Aurora Versio Graduation Thesis AY 2017/2018
Interior & Furniture Design
DIM RA
INDEX THE EARTHQUAKE IN ITALY (3-8) - Map of the Italian territory - Emergency Housing Modules today - Investigation in the locations affected by the earthquake SUGGESTIONS AND CASE STUDIES (11-19) - LivingBox - Better Shelter - Koda - Eco Perch - Diogene DIMORA (22-29) - Introduction of the company partner VASS - Project requirements - The project - The living room - The bathroom module - The kitchem module - The sleeping area - Materials
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THE EARTHQUAKE IN ITALY
MAP OF THE ITALIAN TERRITORY The Italian territory is entirely seismic and is classified in areas of different dangers: based on the frequency and intensity of the earthquakes in the past, it has been classified in 4 main seismic zones that foresee the application of increasing levels of precautions, from 1 to 4. The classification of the territory began in 1909 and has been updated numerous times until today. Seismic zones (danger level)
The zone 1 is the most dangerous one where strong earthquakes can occur. It consists of 716 municipalities, 8.8% of the total surface. In the Zone 2, earthquakes can occur quite strongly. It consists of 2,324 municipalities, 28.7% of the total surface. The municipalities inserted in the zone 3 are subjected to milder shocks. It consists of 1,634 municipalities, 20.2% of the total surface. 3
The municipalities included in zone 4 are the ones with the lowest seismic damage. It consists of 3,427 municipalities, 42.3% of the total surface.
During the last 50 years in Italy there have been 8 larger earthquakes with devastating proportions that have caused economic and territorial damages, as well as thousands of victims. The most recent earthquake occurred during August 2016 in the central regions of Italy, specifically Lazio, Umbria, Marche and Abruzzo. According to the data coming from the INGV seismographs the magnitude of the earthquake was of a 6.0 on the Richter scale with an epicenter set at about 4.2 km of depth, considered therefore as extremely superficial. Subsequently there were further seismic episodes: the strongest shock occurred in the end of October of the same year, with a magnitude 6.5, and then repeated, with a lower power, in January 2017. EMERGENCY HOUSING MODULES TODAY In the first emergency - the one caused by the earthquake of August 2016 - about 6‘000 people were involved; the shock in the end of October resulted in over 40’000 people finding themselves losing their home. The Italian government offered to the victims of the earthquake two alternatives: to either lodge temporarily in hotels or other accommodation facilities or to choose autonomous housing solutions using a contribution of 400 euros per component and having up to a maximum of 900 euros per family. In addition, housing modules were made available for the victims in order to obtain accommodation more comfortably: the containers and the so-called Sae. The container area provide a temporary welcome to citizens who did not want to move away from their municipality of residence. Public areas (always in containers) include facilities and services in order to ensure the quality of the local community life. Sae modules (emergency housing solution) correspond to a short-term accommodation intended for victims who request them because of an occurred earthquake or victims that live in municipalities that are in dangerous and red zones.
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Between the regions of Lazio, Umbria and Marche there have been 880 SAE installed varying from 40 to 80 sqm.
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INVESTIGATION IN THE LOCATIONS AFFECTED BY THE EARTHQUAKE
Carrying out a more thorough analysis of the existing housing structures prepared for the earthquake emergency, from 2/1 to 4/1 of year 2018 a trip was taken to Abruzzo, more precisely in the towns of San Benedetto del Tronto (AP), Toricella Sicura (TE) and Pescara del Tronto (AP). The itinerary made it possible to obtain a useful and direct comparison with the earthquake population of the towns through the compilation of anonymous questionnaires containing 10 questions each, involving the configuration of the local structures (premises, materials, plants, comfort,..) and their evaluations. The most relevant data of the questionnaires concerns about the waiting time to obtain the Sae modules: half of the people interviewed expressed that they had waited over a year for their accommodation, resulting in having to stay in hotels or relatives homes. The days spent in Abruzzo were useful to examine the living modules with the consideration of the victims; in fact, visiting the houses, the citiziens gathered photographs and further information on what their perception was. Although the majority of people interviewed said they were satisfied, the modules are aesthetically lacking an identity and the finishes do not enhance the appearance. By analyzing the internal distribution of spaces, we find that the modules have an optimal layout; nonetheless, the distribution of the interiors does not fully respect the value of optimisation of space, starting from the furniture and the central access room. Moreover, it is evident that there are several architectural barriers accessing the house: there are elements that should be totally removed in order to guarantee safety and comfort for any type of user. The distribution of the houses, for the most part, follows the layout of the land which they were built on – either isolated, in rows or incircled. 6
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SUGGESTIONS AND CASE STUDIES
There are many different examples of housing modules aiming to intervene in support of emergency situations; following are some cases that have been useful in designing DIMORA. LIVINGBOX (EDILPORTALE - TRENTO UNIVERSITY) LivingBox is a Smart House designed and built by Edilportale following a concept of thought of by the Trento University. The design solution is a modular unit prefabricated from the maximum dimensions of a container, to be mounted as a single unit or be an aggregation of several blocks. Flexibility is one of the main requirements of Livingbox. The housing module has a versatile system that allows a use both residential and hospitable. The first case is a house from 45 to 80 sqm, equipped with a fixed block for kitchen/bathroom and an editable multifunctional surface; alternatively it can be arranged as a hotel room, with access of 4.5 sqm, room of 18 sqm, bathroom with anteroom and a living area. The biocompatible structure - composed of XLAM panels - and the use of natural insulated materials allowing the limit of CO2 emissions. Equipped with multiple design solutions that optimise energy autonomy, Livingbox was certified the title of MAKE IT SUSTAINABLE by ICMQ. The transport is easy through the use of a truck. The production times are minimized thanks to the dry-mounting.
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BETTER SHELTER (IKEA - UNHCR) Better Shelter is a temporary emergency shelter designed by IKEA with the assistance of UNHCR (The UN Refugee Agency). Winner of the Beazley Design Award 2016, the housing module was created with the aim of offering a more dignified home to the millions of refugees worldwide. Comfortable and safe, resistant to fire and weather, it is easy to compose and unmount it. The unit can perform several functions that are needed: a food distribution point, a health facility and a support centre for humanitarian organizations. The total dimensions are 17.5 sqm for a height of 2.83 m. It is equipped with a lockable door, four windows, openings for ventilation and solar panels placed on the roof able to power rechargeable LED lights. It is also fire resistant according to European standards (in case of fire the occupants will have time to get out of the shelter) and any component, if damaged, can be replaced individually without having to intervene on the whole structure, contrary to emergency tents. An important point of this project is certainly the complete assemblage that can be manually constructed in only 4 hours with a foldable structure made of recycled plastic consisting of a steel frame. The transport is facilitated by the packaging in cardboard size that allows it to be transported to any place.
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KODA (KODASEMA) Koda is a housing module realized by the company Kodasema with the concept transferring and constructing it infinite times: it was born with the idea of being able to transfer the house itself. The block is transported on a single truck and layed on the ground with a crane, all in only 7 hours. The house does not need a concrete base, nor a finishing labor after delivery. The floor area is 24.7 sqm between the living room, bedroom and bathroom, and on top of that with an outdoor terrace of 3.5 sqm. Koda is spread over two floors - the second floor, intended for the sleeping area is mezzanine. Koda has been created with the aim of maximizing natural light, as well as applied materials isolating from external noise and the filters installed capture dust and allergens. In addition, the finishing materials are natural and non-toxic, and CO2 levels are constantly supervised for health comfort and a good night’s rest. Koda is designed to be durable and sustainable, equipped with rooftop solar panels. The concrete case has a triple compression resistance compared to the commonly used concrete: it is waterproof, UV-resistant and is able to withstand all weather conditions.
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ECO PERCH (BLUE FOREST) Eco Perch is a housing module made by the company Blue Forest for camping Blackberry Wood in Sussex, in England. The materials that compose it are entirely natural, giving priority to the wood for the wrapping. It has a continuous curved structure - topped by a cedar roof which connects with the surrounding aesthetically. The size of the unit - 6x8 meters - includes a kitchen with adjoining dining room, a living room combined with the bedroom, an additional double room and a bathroom. The durability of the dwelling has a 15 years guarantee, and the assembly takes five days which can vary according to the local site. Eco Perch has been designed as a residential unit, however the interiors can be readapted to offices, study rooms, classrooms or as ‘alternative‘ hotel rooms. There is also the possibility to install solar panels and/or a rainwater collection system. In 2014, the Eco project was awarded the Business Awards.
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DIOGENE (RENZO PIANO) Diogene is certainly the oldest project of the suggestions discussed; the name comes from the ancient philosopher Diogene who lived in a cask because he thought the luxuries of the world were superfluous, and concluded with the solution of living in an “essential� housing. Designed by Starchitect Renzo Piano about fifteen years ago, the unit represents a living space with the concept of exploiting the environment and of living with the minimum needed. Diogene was initially sized 2x2x2, the sufficient space for a bed, a chair and a table: the essential space for an architecture student. Following various elaborations and modifications of the project, Diogene was presented under prototype at Art Basel 2013. It is not a finished product, but an experimental prototype aimed at testing the potential of minimal housing; further developments in the project and mass production have currently been postponed. Diogene is not considered as an emergency shelter, but as a voluntarily refuge. It is functional in different climatic conditions and is an autonomus system independent of existing infrastructures. The water required is collected from the house and cleaned after use, the electrical current is also generated independently. The encumbrance of the module is reduced to a minimum. With an area of 2.40 x 2.96 meters, the unit can be loaded onto a truck already fully assembled and fitted, and transported to any place. Diogene is equipped with everything you need to live: in the front there is a sofa bed, on the other side there is a folding table placed under the window; behind a partition there is a shower and a toilet as well as a small kitchen which is also reduced to the essentials. The possibilities of use of Diogene are many: it can serve as a house for the weekend, as a study or as a small office.
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DIMORA
INTRODUCTION OF THE COMPANY PARTNER VASS
VASS is a company based in Chieri, in the province of Turin, founded in 2010 by the electrical engineer Giuseppe Gianolio. The company is responsible for developing, producing and commercializing modular roof solutions with high energy efficiency. VASS stands for Veræ Amicitiæ Sempiternæ Sunt, or “true friendships are eternal”, a quote that expresses the best values on which the team is founded, consisting of professionals in the field of construction, high-tech and research. VASS is in collaboration with the Bigmat group since 2013 located in the same place: Bigmat is the first group in Italy to start the distribution of construction materials for the use of renovation and construction of houses. Today, they are present in over 190 point of sale on national territory. They also obtained several international awards:- Italian Venture Forum 2011 VASS has won the Italian Venture Forum 2011, a prestigious competition for high-tech companies, in the category “Clean Technologies”. - GAP 2012 Program VASS was chosen for the GAP 2012 internationalization program with the UCLA University of Los Angeles. - Award for Sustainable Development 2013 VASS has been rewarded for the innovativeness and the high ecological value of its roof system. - Ecolink+ Award VASS has been chosen among the 100 most innovative companies in Europe in the field of environmental sustainability. - Polight VASS adheres to the sustainable construction innovation pole managed by Environment Park (Turin). 21
A strong point of the modular roof VASS is certainly the reduction of the installation times: for example, a roof of 110 sqm requires just 15 hours of work. In addition, the roof Bigmat VASS is finished, so once completed the installation no longer requires the intervention of other professionals.
Since 2015 VASS also began to deal with the design of layout of prefabricated houses that are classified according to the surface in ‘sizes‘, from the S - 60 sqm, arranged on a single floor - to the XL - of over 100 sqm, on two floors. The housing units are made up - as well as by the VASS roof - of structural elements elaborated by the company itself. Therefore, walls with different stratigraphy and insulation are foreseen (according to the requirement of the customer), slabs, windows, lighting systems and finally the integration of solar and/ or photovoltaic panels. All the construction elements respond to high technological and energetic performances, satisfying the comfort of living - acoustic and air conditioning - and a durability over time. In addition, VASS employs eco-sustainable and recyclable materials: from EPS without CFC or HCFC, non-toxic and recyclable, to dry-assembled wood parts without phenolic glues, that are FSC certified.
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DIMORA DIMORA is a project that is born to respond to the imminent housing needs arising from emergency situations. Taking into analysis the emergency situations in Italy and wanting to express the willingness to design an optimal housing module - of which, the suggestions, were previously discussed in depth the decision was taken to develop a solution in collaboration with the VASS company. First of all we wanted to define what the requirements were for an efficient housing module: - SPEED OF INSTALLATION/IMMEDIATE AVAILABILITY - DISMANTLING/RECYCLING - EASY TRANSPORT - MODULARITY/UNIQUE LEVEL/ARCHITECTURAL BARRIERS - COMFORT - ANTI-SEISMICITY - ECONOMY - ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Part of the values mentioned have parallelly generated the idea for the creation of the title. The title originates from a pun between the feeling of comfort, the security and the need to provide a house that can accommodate those who are in circumstances of serious emergency in a timely matter.
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- SPEED OF INSTALLATION/IMMEDIATE AVAILABILITY The elaborate module allows - in addition to being assembled quickly (2-4 weeks) can be used several times thanks to the possibility of dismantling and to a possible reuse. The mounting speed is guaranteed by the dry unions of the structure and direct design in the company. The two modules that require more time to be manufactured, are the bathroom and the kitchen: they are in fact both elements that need to be managed with special care being equipped, both, of hydraulic and electrical system. - DISMANTLING/RECYCLING The real difference with a traditional house is that with the project DIMORA we intend to offer a real service to the communities in difficulty, who are waiting for their homes to be usable again or build other housing in total safety. - EASY TRANSPORT As already mentioned, it is planned to take care of the bathroom and kitchen directly in the company, while trying to define them according to a ‘L’ scheme which are advantageous shapes for the transport. Before reaching this solution, the topic of logistics was initially deepened, analyzing means of transport such as TIR, freight train, container and helicopter in the most extreme cases. After that, the bathroom and the kitchen modules have been sized so that they can be inserted and transported in all the vehicles mentioned above. During the transfer, the bathroom and kitchen are contained in a single block, stable and compact, so as to eliminate the transport of unnecessary empty spaces. The further carriers - walls, windows, ceilings,.. etc - and the furniture are also planned in the encumbrance of the means of transport, as if it were a sort of ‘puzzle‘.
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- MODULARITY/UNIQUE LEVEL/ARCHITECTURAL BARRIERS In general, DIMORA has a structure that follows the concept of modularity and that at the same time allows the optimisation of the walls, minimizing the waste. According to the number of components of the household and to the internal square, we wanted to develop three different layouts that - following the ethics VASS - are distinguished in XS (27.59 sqm), S (35.74 sqm) and M (47.22 sqm). All the layouts were laid out on one level, so as to completely eliminate the architectural barriers. From the distributive point of view and the structural components, the layouts have the same surface for the living area - kitchen and bathroom included; the layouts of the sleeping area, however, imply a modularity in the arrangement of the individual wall blocks and the insertion of doors and windows made by measure. - COMFORT It is essential to create environments that give the feeling of being welcomed and protected especially after such difficult and dramatic episodes. The interiors of DIMORA have been designed with the aim of obtaining the maximum benefits in the optimisation of space and in the creation of ergonomically and aesthetically pleasing furniture. Each environment respects the window/floor surface ratio; the living room - specifically, the kitchen - is equipped with a system for forced suction that promotes the elimination of odors and the recirculation of air. The insulation material of which the VASS walls are equipped ensures an acoustic and thermal comfort.
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- ANTI-SEISMICITY According to the real possibility of new earthquakes, the housing structure is set up to prevent further damage, obtaining a level of security to protect the tenants inside them. - ECONOMY DIMORA is born both to improve the structures currently existing in Italy, and to overcome rough situations and help the buyers with a cost-sustainable housing solution. In this regard, materials have been selected to meet both this requirement and the one of sustainability. - ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Both the casing and the materials are eco-friendly: in fact, some finishes have been selected because they respect the environment. In addition, a green roof has been envisaged with an attached system to collect rainwater.
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THE PROJECT DIMORA was designed on three layouts to accommodate from a minimum of one person to a maximum of three. The exterior is equipped with a small porch acting as an accomodation for table and chairs, next to it a green wall is arranged. - THE LIVING ROOM The entrance of the house opens to the living room, with an area of 12.84 sqm; it is an open space including a kitchen. The furniture that characterizes the environment is on the right: it is a kind of equipped wall formed by glass shelving supported by a metal frame, a padded seat, a coat hanger and an extensible table. The furniture that designs and generates the space: formed by a single block that is easily transportable. Next to the front door is the access to the bathroom; following the front door a hallway leads to the bedrooms - except in the M layout. - THE KITCHEN The kitchen - also equipped of a window - is bounded by a unique environment; in this case, the floor does not have a finish, so one can get an aesthetic continuity with the living room flooring. The kitchen has been made by measure and consists of a washbasin, an induction hob, an oven and a drawer with extendable shelf.
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- THE BATHROOM The bathroom block consists of a filter area equipped of a cabinet with washbasin and mirror, which leads to the windowed part of the bathroom with the sanitary, shower with floor drain and a furniture to hold the washing machine. The floor, up to the dividing wall between the bathroom and the anteroom, is already provided with a finish, in order to optimise, on site, the time of work. The sanitaries belong to the collection of “Connect Space� of Ideal Standard, a line born to carry out the needed dimensions of wc and bidet. - THE SLEEPING AREA The bedrooms - single and double - range from 10, 16 and 20 square meters, depending on the different layouts and almost all of them have an independent entrance. The single rooms have a wardrobe and furniture unit with two functions, a bed and a desk. The furniture is extremely flexible: thanks to a simple gesture, the user has the possibility to use the desk through the use of an incorporated seat functioning as a shelf and the bed can be flipped over, all of this without having to move any objects from the floor. The double rooms have been designed as environments where guests can also be accommodated. In fact, the furniture unit in the center of the room contains a bookcase and a sofa-bed that can be reclosed easily. In this case two cabinets were also provided.
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MATERIALS - OUTDOOR WALLS: Airlite Painting FLOOR: Ecotech Florim - LIVING ROOM FLOOR: Bamboo Moso WALLS: Airlite Painting FURNITURE: Ecologic Idroleb Panel + Hemp Textile + Sheet - KITCHEN FLOOR: Bamboo Moso WALLS: Airlite Painting + Brik Moov Ivory - Keope FURNITURE: Ecologic Idroleb Panel + Beige Stardust - T608 (SantaMargherita) - BATHROOM FLOOR: Terraviva Revstone WALLS: Airlite Painting + Terraviva Revstone FURNITURE: Ecologic Idroleb Panel HEALTH BATH: Connect Space Ideal Standard - SLEEPING AREA FLOOR: Bamboo Moso WALLS: Airlite Painting FURNITURE: Ecologic Idroleb Panel
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SITOGRAPHY - http://www.fondazioneania.it/export/sites/fondazione/it/pubblicazioni/Studi/ConoscereRischioSismico.pdf - https://www.internazionale.it/reportage/alessandro-chiappanuvoli/2016/12/17/terremoto-marche-sfollati-accoglienza - http://www.ingegneri.info/news/strutture/come-sono-fatti-i-moduli-abitativi-sae-per-i-terremotati-del-centro-italia/ - http://www.livingbox.it/index.asp - http://www.ingegneri.info/news/strutture/come-fatto-better-shelter-il-rifugio-ikeaper-gli-sfollati/ - http://www.kodasema.com/ - http://www.blueforest.com/commercial-project/ecoperch-curvy-cabin/ - https://www.domusweb.it/it/architettura/2013/06/13/renzo_piano_diogene.html - http://www.vasstech.it/
BIBLIOGRAPHY - Braghieri Nicola, Case in legno, Milano, Federico Motta Editore (2004), 384 - Bartolucci Marisa, Living large in small spaces, Londra, Thames & Hudson (2003), 398 - Alonso Claudia MartĂnez, Mini houses, Barcellona, LOFT Publications (2014), 504
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