Technical Report

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FIVE-STORY HOUSE Cara Conlon -B00806518 / ARC323 / WORD COUNT –

2,115 (excluding contents page and references/bibliography)

Cara Conlon

ARC342

B00806518

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CONTENTS PAGE

Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………3 Section 1 (Environmental and site-specific issues) ………………………………4 Section 2 (Superstructure construction) …………………………………………..6 Section 3 (Cladding and façade) …………………………………………………..8 Section 4 (A) …………………………………………………………………………10 4 (B) ………………………………………………………………………………….11 4 (C) ………………………………………………………………………………….12 4 (D) ………………………………………………………………………………….13 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………14 Appendices……………………………………………………………………………15 Reference and bibliography…………………………………………………………16

Cara Conlon

ARC342

B00806518

3

INTRODUCTION

The building that I have chosen for my case study for this module is a residential house in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, South Korea named Five-Story House. This is a 5 Storey stacked building that is designed specifically to fit the needs of its owners. The site location was to be carefully chosen as the soil in this area is not suitable for a high building.

This house is divided among each family members’ needs. These include a studio for the father’s hobby, furniture-making and a multipurpose ‘play’ room for the children, as well as shared spaces such as the kitchen, living spaces and bedrooms.

The Architects are STPMJ, an award-winning design practice based in New York and Seoul. It is based on simplicity of form / detail, clarity of structure, excellence in environmental and use of new materials.i The design period was between June 2017 – January 2018 and the design was completed by Kim Jeongeun. The construction began in February 2018 and was then completed in August 2018.

Cara Conlon

ARC342

B00806518

Section 1 (Environmental & site issues) When considering the foundations for the Five-Story House, I had to do a little research into the soil type in Seoul. And after doing this, I found that most of the soil in this area is made from a combination of sand, silt, and clay. A soft, fine sand and a solid, dust like ground with clay makes the soil not suitable for heavy structures to be constructed upon. From this, a pile foundation has been used to produce and hold this building. Pile foundations are used to transfer the loads from the superstructure, through the weak, compressible strata and onto a stronger compact, and stiffer soil which will increase the effective size of a foundation. Within a pile foundation, steel sub-structure on a grid of piles permits the construction of the house in these poor ground conditions. In terms of the strength and stability, pile foundations are sufficiently strong to help support and to stabilize the building’s ground foundations. If a pile foundation was not considered, excessive settlement can happen, meaning that the load on top of the soil below it causes a downward movement of the groundii.

The sustainability of a building is very important as it helps reduce the impacts that may affect the local environment. The methods used are, protecting the natural environment, or even using recyclable / renewable resources. By just using heavy machinery, fossil fuels are burning heavily which can lead to global warming. The production and delivery produce a lot of carbon emissionsiii.

With any foundation used, environmental issues will occur, A few examples of the issues are: • • •

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Manufacturing of the raw materials such as concrete for piles.

Transportation of the materials to the location can cause noise, water, and air pollution.

During the construction of the house and the excavation work, noise pollution will increase, which will impact the local environment and community of Seoul. The moving of the plant, machinery and the piles being driven into the groundiv can cause vibrations and noise.

Air pollution can be produced as plant and machinery will be used constantly releasing emissions / fumes into the air which will produce CO2. The construction can produce dust which can fill the air with dirt impacting the health of local peoplev.

If you live in South Korea, especially in Seoul, then air pollution is something that you should be constantly aware of as it can cause death. Therefore, by constructing any new build in Seoul, the STPMJ should be careful when considering their methodsvi.

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Section 2 (Superstructure construction) A “superstructure” is the buildings shell which sits on top of the substructure and forms the outer envelope of the buildingvii. It allows the building to become weatherproof and includes all walls, roofs, floors, doors, and windows. When designing the superstructure of the Five-Story House, the pressure and force being applied on the structure must have been taken into consideration.

There are many factors that can affect the superstructure and one of the main ones are the floors. According to Approved Document C, a floor is the 'lower horizontal surface of any space in a building, including finishes that are laid as part of the permanent construction.' viii The main performance that a floor within a building gives, is strength and stability. For example, the floors in the house must be strong enough to withstand the various loads that are being placed on it, together with its own weight. From the considerations of the floor’s strength, for larger buildings such as this high-rise house, reinforced concrete floors must be used.

A building constructed for the purpose of residential living must meet all the expected service requirements. The structural stability of the house is very important and is the requirement of safely transferring the load of the building (extra load such as human and furniture loads) safely to the soil through the many structural members which are designed and built for the approval of the design requirements as per the Codes of practiceix.

For high-rise buildings such as Five-Story House, a structural system must be used to ensure that the building is secured and stable. This will be designed specially to cope with the vertical gravity and lateral loads which are caused by wind and/or seismic activityx. Most of high-rise structures have steel or steel/concrete frames to help withstand these forces. The lateral loads such as earthquakes at the base of the building or wind near the top are the main factors that can affect the stability. The building regulations 1991 under disproportionate collapse A3, states that “the building must be constructed so that in the event of an accident such as an earthquake, the building will not suffer any collapse to an extent disproportionate to the cause.”xi After doing research, I found out that this year alone there has been 10 earthquakes in South Koreaxii. When designing the Five-Story House, STPMJ had to ensure that the strength and stability is thoroughly checked and ensured to withstand earthquakes.

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Section 3 (Cladding and façade) The term 'cladding' refers to materials that are attached to the main structure of a building to form the external wallxiii. Cladding is mainly used for an extra layer or skin to the structure and is used to ensure that any wind or rain does not enter the building. It can also provide sound and thermal insulation as well as fire resistance which is an important area to consider when designing the house. The cladding is also often used to make the building’s exterior look more attractive to the eyexiv. The cladding of the FiveStory House is made up of bricks. Brickwork is a type of masonry which is produced by a bricklayer using bricks and mortar. Typically, these bricks are laid down in courses and they are produced course by course using the mortar. The bond that has been used for the Five-Story House is a pattern known as a stretcher bondxv. It is used using stretchers that joins on each course centred above and below by half a brick. The downside to using this type of bond for this build that it is not particularly strong therefore more focus on stability had to be considered. xvi

There are many advantages of brickwork as an external wall, including: • • •

Brick gives a great appearance to the exterior.

It is easy to form openings in the wall such as windows and doors.

Brick is one of the best cladding materials for excellent fire resistance.

There also can be disadvantages of brickwork as an external wall including: • •

Brick is strong and durable but not as strong as many other materials As brick will absorb water from the outside, this can cause dampness and overtime, it will cause damage to the structure.

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This vertically stacked Five-Story House is covered in a red brick, not only the façade but also on the roof, balcony, and the ceiling of the upper part of the piloti. The corner edges of the buildings have been designed to have a very delicate detail finish which produces a modern exterior finish to the Five-Story House.

Additionally, the partially used broken brick, the pierced brick screen applied on some windows and doors, and the ‘arch’, lift the level of aesthetic fullness in the structure that could just have been simplified.xvii STPMJ states that they, the architects, pursue a ‘provocative realism’.

This house includes an arch which provides a modern look to the exterior along with the façade. For this semicircular arch, the most suitable spring line location is parallel with a bed joint in the support.xviii

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Section 4 (A) (water and water vapor) Condensation is moisture within the air and occurs when warm air meets cooler air / cold surfaces. When water vapor is built up over time, the house can begin to show dampness. In serious situations, mold can appear which the occupants can attain respiratory problems or asthma. Damp / mold can also affect the immune system especially for younger children.xix With this house, a VCL (Vapor Control Layer) has been added to the inner face of the building to prevent any moisture entering the building. It is used to slow down and prevent a buildup of water vapor.xx The NHBC Standards 2021 states that, “Vapour control layers shall be installed correctly and restrict the passage of water from within the home.”xxi

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Section 4 (B) (thermal comfort) BS EN ISO 7730 defines thermal comfort as “that condition of mind which expresses satisfaction with the thermal environment.xxii” It is important for the health / well-being of the occupants. Without thermal comfort, they can be left feeling stressed within their home.xxiii STPMJ must take into consideration the weather within this area. In the winter months, the weather can fall to below zero, whereas in summer, it can go up as high as 27oC. The simplest way to control this within the home, is to use heat sources such as radiators. These are the best way to heat the air already in the room. These can also be turned off. A way to cool down, is the use of the windows and doors. In this house, pull down blinds are added so that they have the option to exclude the sun’s rays.xxiv Sheep’s wool insulation can also be used to control thermal comfort.

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Section 4 (C) (sound) Seoul is known as the ‘Asian city that never sleeps,’ “Pali pali,” which translates to “quick, quick,” isn’t just a used reference in Seoul, it is their way of life.xxv When it came to designing the Five-Story House, STPMJ had to consider the sound level of the city, especially for a family home. Approved Document E covers the resistance of the passage of noise and informs you that the walls, floors, and ceilings must resist the passage of sound so that any noise made does not disturb neighbours.

E1 includes the protection against sound from other parts of the house, this is important in this house as the ‘play’ room is beside the studio. This can be achieved by constructing internal separating walls / floors which attain the minimum standards.xxvi With the brick covering the outside of the house and concrete floor slabs used, they both act as a barrier against sound. A material that could be considered, is mineral wool insulation, this will add a level of soundproofing within the walls.

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Section 4 (D) (lighting) Instead of big and wide openings for view, skinny windows are placed for both lighting and privacy from the neighboring buildings.

In terms of the lighting regulations in South Korea, building regulation KC 10030 LEDxxvii lighting system under the safety requirements is considered.

Having the perfect lighting in a home can make the occupants comfortable in their own home as well as a sense of safety. The most common source of lighting is from natural light. Having skinny windows will ensure that the entire room from top to bottom has access to light. Another sourced used is artificial lighting. Within this house, the use of a large, circular white light is used to give the impression of natural light when the sun goes down.

Having a good source of natural light within this house can provide humans with vitamin D which is a vital ingredient for the development of our bones although it is important that there is a way within the home to block sun light as this can have negative effects on humans as it can cause skin cancers and other health problems.

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Conclusion In conclusion, I believe that STPMJ Architects took into consideration all specific needs for this house and was able to design a vertically stacked house with sufficient lighting and stability. Environmental issues were also considered along with having suitable materials for thermal comfort, sound, and lighting. I believe that this house is the perfect home for any family, with the specific rooms tailored to their hobbies and functionality.

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Appendices

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Referencing and bibliography i

Wooyong, C., 2021. SPACE-Five-Story House. [online] Vmspace.com. Available at: <https://www.vmspace.com/eng/project/project_view.html?base_seq=Mzg5> [Accessed 1 December 2021]. ii

Designingbuildings.co.uk. 2021. Settlement. [online] Available at: <https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Settlement> [Accessed 26 November 2021]. iii

British-assessment.co.uk. 2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.british-assessment.co.uk/insights/what-is-sustainableconstruction-and-why-is-it-important/> [Accessed 27 November 2021]. iv

The Architecture Designs. 2021. Advantages and Disadvantages of Pile Foundation [Complete guide]. [online] Available at: <https://thearchitecturedesigns.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-pile-foundation-completeguide/#:~:text=Main%20advantages%20of%20pile%20foundation%20are%20high%20load,on%20it%2C%20so%20the%20pile%20 foundation%20is%20used.> [Accessed 27 November 2021]. v

NASA Climate Kids. 2021. What Causes Air Pollution?. [online] Available at: <https://climatekids.nasa.gov/air-pollution/> [Accessed 27 November 2021]. vi

Breathe Safe Air. 2021. Air Pollution in Seoul - What You Need to Know. [online] Available at: <https://breathesafeair.com/airpollution-in-seoul/> [Accessed 27 November 2021]. vii

Psichologyanswers.com. 2021. What is a superstructure in construction?. [online] Available at: <https://psichologyanswers.com/library/lecture/read/133158-what-is-a-superstructure-in-construction> [Accessed 27 November 2021]. viii

Designingbuildings.co.uk. 2021. Types of floor. [online] Available at: <https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Types_of_floor#:~:text=According%20to%20Approved%20Document%20C%2C%20a% 20floor%20is,occupants%2C%20and%20the%20weight%20of%20the%20floor%20itself.> [Accessed 27 November 2021]. ix

Charteredengineer.in. 2021. Structural Strength and Stability – Chartered Engineer. [online] Available at: <https://www.charteredengineer.in/structural-stability-ofbuilding/#:~:text=Structural%20stability%20of%20the%20building%20is%20the%20condition,satisfaction%20of%20the%20design% 20requirements%20as%20per%20> [Accessed 27 November 2021]. x

Slideshare.net. 2021. Stability of High-Rise Buildings. [online] Available at: <https://www.slideshare.net/AkashWaghani/stability-of-highrisebuildings#:~:text=Stability%20Of%20HighRise%20Buildings%20%EF%82%A7%20As%20height%20increases%2C,the%20columns%20as%20the%20result%20of%20axial %20loads.> [Accessed 27 November 2021]. xi

Legislation.gov.uk. 2021. The Building Regulations 1991. [online] Available at: <https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1991/2768/schedule/1/made#:~:text=%281%29%20The%20building%20shall%20be%20design ed%20and%20constructed,resists%20the%20spread%20of%20fire%20between%20those%20buildings.> [Accessed 27 November 2021]. xii

Earthquakes.zone. 2021. Earthquakes in South Korea, history, map, tracker. [online] Available at: <https://earthquakes.zone/south-korea> [Accessed 28 November 2021]. xiii

Designingbuildings.co.uk. 2021. Cladding for buildings. [online] Available at: <https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Cladding_for_buildings> [Accessed 28 November 2021]. xiv

Smh.com.au. 2021. What is cladding and why is it used on buildings?. [online] Available at: <https://www.smh.com.au/national/what-is-cladding-and-why-it-is-used-on-buildings-20170615-gwrir6.html> [Accessed 28 November 2021]. xv

Designingbuildings.co.uk. 2021. Types of brick bonding. [online] Available at: <https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Types_of_brick_bonding> [Accessed 28 November 2021]. xvi

2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.delucamasonry.com/advantages-disadvantages-of-brick-masonry/> [Accessed 28 November 2021]. xvii

Wooyong, C., 2021. SPACE-Five-Story House. [online] Vmspace.com. Available at: <https://www.vmspace.com/eng/project/project_view.html?base_seq=Mzg5> [Accessed 1 December 2021].

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xviii

Gobrick.com. 2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.gobrick.com/docs/default-source/read-researchdocuments/technicalnotes/31-brick-masonry-arches.pdf?sfvrsn=0> [Accessed 1 December 2021]. xix

nhs.uk. 2021. Can damp and mould affect my health?. [online] Available at: <https://www.nhs.uk/common-healthquestions/lifestyle/can-damp-and-mould-affect-my-health/> [Accessed 1 December 2021]. xx Back to Earth. 2021. What is a Vapour Control Layer (VCL)? - Back to Earth. [online] Available at: <https://www.backtoearth.co.uk/what-is-a-vapour-control-layer-vcl/> [Accessed 1 December 2021]. xxi

NHBC Standards 2021. 2021. 6.2.12 Vapour control layers - NHBC Standards 2021. [online] Available at: <https://nhbcstandards.co.uk/6-superstructure-excluding-roofs/6-2-external-timber-framed-walls/6-2-12-vapour-controllayers/#:~:text=Vapour%20control%20layers%20shall%20be%20installed%20correctly%20and,product%20assessed%20in%20acc ordance%20with%20Technical%20Requirement%20R3> [Accessed 1 December 2021]. xxii

Designingbuildings.co.uk. (2013). Thermal comfort in buildings - Designing Buildings Wiki. [online] Available at:

https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Thermal_comfort_in_buildings. xxiii

Greeneducationfoundation.org. 2021. Thermal Comfort - Green Education Foundation | GEF | Sustainability Education. [online] Available at: <http://www.greeneducationfoundation.org/green-building-program-sub/learn-about-green-building/1239-thermalcomfort.html#:~:text=Thermal%20comfort%20is%20important%20for%20health%20and%20wellbeing,has%20to%20do%20with%20more%20than%20the%20temperature.> [Accessed 1 December 2021]. xxiv

Greeneducationfoundation.org. 2021. Thermal Comfort - Green Education Foundation | GEF | Sustainability Education. [online] Available at: <http://www.greeneducationfoundation.org/green-building-program-sub/learn-about-green-building/1239-thermalcomfort.html#:~:text=Thermal%20comfort%20is%20important%20for%20health%20and%20wellbeing,has%20to%20do%20with%20more%20than%20the%20temperature.> [Accessed 1 December 2021]. xxv

Galloway, L. (n.d.). The Asian city that never sleeps. [online] www.bbc.com. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20151103-living-in-seoul. xxvi

2021. [online] Available at: <https://construction-student.co.uk/legislation/part-e/> [Accessed 1 December 2021].

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Rheinland, T. (n.d.). South Korea - Announcement of Safety Standards for Electrica. [online] www.tuv.com. Available at: https://www.tuv.com/regulations-and-standards/en/south-korea-announcement-of-safety-standards-for-electrical-equipment-(ledlighting-system).html.

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