ROBIN HOOD GARDENS | CURTAIN WALL LOFT TESTING

Robin Hood Gardens Canopy Grid

The following digital experiment seeks to wrap a curtain wall around the western facade creating a greenhouse for the Live-In Greenhouse Pods at ground level. This will form an open public allotment space with vertical Parks in the Sky, situated along the external walkways. The canopy follows the outline of the pods at ground level and swoops up over attaching to the vertical Parks in the Sky.

GLULAM TIMBER > STEEL

Glued-Laminated Timber has been selected as the proposed structural material for the project as its is a highly sustainable material due to its renewability and carbon sequestration. Glue-laminated timber specifically as the beams can be bent into curved forms during the gluing and pressing process which will achieve the structural strength and organic aesthetic appeal of the greenhouse canopy. Timber is a renewable material and more environmentally friendly compared to steel which was previously used to support the heavy weighted concrete at Robin Hood Gardens.

Glulam Timber Properties

SUSTAINABILITY: a renewable resource that can be replenished through responsible forest management practices.

LOW THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY: it is a good insulator, helps to maintain a stable temperature inside a building.

ACOUSTIC INSULATION: reduce noise transmission, making it a great option for soundproofing walls and floors.

Curved Glulam Beam

LOCALLY SOURCED TIMBER FABRICATION

TIMBER GRADING & OPTIMISING FINGER-JOINING LAMELLAS GLUE-APPLICATION & PRESSING durable building material that can withstand heavy loads and extreme weather conditions.

Glulam timber beams can weights up to 75% less than steel beams!

CANOPY FOOTING DETAIL

CANOPY EDGE TIMBER FRAME JOIN

RECYCLED GLASS PANELS 455mm x 525mm

RECYCLED GLASS TIMBER FRAME

CANOPY STEEL PIN JOINTS

GLULAM TIMBER BEAM

2x STEEL BOLT JOINT 20mm

2x STEEL BOLT JOINT 20mm

GALVANISED STEEL FRAME BASE

VENTILATION GRILLS

STEEL LOCKNUT BOLT

STEEL PLATE SET INTO CONCRETE

CEMENT MORTAR CAST FOOTING

GROUND SOIL

Curve Set Beam

SANDWICH STEEL PLATE CONNECTIONS

MATERIAL EXPLORATION | LOCALLY RECYCLED GLASS

RECYCLED GLASS > VIRGIN GLASS

Recycled glass is collected from the local Tower Hamlets ReUse & Recycle Centre, to be used to formed into modular glass panels. These panels are modular and a product of parametric design. The panels come together to for a large curtain wall to insulate the dome pod home creating a greenhouse effect inside to create an environment to grow fruit and vegetables. Recycled glass is preferable over virgin glass as it uses less C02 to produce and reused existing materials.

VERSATILITY: as the glass is being reheated to for a new sheet of glass, it presents an opportunity to shape the material into a mould to produce modular sheets.

Recycled Glass Properties

THERMAL INSULATION: provide excellent thermal insulation, helping to reduce heating and cooling costs.

Recycled Glass Panes Fabrication

SUSTAINABILITY:

an environmentally sustainable material as it helps in reducing waste and conserving natural resources.

1.5mm

01.

RECYCLING CENTRE 02. BREAK GLASS DOWN INTO SMALLER SHARDS BETWEEN 0.5mm - 1.0mm 03. FILL HEX GRID WITH THE FINE GLASS SHARD ON KILN PAPER 04. PLACE

01.

COLLECTION

01. Collect glass waste from local recycling centres. Ensure that the glass is clean and free from any contaminants, such as plastics or metals.

SORTING & CLEANING

CRUSHING

03. Crush the glass into small pieces, use sustainable processing methods, such as electric grinders, to minimise energy consumption.

& SHAPING

THE

2.0mm clear 5.0mm

04. Recycled glasses has a 40% lower melting temperature compared to virgin glass. Fire the glass shards in the hexagonal moulds.

05. Tested for their physical properties, such as strength, transparency, and resistance to temperature fluctuations, using laboratory tests.

06. Transport the panels from the local manufacture to RHG. using sustainable transport methods, such as electric / hybrid vehicles, to minimise emissions.

07. Craning the recycled glass panels into the preassembled timber frame.

08. To ensure the longevity, perform regular maintenance and repair as needed, by cleaning the glass panels, replacing & repairing damaged panels & structural components.

09. Waste from residents & Customers of RHG. can recycle their waste for new glass panels to be made.

MATERIAL TESTING | FUSING RECYCLED GLASS

CRUSHED GLASS SIZE

0 minutes

05 minutes @ 700kwh

Energy = 0.05831 kWh

Carbon = 10.58 gC02

TESTING THICKNESS OF GLASS GRAIN

10 minutes @ 700kwh

Energy = 0.11667 kWh

Carbon = 21.16 gC02

15 minutes @ 700kwh

Energy = 0.175 kWh

Carbon = 31.73 gCO2

20 minutes @ 700kwh

Energy = 0.23333 kWh

Carbon = 42.31 gCO2

MIX WITH WATER AND SET GLASS WITHIN HEX MOLD TO HOLD FORM

TEST 01 - LOST FORM DUE TO SIZE TEST 02 - HELD FORM

GLASS SEEMED TO BURN OFF RESIDUE

DEPTH OF GLASS

GLASS HAS MERGED TOGETHER TEST 01 - SOLID FORM TEST 02 - HOLD APPEARED

TEST 01 - LOST FORM DUE TO SIZE TEST 02 - OPTIMAL GLASS GRAIN SIZE

GRAIN TEXTURE TOO THIN, GLASS PANE BROKE DURING COOLING PERIOD

GRAIN TEXTURE

GRAIN TEXTURE TOO THICK, GLASS PANE BROKE DURING COOLING PERIOD

PARKS IN THE SKY

STREETS IN THE SKY DEVELOPMENT

ACCESS TO STAIR CORE

BEDROOMS 875mm 875mm

RAMPED WALKWAYLEVEL WALKWAY CYCLE PATH PEDESTRIAN PATH PEDESTRIAN PATH CYCLE PATH

3500mm 3500mm

RAMP SITE PLAN CENTRAL GRASS MOUND

PROPOSED RAMP ELEVATION

ENTRANCE PORCH 1750mm

3500mm VIEW OFFSET PRIVATE DWELLINGS

PARKS IN THE SKY RAMPED WALKWAY LEVEL WALKWAY

PEDESTRIAN PATH CYCLE PATH PEDESTRIAN PATH CYCLE PATH PRIVATE DWELLINGS STAIR CORE STAIR CORE STAIR CORE 7000mm

Daily Exercise

A fruit and vegetable market is proposed on the roof of Robin Hood Gardens to activate the use of these Streets in the Sky to encourage the use of these walkways and spaces and prevent crime. They are designed with wide walkways to allow two people and a bike pass by at one time, these walkways also encourage exercise by encouraging cyclists, runners and walkers to complete the route up and down the facade as part of their daily oversize routine, with a reward of a fruit and vegetable market to the top. There are three stair cores on the north, centre and southern part of the building as an alternative method of accessing the roof market.

TOTAL BUILDING LENGTH = 114.8m

No. of RAMPED WALKWAYS = 5

No. of FLAT WALKWAYS = 6

114.8m x 9 lengths = 1,033.2m (0.64miles) one way

Full Circuit= 2.07km / 1.28 miles

TOTAL BUILDING LENGTH = 114.8m

NORTHERN BLOCK

SOUTHERN BLOCK

EXISTING CENTRAL GRASS MOUND

THE EXISTING CENTRAL GRASS MOUND WAS DESIGNED TO DISCOURAGE PLAY, THE SIZE AND POSITIONING MEANS IT IS OCCUPYING POTENTIAL AREA FOR PODS

AMPHITHEATRE DESIGN DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

EXTEND POD SYSTEMS

EXTEND POD GRID INTO THE GRASS MOUND ZONE, FOLLOW A DIAGONAL LINE TO MAXIMISE SOLAR GAIN FROM THE SOUTH-WEST EVENING SUN LIGHT.

PROPOSED AMPHITHEATRE

RETAIN PART OF THE EXISTING MOUND AD THE WALLS FOR AN AMPHITHEATRE, EXCAVATE BELOW GROUND LEVEL FOR A STAGE AND SEATING.