PORTFOLIO PS1 By Daniel Cruse, Ben Sayers and Adam Chown
INTRODUCTION “The belief that through the correct use of new technology the public could have unprecedented control over their environment, resulting in a building which could be responsive to visitor’s needs and the many activities intended to take place there.” Cedric Price
CONTENTS
01 CONTEXT
05 APPLICATION
The Housing Crisis 03
Flexible Living 17
A DfMA Approach 04
Accommodation Programme 18
02 NARRATIVE
06 PROPOSAL
Flexibility Case Studies 05 Defining Flexibility 06 Thesis Statement 07
03 USER SPACES Urban Demographics 08 User Definition 09
A
Site Plan 19 3D Axonometric 20 Ground Floor Plan 21 Typical Floor Plan 22 Long Section 23 Visual 24
B
07 DETAIL
Modular Space 10 Outlining Components 11
04 SITE MASSING Urban Density 12 Local Analysis 13 Taxonomy Study 14 Core Design Strategy 15 Developed Massing 16
1
Hover Over
Structural Section 25 Modular Construction 26 Construction Sequence 27 Building Regulation Drawings 28 Environmental Analysis 29 Visuals 30
08 DfMA LOGISTICS Volumetric & Panlised Systems 31 Connection to Structure 32 Panel Fixture 33 Glazing Details 34
09 CONCLUSION Group & Individual Conclusion
35
C
01 CONTEXT THE HOUSING CRISIS
Housing standards is a document of minimum requirements for quality of living which are advisory, outlined as: “attractive, spacious, safe and green and which help to shape sustainable neighbourhoods with distinct and positive identities.“ The housing standards are a useful guideline to ensure the UK quality of living does not fall below a certain standard, so people with lower incomes can live comfortably.
Conclusion Demand for homes far outweighs supply of new homes, and is unsustainable in our country’s population growth.
3
01 CONTEXT A DfMA APPROACH
[Fig1]
The Problem: 24% of global carbon emissions can be reduced through improvements in the construction industry. The Solution: DfMA has many advantages which can significantly decrease emissions, as well as enhance living residential architecture Analysis: Volumetric design allows for less flexibility, but does improve efficient construction, while panelised design allows more flexibility while increasing construction times.
[Fig2]
Logistics: Components/Modules are required to be transported to site from off-site construction locations.
Conclusion The combination of both volumetric and panelised design methods could significantly improve the quality of housing, in terms of providing flexible living, while maintaining efficient means of constructing, transporting and installing.
4
02 NARRATIVE
URBAN SPLASH _ HOUSE (Left)
FLEXIBILITY CASE STUDIES
House is seen by many as revolutionary in flexible living, as the car showroom-like website allows users to customise their home to suit their demands before the space is inhabited. The level flexibility is created by a significant level of customisation.
The current standard of homes in the U.K. allow for a limited amount of flexibility. Using case studies, we can analyse existing homes which may be typical or ‘revolutionary’ in their ability to be flexibile. “The phrase ‘critical life event’ usually refers to events or changes that are part of the normal course of an individual’s life – such as relocation, a change of job, marriage, or death in the family – yet interrupt the everyday cycles of life and necessitate adjustments” (Schwarz-Clauss, 2002). While the implications of some events may be extremely adverse, such as a family tragedy, the home – which we have learned to rely on for comfort and security – cannot adapt to the environment we may require in certain moments of life.
MIMA ARCHITECTS _ MIMA HOUSE (Right)
Mima Architects presented a scheme in which homes can be manipulated while being lived in. this level of flexibility is provided through means of movable interior walls.
Out-take: While inevitable critical life events continue to create stress in everyday life, our homes are unable to accommodate our ever changing needs and should adapt to do so.
Conclusion Few current homes allow for flexibility at all, which lie in a very niche market, unaccessible to the general population. Of those homes which provide flexibility, none provide a level which can accommodate critical moments in life, which cause high levels of stress regularly.
5
02 NARRATIVE DEFINING FLEXIBILITY
The extent of flexibility must be limited in some way to allow the building to function. Using metabolism theory, the structure can live, grow, die and be reborn along with the life cycle of users, where volumes or panels can be replaced in tandem with life events. Taking inspiration from Kisho Kuro’s Nakagin Capsule Tower can allow us to accomplish this, while also providing a method for sustainable methods of maintenance.
01 - Flexibility
Capsule Tower, Tokyo, Kisho Kuru
The ability for a person to choose their living situation, based upon individual preferences.
02 - Flexibility The ability for a prospective home owner to arrange and design their living accommodation before moving into the home.
03 - Flexibility The user can continuously customise the interior of their home to suit their constantly changing needs.
Conclusion Despite the failure of the capsule tower, some consider it a success in development to achieve metabolism in architecture. Principles can be taken in order to remove and replace volumes, but instead using a panelised system. By striving for a fourth level of flexibility, the method of restricting flexibility shown on the right can significantly enhance the quality of living while providing logistical maintenance processes.
04 - Flexibility The inhabitant can add and remove spaces to accommodate significant life events, eradicating the need to move house in order to upsize or downsize their living situation.
6
02 NARRATIVE THESIS STATEMENT
Holmes and Raye’s scale of stressful life events, compared with corresponding flexible living arrangements.
Critical life events are a natural occurrence in one’s lifetime, but our current ‘flexible’ homes cannot adapt to basic user demands. With designers failing to produce a solution for the demands of modernday flexible living; an alternative approach of introducing an enhanced level of flexibility in homes is needed. Inhabitants must be able to surround themselves with an adaptable environment, which can be reshaped and resized, to accommodate for inevitable, and disruptive moments of life.
7
03 USER SPACES URBAN DEMOGRAPHICS
The local demographic can be encapsulated by finding the common household types and economic acitivity. By carrying out this research, we can understand what demands are emphasised on our site. The top chart shows the typical demographic of the M15 postcode while the lower chart shows a significant difference in demand over Greater Manchester. Out-take: The demographic of local and greater Manchester can be split into four segments to provide flexibile accommodation: Students, Young professionals, Families and Retired.
GREATER MANCHESTER
M15
Information from: ONS, 2011 Census
8
03 USER SPACES USER DEFINITION
To provide a fourth level of flexibility, users must be able to add and remove spaces from their home. Using a panelised modification process to existing volumetric modules, spaces can be transformed before users move in, or whilst their inhabiting the space. On the right are some typical floor plans these users would be expected to use. These demographics vary massively in lifestyles, and therefore will require separation to define distinctive accommodations. It’s worth remembering these groups of people are not fixed to these layouts, and have a large amount of flexibility to alter their living spaces.
9
03 USER SPACES MODULAR SPACE
10
03 USER SPACES OUTLINING COMPONENTS
To allow maximum flexibility, users can choose from a number of panels which provide different functions. Using a family of four as an example, we can understand how a prospective buyer or existing user goes through the process of selecting specific panels to suit their flexible home.
11
04 SITE MASSING URBAN DENSITY
Mapping the density indicated the large contrast between the two sides of Higher Cambridge Street. The site sits in the middle of this contrast and gives an opportunity to either connect or separate the two densities of large educational buildings and smaller residential properties. There is a large amount of cycle storage in the area and a plethora of public transport links to encourage green methods of travelling around the city. Bus routes are plentiful, tram connections from the centre can reach the outskirts of Manchester, and vehicular access is structured well. “UDP Part 1 Policy T3.9 gives priority to pedestrians, disabled people and cyclists above the needs of the car, and developers must take this into consideration in the location and design of any parking facilities.� - www.manchester.gov.uk
1
2
12
1
2
3
4
04 SITE MASSING LOCAL ANALYSIS
While it’s important to respond to urban density on site, more local factors need to be identified in order for the scheme to respond to the surrounding streetscape. The neighbouring building to the south may be a limited solar factor, while the cross junction to the north of site provides an opportunity to use as a major node of the site.
13
1
2
3
4
04 SITE MASSING TAXONOMY STUDY
14
04 SITE MASSING CORE DESIGN STRATEGY
The use of a central core wrapped by accommodation presented the most economical way of creating space, while remaining properly functional as a concept. To the right, the progression of massing is shown to use this core typology combined with the taxonomy study on the previous page. The site allowed for four towers which enabled us to separate the four demographics into each tower for suitable living situations.
15
04 SITE MASSING DEVELOPED MASSING
The mass aims to respond to the more imposing features on the site, including the separation in density, attaining direct sunlight to the private courtyard and utilising the corner node located at the north of the site. The illustration to the right indicates the build up from a modular scale to a full sized apartment, to a floor, to a tower block (top to bottom). The modules are fixed volumetrically but can be adapted through panel manipilation.
16
05 APPLICATION FLEXIBLE LIVING
By studying critical life events and their average expectancies, we can almost map out how often users will need living arrangements modifying. On the research conducted, a 6 month period between installation dates is necessary, to avoid large costs of keeping cranes on site many weeks a year, and to allow flexible living. The illustration shows what a users demand might mean for their living arrangements.
17
05 APPLICATION
ACCOMMODATION PROGRAMME Understanding how the building could change on a larger timeline can inform the future cityscape. Using a modular core structure and a stacking approach to modular structure, the scheme has potential to rise and fall along with the demand for flexible living in Manchester.
18
06 PROPOSAL SITE PLAN
19
06 PROPOSAL 3D AXONOMETRIC
20
06 PROPOSAL GROUND FLOOR PLAN 1
2
21
06 PROPOSAL TYPICAL FLOOR PLAN
1
2
3
4
22
06 PROPOSAL
LONG SECTION/ELEVATION
1
2
3
23
06 PROPOSAL VISUAL
24
07 DETAIL STRUCTURE
25
07 DETAIL
The images to the left show a proposed system which allows the stacking of modules in a stable manner. Using a steel member which slots into the member of the opposite module - using male and female components, we can introduce and separate panels and modules relatively easily.
MODULE CONSTRUCTION
26
07 DETAIL
CONSTRUCTION SEQUENCE
1 Foundations laid
2 Cores and Ground Floor Steel
3 Floor, Roof and Walls
4 Module Delivery and Craned on site
27
5 Modules Stacked
6 Complete Module Buildup.
07 DETAIL
BUILDING REGULATION DRAWINGS 1
1
2
3
4
2
5
28
1
07 DETAIL
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
29
2
3
4
07 DETAIL VISUALS
30
08 DfMA LOGISTICS
VOLUMETRIC & PANELISED SYSTEM
31
08 DfMA LOGISTICS CONNECTION TO STRUCTURE
32
08 DfMA LOGISTICS PANEL FIXTURES
33
08 DfMA LOGISTICS GLAZING DETAIL
34
09 CONCLUSION
GROUP AND PERSONAL REFLECTION
GROUP REFLECTION
PERSONAL REFLECTION
The response to the brief allows a new framework for flexible living. While the outcome may not present an outright solution to the housing crisis, it presents new opportunities to outline desirable living situations within the modular housing typology.
This project has furthered my knowledge of DfMA and modular construction having already had previous experience in this typology from my previous work placement. However, I was able to fully take control and use innovative thinking towards our DfMA solution and the housing crisis, to produce a proposal that pushed us all in terms of our knowledge and skillset. I can say on behalf of my two colleagues, Adam and Dan, we have all benefited highly from this particular project, as we have all had to learn and understand the new technologies in the DfMA world to realise our own project, which we will be able to carry forward with us.
Tackling this project as a group of three has been a rewarding process, as each of us have developed skills in communication, leadership and organisation. The group collaboration has been smooth, as we’ve each taken leadership in our own roles. Adam took charge of the portfolio, having an interest in how the work is presented, as well as theory and outcome of the project. Ben lead the BIM design stage, as he showed confidence in using Revit and has a great understanding of building regulations. Daniel was keen to develop the physical functionality through technical details in both construction and environmental awareness. While sharing the workload between us, we’ve also shared our learning experiences, and our specific areas of work have not restricted our development.
Working in a team has been incredibly helpful in aid of us producing the designs and portfolio as we have evenly balanced and distributed the work fairly, and helped and supported one another when necessary. The tasks were unintentionally split between us, all taking on initial roles that utilised our strengths and I believe this is how we worked well as a team. I carried out the BIM co-ordination throughout the project with the assistance of Dan nearer the deadline, and Adam and Dan concentrated on the portfolio and construction details respectively. This was a very enjoyable project and beneficial for all.
35
