaces for numerous purposes. The structure is not very wide however, the length easily makes up for it by allowing for many people to fit within the larger spaces with ease, this also allows for smaller groups of people to talk together easier than in a more square open structure. Due to the structures unique user based design input, the structure is designed for the main express purposes (making it usable by all age groups) to express the reflect the scouts sense of practicality, whilst allowing for further future adaptability Due to the clients express desire to make the most of the money put into the project, it is designed to be as multi purposes as possible providing it with endless future applications Cameron Griffin
STRUCTURE |
FRAMEWORK AND STRUCTURAL LOADS
The WiKi house system used for the development of the structure uses CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining to create the parts required for the structure through subtractive manufacturing. The structure is initially created in CAD (Computer Aided Design) and then exported in DWG (Drawing) files to the CNC machines allowing the initial CAD process to create a refined and efficient design which uses the material to create structural members which provide high strength without wasting any unnecessary material. The Material used for the construction is wood due to it’s high moment resistance and is assembled using a series of precise milled box joints which provide an all around strong structure WIND FORCES DEAD LOADS LIVE LOADS
The Wiki House is one of the largest Wiki house structures in the world. This requires the building to be extremely strong and as such, was designed in the form of a steel framed structure, this framework is then clad series of external panels which are fixed to the exterior of the building and provide racking resistance by locking the weight of the building and unifying the direction of the forces to prevent bending within the timber frame when forces are experienced. The columns of the structure have a solid thickness to withstand the loads experienced, which when applied in conjunction with the thinner beams provides a strong and ridged timber framework. The foundation of the structure is important for a building like this and as such, the concrete foundation is reinforced with a mesh providing a high compressive strength foundation.
STRUCTURAL CONSTRUCCameron Griffin
ELEMENTAL CONSTRUCTION |
FOUNDATION, ROOF AND INSULATION
The main structural construction system is based of the use of a series of plywood truss that connect together to form, a strong and robust timber frame. The shape of this structure uses a square base and triangular assembled roof structure to provide the strength required, a brace across the roof to wall joints is not needed due to the low height and ridged foundation. This causes the stress of the structure to be directed away from the joints and into the more robust columns and joists allowing for a more rigid system.
The lack of solid unchangeable joints provided by the ‘jig-saw’ like assembly allows for the disassembly and reuse of the structure allowing for a circular economy of fabrication along with allowing it to be easily and quickly assembled / disassembled. The services previously on the site where removed and new systems where further installed, ventilation and water pipes run through the walls of the structure with the rainwater being transported to a soak away on site. The cladding on the structure is made of Larch due to it’s sustainable and high weather resistant nature with the flooring consisting of timber preservative treated decking being suspended from the foundation with 150mm of ventilation space
Cameron Griffin
DETAIL CONSTRUCTION |
CLIMATE ADAPTABILITY AND RAINFALL
Vapour control membranes are present within the interior side of the walling and roofing of the structure to prevent moister entering the structure whilst a breather membrane is present on the exterior side of the walling and roofing to keep water out whilst allowing any water within the framework of the structure to escape
A gutter runs around the perimeter of the entire pitched roof to provide drainage, this is achieved using a plastic 112mm half round styled gutter is used in conjunction with 88mm downpipes to direct and transport the rain water from the roof to the below ground drainage and the on site soak-away With the rainfall in Manchester reaching approximately a total of 1000mm/year, that applied across a total roof area of approx 200m^2 results in • 1000x10^-3*200 = 200m^2/y • 200/365 = 0.55m^3/day
Which results in, on average, 550L of water per day requiring to be transported from the roof and drained
Cameron Griffin
BUILDING PROCESS |
FROM CAD TO FINAL FORM
Initial the structure is designed on CAD, this is where it can be altered by the input from the community / clientele along with also where it can be iterated and tested through structural and climate based digital analysis to create a structure which is efficient and does not waste any material. The digital model is then converted to a series of DWG drawing files which are exported to a CNC milling machine which can use subtractive manufacturing to create the wooden plywood parts of the structural framework with high precision CNC MILL PARTS
CAD DESIGN
The high precision milled parts can then be transported and assembled individually on site to create sub-structures which are joined together parts which are then further assembled on the foundation with the remaining parts to create the structure as a whole.
ASSEMBLE INDIVIDUAL PARTS ASSEMBLE FINAL STRUCTURE Cameron Griffin
TECHNOLOGIES - CASE STUDIES STUDY BRIEF: ICELANDIC COTTAGES | ARCHITECT: PK ARKITEKTAR | BUILT YEAR: 2012
CAMERON GRIFFIN
CLIMATE |
LOCATION - BREKKUSKOGUR, ICELAND
The site is located in Brekkuskogur which is located in the SouthWest of Iceland which is a rural location neighbouring lake Laugarvatn based approx 50 miles form Reykjavik. The area consists of an open, flat scenic landscape proving stunning surrounding views.
Due to the open flat lands of the surrounding terrain, it results in minimal wind protection for the area due to a lack of trees, to counter this, wind breaking barriers constructed from excavated earth are positioned in key places to minimise the gusts. The flat landscape does provide stunning views of the distant hills and mountains located nearby which is best perceived via the series of large windows installed in the structure The climate of Iceland changes drastically between winter and summer periods with the daylight hours of the winter being close to zero through the season while during the summer the days stretch longer, this can result in large solar gain during the summer periods on south facing windows. Iceland is located near the artic circle and therefore, has a cold temperature climate due to the North Atlantic Current which carries the gulf stream water North
Cameron Griffin
PROGRAMME |
INTERIOR, SECTIONS AND SPACE USAGE
The structure is designed such that it blends in with the overall landscape both respectively and structurally, this allows the building to be highly climate resistant. This is achieved by the slanted roof used to allow rainwater to flow off away from the structure whilst also allowing the wind forces to be directed over a larger angled area. The living and dining spaces are large open plan joined areas which are located central of the building. These spaces could be reused in numerous ways due to their open plan design the further use of a corner stretching window in the space allows for a connection between the interior and exterior spaces. The geothermal aspects of Iceland are tapped with the structures design providing the bathroom, hot tub and terraces with heating through this sustainable method. The floor plan takes on the form of a semirual architectural design along with a simple economical layout with large spaces to provide an easy to understand living space for it’s intended occupants as a holiday home. The rainfall on the size of roof consists of 103m with the maximum rainfall being 94.1mm in December which equals 9.69 m^3 and 43.8mm of fall at minimum during the June period resulting in 4.51 m^3
Cameron Griffin
STRUCTURE |
FRAMEWORK AND STRUCTURAL LOADS
The structure is setup in a way where the large dead loads, primary the heavy green roof, are directed through the large structural walls and into the foundation
DEAD LOADS LIVE LOADS
Regular SHS columns are used to support the walls and roof along with universal steel beams being used to span the width of the roof structure transferring the forces applied to the walls by the weight of the roof into the columns
WIND PATH WIND FORCES
The foundation includes a series of underfloor heating pipes which is powered through the use of the geothermal power The wind forces acting on the structure are reduced due to the use of the angled roof structure which can reduce the acting forces including both the positive and negative pressure forces. The understanding of the wind forces acting on the structure, although minimised by the shape of the building and the inclusion of mounds, is still important as the Icelandic winds are very strong due to dips in the ground of the surrounding flat landscape creates funnels of high speed air
The foundation of the structure which is fasted into the ground below via a series of underground piles which act to transfer the forces acting on the walls into the ground. You can see in the adjacent diagram, that the forces of the loads caused by the weight of the roof are distributed horizontally both in the ceiling and the base of the structure allowing for an even distribution of load across the structure Cameron Griffin
ELEMENTAL CONSTRUCTION |
FOUNDATION, ROOF AND WALL COMPOSITION
The exterior of the structure is cladded in wooden planks which make use of the Japanese shoshugibon technique in which the wood is charred to protect it from weathering. This also allows the wood to be fire, insect, and rot resistance whilst simultaneously allowing it to be low maintenance, stronger and durable due to the lack of moisture in the wood after the process The entire roof of the structure is layered with a 200mm thick green roof which provides an element of sustainable architecture along with allowing it to blend in with the surrounding area by fusing and preserving the immediate area into the landscape akin to Icelandic vernacular turf houses
The structure is paced upon a concrete foundation with the excavated soil during this process being reused for the wind breaking barriers surrounding the structure The floor is made of polished concrete with the interior walls being clad in light coloured timber strips via the same grid cladding as the exterior. The materials used in the structure are of a high quality so as to ensure there longevity and low maintenance The services within the structure run of sustainable geothermal power sources which are drilled around the site boundary. This is a sustainable option for powering the building due to it’s close to zero carbon emissions
Cameron Griffin
DETAIL CONSTRUCTION |
MATERIALITY AND STRUCTURAL COMPOSITION
Rain-water pipes are not required within the structure due to the use of a green roof combines with the slopped shape of the building. The use of the dark charred timber combines with the green roof provides a unique contrast The green roof, when combined with the use of insulation, provides a high efficiency design for ensuring heat loss during the colder winters is low The roof also keeps a rigid and formed shape whilst blending with the landscape which is the intention behind the materials and there placement within the original design
Cameron Griffin
BUILDING PROCESS |
FOUNDATION LAYING TO FURNITURE FITTING
During the building process, the ground was excavated to firstly allow a foundation to be pored, and secondly to lower the structure into the ground slightly to be able to provide a lower profile to the building and avoid the wind that would act on the building. The excavated ground was then formed into a series of mounds in the immediate surround area which allowed the building to later both blend into the landscape along with provide a slope for wind to be deflected away from the structures walls (wind breaks). During this excavation, the ground source heat pumps where also installed fro future use
LAY FOUNDATIONS
LOAD BEARING WALLS
INTERIOUR WALLS
DOORS AND FURNITURE
After the reinforced concrete is laid, wooden fasteners and timber studding is installed internal with the load bearing walls first and the interior walls after to provide the shape of the structure. Next the insulation is installed within the timber studding with the build-up of plywood sheets and wind-proof paper also being added The shoshugibon hardwood strips are then mounted to the exterior of the structure to provide the weather proofing facade
Cameron Griffin