Process Book, Pre-Fab Studio

cANAL COURT DX PRE-FAB STUDIO SPRING 2014

AMBER FREEDMAN

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This theory based semester long studio was titled prefabricated buildings in the 21st century. after a 5 week seminar on the history of prefabrication our charge was to design our own prefabricated dwelling on a dense suburban site along the canals in venice los angeles. the direction in wish i chose to address prefab in the 21st century was with a strong and holistic sense of sustainability in the sense of context, environment and human behavior.

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Q(uality) x S(cope) = C(ost) x T(ime) “Quality and scope are generally desirable aspects of anything we make.

WE like things that are well made. when they are well made we say they are crafted.

WE also like added features and generally wish for more rather than less.

Cost and time, however, are not desirable elements. they are the limits that determine how much quality and scope, we can attain. while we might want more quality and scope, we still want to spend less time and money. in classical process-engineering terms, the way to attain a certain combination of higher quality and greater scope is to spend some combination of more time and more money”.

Refabricating architecture, stephen kieran and james timberlake page 9

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Q(uality) x S(cope) = C(ost) x T(ime) “why is this restatement, this reprieve from the old equilibrium between art and expenditure, possible in other industries that also make complex artifacts? there are lessons that can be examined and transferred from our sister industries to architecture. these lessons are not about outward form, style or appearance, they are about processes and materials developed over the past decade that have overturned the ancient equilibrium between expenditure of resources and acquisition of benefits. the answer lies first in the emergence of the process engineer, the designer of methods”.

Refabricating architecture, stephen kieran and james timberlake page 11

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MK SOLAIRE MkSolaire: Michelle Kaufmann The architect Michelle Kaufmann has a mission to find smarter ways to design, build and live. Kaufmann’s idea is to make thoughtful, sustainable design easier to obtain. Michelle Kauffmann has her own firm MkStudios in which she designs sustainable and pre-fabricated single family homes, resorts, and multi-family communities. I choose the MkSolaire designed by Michelle Kaufmann for my precedent analysis because it is a notable contemporary example of a sustainable prefab home. The inherent sustainable concepts combined with the modular prefabricated approach to construction is a direction where I see the future of home building going. Also, the size and scale of this home in an urban setting I find relevant to the direction of this studio in Venice Beach, Los Angeles.

The MkSolaire was designed by Michelle Kaufmann for the Smart Home exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago in 2008.

The concept of the home was inspired by green living in an urban context. The home is loosely modeled after a single family row house for smaller city lots. The general form of the home is also meant to address light and air. The MkSolaire runs off of solar energy and was built with nontoxic, recyclable, and renewable materials.

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MK SOLAIRE

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MK SOLAIRE At 1,830 sf, the base price starts at around $283,650. This price makes the home around $155 per sf. The home has 3 bedrooms and 2-3 bathrooms depending on the modular configuration. The ground floor of the home is an open plan with kitchen, dining and living space.

The second floor is mainly bedroom space. There is ample outdoor space including a roof decks, gardens, and an outdoor dining area.

The MkSolaire is a modular pre-fabricated home. This means that the home is built in chunks in the factory and drove to the site where it is lifted by crane and assembled on a preset foundation. By the time the module chunks leave the factory they are nearly 90% finished. The home is made up of 7 chunks, 5 for the main home and 2 for the garage. The home can also stand alone or is can be grouped in a traditional row home or townhome formation. Depending on how the house is sited more doors and windows can be added or removed from the sides. Other site specific customizations include green roofs, and energy creators including wind and geothermal.

The construction of the modules in the factory are framed with engineered lumber. The floors are framed with space for radiant heating. The HVAC, electrical and plumbing are put in during the factory stage. The wood framed modules are sprayed with foam insulation and covered in protective building paper. The exterior has multiple exterior finishes including and Ipe wood rain screen, and SIP’s. All of the windows are double pane glass with low E. The HVAC is a high velocity mini duct system. Many passive ventilation strategies are also used in the house including ‘chimney effect’, operable windows and a roof deck. The home has large skylights and windows that help with ventilation as well as daylighting.

High levels of daylighting is also achieved with high ceilings and specific placement of the windows. The energy monitoring system that is installed in the home helps to give the owner an overview of the homes energy consumption and production. The MkSolaire includes water catchment & grey water systems. The system in the home collects rain water from the roof and recycles it for grey water use.

For example, in addition to traditional indoor uses, the grey water is used in a reflecting pool which is connected to a water storage tank. The energy created from the solar PV panels powers a pump which waters the garden.

This project is an important example of how strategically designed pre fabrication can create an inherently sustainable product for living. The process of building chunks in a factory and assembling them on site prevents waste, improves quality, and shortens the length of building time. This home is also an example of a pre fab home that allows a level of customization in the way it is assembled on site. The MkSolaire represents a high standard of living in a quick and simple package.

Venice, Los Angeles avg of 264 264 sunny sunny da day per year emb - February ruary are December considered months con red the wet m on

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avgg Jan n low: 50 deg F It iis unusual nusua usual l if the tu goes below b temperature 400 degrees d eee

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Construction v elohim sanchez

The Client: An artist, his partner, and two young children. As this home will perform for live and work, the artist requires a wel lit and inspirational studio space. The client’s partner wishes for a peaceful private office with view to the canal. The whole family enjoys the sun and shade and the essence of california living. They are attracted to the tradition California Courtyard Homes as well as the sustainable model of pre-fabricated modular construction.

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Program:

Ground Floor

second Floor

third Floor

Indoor: Indoor: Children’s Rooms Module Master Suite (2 Modules) Covered Balcony Loggia

Car Port Solarium Module Study Module Kitchen/Living (2 Module) Covered Loggia Outdoor:

Artists Loft Studio Covered Balcony Loggia

Outdoor: Courtyard Swimming Canal Front Walk East Patio West Patio Reading Garden Native Plant Garden

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Outdoor: Roof Deck and Garden

Courtyard Master Balcony

TOTAL MODULES 11 TOTAL SQUARE FEET 3400sf

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THESIS exploration

My intent for this studio was the design of an inherently and holistically sustainable custom home through the exploration of prefabrication and the southern california courtyard typology. the study of this traditional and vernacular typology was based on the idea that alienation from tradition is not a prerequisite of modern or prefabricated architecture. rather, rather, it provides a strong ethnographic connection between the user and the building.

Clarke Estate, Irving Gill

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THESIS exploration My research for this semester is based on an exploration of prefabrication in pursuit of developing an inherently environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable home.

Specifically, through the methods of pre fabrication, the facilitation of sustainable human behaviour will be informed by the strategies and organization of traditional Southern California courtyard housing.

This direction is based on the Ideal that alienation from tradition is not a necessary prerequisite of a modern point of view; and the reimagining building forms and images that are derived of popular and vernacular forms are not secured to preoccupations with nostalgia. Rather, reinterpretation of traditional and vernacular strategies can facilitate inherent sustainable qualities.

The real value of the courtyard housing of Los Angeles lies beyond their obvious and seductive qualities .

In particular, underlying principles of dwellings in dense site context that do not destroy amenities of individual dwelling, garden and the city itself.

“The subtle weaving of places and things discovered with others remembered can become the basis for new architectural departures”.

Based on the presumption that contemporary architecture is style-less, this analysis is based on the courtyard home typology.

A typological precedent leads to reinterpretation not the imitation of the typologies fundamental principles.

This project is based on a rejection of past intellectual paradigms and the creation of culturally significant new ones.

Quickly disappearing, courtyard houses represent a typology that captures the essence of southern California housing.

Despite the many different examples of this housing typology they all have fundamental similarities.

First of all, they were designed in response to ideal in combination with program requirements of the home in the city.

Secondly, they illustrate “—the ability to dream and to shape life and place out of a virtual physical and spiritual void”.

As a precedent typology, it is these fundamental principles that inform the design of my prefabricated southern California home.

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traditional courtyard parti

void space

four pavillions parti

void and green-space

first floor Parti

movement

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voids and green-space

covered connections

covered connections voids and green-space

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interior vs covered

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reading garden

native garden

office

car port

courtyard pool

entry loggia

solarium

living

kitchen

wc up

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west patio

east patio spa

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bedrm 2

bedrm 1

balcony

master suite up

veranda

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Material palette

MODULE 8

MODULE 9 16’ x 28’

12’ X 20’ second and third level of stair tower

ARtist’s Studio

roof garden

tube steel

water

MODULE 7 16’ x 32’

MODULE 5

Children’s Suite

16’ X 24’

2 Bedrooms

Master Suite Walk in Closet Master Bathroom

MODULE 6 16’ X 24’

corten steel

Master Suite Bedroom

cart

port

MODULE 1 MODULE 4

brazilian ipe

16’ x 24’ Solarium

entry

16’ x 24’

Sun room 1/2 bathroom

Office / study

laundry room first level stair-

MODULE 2

precast concrete

16’x24’ Kitchen

MODULE 3 16’x24’ Living space

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native planting

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bedroom 2

bedroom 1

covered balcony

Master suite

veranda

meditation garden

office

pool

entry loggia

covered dining

fp

car port

fp

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D living

Solarium

w

Kitchen

west patio

east patio

spa

ground floor plan INTRODUCTION

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roof plan

artist studio

roof garden

third floor plan INTRODUCTION

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Venice, Los Angeles 33.9908 N, 118.4592 W Venice is a comfortable climate, the home is open to breezes and uses shading which prevents overheating in summer and uses passive solar gain in winter.

winds from SW/the ocean avg 10 hrs per day at 5 - 10 mph. The open courtyard and operable windows allows for ample ventilation and evaporative cooling effects.

Longitudinal Section looking North

Section North

awnings provide shading, covered exterior spaces and reduce air conditioning loads

Longitudinal Section looking south

A w e l l - i n s u l a t e d skylight on the north of the artist’s studio reduces daytime lighting energy and cooling loads while providing a well lit canvas.

13.2 in. of rainfall annually avg of 24 rainy days per year December - February are considered the wet months

Precast concrete acts as a high mass interior surface which feels naturally cool on hot days and reduces day-tonight temperature swings

Transverse Section looking East

modules and prefabricated panels are Shipped from factory to site

modules are assembled on foundation on site

prefabricated awnings, panels and hardscape are finalized

prefabricated awning

roof garden

MODULE 8 12’ X 20’ second and third level of stair tower

MODULE 9 16’ x 28’ ARtist’s Studio

MODULE 7 16’ x 32’

MODULE 5

Children’s Suite

16’ X 24’

Master Suite

2 Bedrooms

Walk in Closet Master Bathroom

prefabric

2 closets

ated pa nels

MODULE 6 16’ X 24’

Bathroom

Master Suite

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Bedroom

cart

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entry

MODULE 1 16’ x 24’ Solarium

MODULE 4

Sun room 1/2 bathroom laundry room first level

16’ x 24’ Office / study

on site founda tion

MODULE 2 16’x24’ Kitchen

MODULE 3 16’x24’ Living space

the end.