ModulArch - The Beauty of Systems Design

ModulArch.

The beauty of systems design

Submitted on: November 11, 2016 Submitted by: Shegalla Choy & Ruben Reyes-Aguilar

ModulArch.

The beauty of systems design

By Shegalla Choy & Ruben Reyes-Aguilar

Prefab modular construction is no longer the repetitive, utilitarian architecture of the post-war period. Today, prefab modular projects like Treet in Bergen, Norway, are successful due to the integration of constructability within the design process aided using BIM technology in the early design stage to components manufacturing and building assemblage. Modular elements become play pieces to be assembled in counterintuitive and daring conformations. Besides the infinite possibilities of modular configurations, this type of architecture is increasingly deemed sustainable from the perspective of certain material choices such as timber. Just as prefab modular projects are designed to be assembled efficiently on site, so too could they be disassembled for reuse and to minimize environmental impact. KieranTimberlake, an architecture firm in Philadelphia, developed Cellophane House to be easily dissembled on site after the MoMA exhibition ‘Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling’ in 2008. Our perception towards prefab modular architecture must change; we must reconsider the potential of this type of architecture since the days of Safdie's Habitat 67 and Kurokawa's Nakagin Capsule Tower or America's postwar flat pack homes are relics of the past.

Figure A. ‘This 1893 image from Teknisk Ukeblad, a technical journal in Norway, illustrates the “gentlemen architect” disassociated with the act of technical construction, producing artistic representations of buildings on linen sheets.’ (Smith, 2010, p. 23)

Architects’ preoccupation with form as reflected in the image, or rather, the post-produced render is over-

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valued. Our infatuation with form over function in the past decades have led us away from areas worth our exploration and development in the industry. Some critical questions to pose during the design phase: How buildable is the design proposal? What are the design systems to deploy in order to facilitate better communication amongst the architect, prefabricator and the developer? In what ways can we deepen our understanding of construction technology in order to limit aspects such as change orders? Today, architectural spectacle alone is no longer enough to satisfy the demands of new user groups as a result of socio-cultural shifts. We must work with innovative design systems that will enable us to build better and deliver faster as North American cities are becoming more densely populated and Toronto is no exception. As part of the New Housing Marketplace Plan in New York City — Carmel Place — a new housing prototype consisting of stacked prefab modular lofts was built to meet young singles' needs for affordable living. This project is smart as it offers flexibility to its users and answers the needs of the changing demographics in the city. In Toronto, a similar project to Carmel Place, Smart House, is currently underway on Queen West. Despite the fact that this is a non-prefab construction project, the 25storey micro-unit condominium is one of the first residential buildings in the city that reflects the socio-cultural values of young professionals who wish to enjoy the city life, yet return to a clutterfree, well articulated home. B+H has the potential to reach a broader base of clients by pursuing the use of prefab architecture and bridging new partnerships with developers who are forward looking in terms of architecture and interior design.

From this research, we will show that prefab modular architecture is a viable design approach that efficiently addresses small to mid-scale projects. B+H will benefit from pursuing this type of architecture as innovative work methods and partnerships will emerge amongst the architect, developer, and the contractor.

History

According to The Dictionary of Architecture and Building Construction, prefabrication is ‘a quick and clean method of construction in which components or groups of components are made under workshop conditions and transported to site for installation.’ (292) Prefab is nothing new; this method of construction could be traced to antiquity when ancient temples were built. The history of prefab architecture, however, is central to the modernist architectural discourse and practice, developed from the unification of architecture and industry. The latter falls within the scope of this essay and the following section will focus briefly on ways in which modernists such as Mies van

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der Rohe and Le Corbusier began to associate prefabrication with design. Mies’ contribution to prefab architecture was not in the development of a new construction technology but in establishing

cultural

acceptance

of minimalism

—

streamlined

towers

championed

by

standardized steel, glass and aluminum in projects such as the Toronto Dominion Centre or the Seagram Building. (Smith, 2010, p.29) This design aesthetic transformed North American architecture in the late 20 th century to early 21 st century and continues to influence the aesthetics of contemporary residential architecture. Le Corbusier’s relation to prefab architecture began at the time when he wrote Towards a New Architecture, a manifesto arguing that beauty in modern architecture lies in its utility. He commended the design and production of automobiles, airplanes and ships — all key products of the Industrial Revolution — stating that their streamlined profiles were optimized for its functions. He believed that architecture should be mass-produced in order to solve societal problems. The manufacturing methods employed by earlier standardized automobile production inspired Le Corbusier, which prompted him to develop the ‘Citrohan House’ from 1920-1930. Later, his buildings would use factory made windows and doors, as well as prefabricated brisoles. (Smith, 2010, p. 30) Both architects were concerned with the aesthetics of factory built buildings, but neither was critical in designing the system of production. Here, prefabrication still served the architectural ‘image’.

Figure B. Le Corbusier’s praises automobiles, airplanes, and steamliners for their efficiency and ultimately beauty derived from function in his Towards a New Architecture manifesto (Google image)

Systems beautiful

In the past three decades, a few architects have been successful in redefining prefab architecture. The firms discussed in this section will prove that off-site construction can also produce good design. The architects will show that beauty in their projects is derived from using technology to design systems of production — that beauty lies in the art of building buildings.

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Private residence Taylors Island, Maryland 2,200 square feet 2006

Source: http://www.kierantimberlake.com/pages/view/20/loblolly-house/parent:3

Founded in 1984 by Stephen Kieran and James Timberlake, the Philadelphia-based full-serviced architectural firm is a global leader in research-based practice. Firm in belief that production method is the new “avant-garde”, the founders have consistently designed and built residential projects to fine tune production technology with engineers and prefabricators. (Smith, 2010, p.

296) The firm’s award-winning Loblolly House will demonstrate systems design at best from the conceptual phase to on-site assemblage: the single family residence located on the Chesapeake Bay comprises of numerous parts that were fabricated off-site. Instead of sending ten thousand parts for assembly on site, as it would be executed traditionally, these manufactured pieces were designed and detailed in association with four new elements of architecture: the scaffold, the cartridge, the block and equipment. The aluminum scaffold system and a series of connectors form the structural frame that also provides means to connect cartridges, blocks and equipment to that frame with only the use of a wrench. The cartridges are divided into two kinds, ‘smart’ and ‘dumb’, the former is of multipurpose and comprises of sandwiched structural panels that form the floors, ceiling and roof. Within the panels contain performative elements such as integrated radiant floor heating and lighting but also supplies power and data. (As shown in Figure E on p. 7) The blocks are complex spatial units like the Bath or Mechanical Module, fabricated entirely offsite. Loblolly House’s assembly and fabrication system suggests that architecture could be designed and built like automobiles. This further suggests that prefabricated architecture can progress like the automobile given the firm’s commitment to continuously work with technology.

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A truly innovative aspect of Loblolly House’s assemblage system (figure E) is that specification is no longer conceived and structured about the sixteen divisions of the CSI. (AIA, 2007, p.2) The designers successfully forge new parameters for themselves to work with within the fabrication industry. Systems thinking as a design approach produces elegant design. In contrast to MEP coordination in traditional on-site construction, KieranTimberlake shows that mechanical and electrical components is part of the design as they are efficiently and beautifully concealed within the smart cartridges. This design approach narrows the margin of error in the built project as design is fully simulated with fabrication.

The efficacy of BIM technology

The Loblolly House would not be possible without BIM technology. BIM enabled KieranTimberlake to better understand the building and its elements during the design, development, fabrication and the assembling phases. Without the precise geometry and dimensions as indicated in the Revit model, fabricated components could not have been assembled in advance to the required tolerances. (AIA, 2007, p.3) The BIM modeling process was also innovative in supply chain management where the architect and prefabricator, Bensonwood, worked together to refine the design to ‘take advantage of the sequencing of construction and the procurement of materials for fabrication and assembly.’ (Smith, 2010, 298) Another benefit of BIM technology was that the architect’s intent did not need to be reflected in drawings as every connection was modeled. This immediately eliminates shop drawings and further submittals that are often time consuming in traditional on-site construction. Bensonwood used the Revit model to create a CADWorks model for fabrication. Towards the end the BIM model was so accurate that it was used as a platform to order parts or allowed the architect to assign operations to the onsite builder. The on-site assembly took 6 weeks to be completed.

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Figure C. This image shows the organization of the smart cartridges in the BIM model. The exploded axonometric shows the break down of the smart cartridge to its structural elements, radiant heating and piping (AIA, 2007, p.6)

Figure D. The accurate virtual house allowed for parts to be directly ordered from the Revit model

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Figure E. The prefabricated components of the Loblolly House

Source: http://www.aia.org/aiaucmp/groups/aia/documents/pdf/aiab081572.pdf 7.

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The Loblolly House is a strong example for one to examine off-site construction at the scale of a single residential unit and would be the case study to refer to for small scale residential or villastyle resort projects. B+H can confidently pursue systems design and off-site construction as the firm has been using BIM technology for many large-scale commercial retail or hospital projects.

This design approach ensures efficient project delivery as components are fabricated simultaneously with the finalization of components in the BIM model. Fifty percent in total project duration is generally saved due to concurrent off-site construction (better construction quality is achieved from working in controlled environments) and on-site assemblage. Not only is B+H equipped with the digital technology and talent to pursue prefab modular construction, but also the firm has a long-standing partnership with PCL Constructors Canada Inc. PCL is rapidly developing building technology in ‘permanent modular construction’ which are the complex spatial units such as the bathroom unit and mechanical modules. (PCL, 2015) (These spatial units are the ‘block’ components in the Loblolly House). B+H would benefit from partnering with PCL in off-site construction projects as they are a key player in the supply management chain; the construction company owns and manages a ‘40,000 sq.ft. PMC production facility in Toronto,’ (PCL, 2015) and is planning to expand its operations in this area. At this moment in time, B+H is in a healthy position to begin exploring off-site modular construction.

Reviving Collaboration

However, the high level of collaboration required between the architect and fabricator at most project phases would require a new business model as certain aspects that appear in the traditional model such as submittals and shop drawings are eliminated. Architects, consultants and contractors will need to share knowledge and coordinate at the early stages of design by sharing their BIM model to a degree with fabricators and on-site builders, as BIM technology is the key tool for collaboration. Therefore, new contracts should be devised to address the exchange of intellectual property. Extra focus should be placed on developing the project structure and fee negotiation as well.

Off-site modular construction is an ideal design approach to pursue for mid-scale residential projects due to the repetitive nature of components that need to be fabricated such as the aforementioned bathroom/mechanical modules. nARCHITECTS’ recently opened Carmel Place is one the first micro-unit apartment buildings in New York built from stacked modular units.

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Figure F. ‘This Gantt chart compares the project duration from conception to completion of two similar houses, one built onsite and the other offsite. Prefabrication saves over 50 percent in total project duration as a result of modularizing units.’ (Smith, 2010, p. 85)

Carmel Place was the winning proposal in the adAPT NYC competition as part of the city’s initiative to address housing for the rising small households population. nARCHITECTS partnered with Monadnock Development who specializes in middle-income rentals and Capsys Corp as the modular unit fabricators based in Brooklyn. Construction of Carmel Place consisted of off-site fabrication, transportation and stacking of 65 individual self-supporting steel framed modules; 55 of which are residential micro-units and the remaining 10 as the building’s core (nARCHITECTS, 2016) The steel-framed modules follow the conventional dimensions of a shipping container where at a standard length of 40ft, a height of almost 10ft and a width of 8ft is achieved. Modules were prefabricated in factory while the foundation and ground floor were built on site. The reduction of total construction time — from more than 22 to 25 weeks — is the ultimate benefit for projects such as Carmel Place due to the repetitive nature of unit modules. This shortened construction duration also meant that total construction cost was maintained at the lower range of $ per sq. ft; the project’s construction cost was 16.7 million (nARCHITECTS, 2016) for an area of 35, 000 sq. ft. which calculates to approximately $478 per sq. ft. According to Adam Pincus in the New York Real Estate News, traditional construction cost in NYC ranges from $400-650 per sq. ft. which suggests that off-site modular construction is a cost-effective alternative to produce quality midrise housing in the city. (2014) 9.

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Figure G. Carmel Place by nARCHITECTS Source: http://narchitects.com/work/carmel-place/ (for both images)

Figure H. A look inside one unit module

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B+H opportunities

Figure I. Proposed components inside one guest suite at the Turks and Caicos resort villa

From

previous

analysis

of

systems

design

in

KieranTimberlake’s Loblolly

House

and

nARCHITECTS’ Carmel Place, it is clear that off-site modular construction could be pursued due to various attractive reasons such as developing a new understanding and practice of an alternative approach to architecture that is becoming more popular and perceived to be innovative today. B+H Architects has the opportunity to explore systems design as the office recently completed the schematic phase of a kite surfing resort hotel in Turks and Caicos. The project team has been exploring with prefabricated shipping containers as the composition for guest suites. The advantage of local (Toronto-based) off-site construction for an overseas project is that construction quality is guaranteed and project delivery would be shorter than compared to traditional on-site construction. From a systems design perspective, the project team could begin examining the different components within the guest suite. (Figure I) Smart cartridges, blocks (the bathroom/mechanical module), and equipment could be derived from the BIM model. To conclude, B+H would benefit from systems design as it enables us as architects to understand that aesthetics is also derived from designing the system of parts that become the whole.

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List of Works Cited @. (n.d.). PCL Meets Milestone in Modular Construction. Retrieved November 10, 2016, from http://www.pcl.com/Services-that-Deliver/Pages/PCL-Meets-Milestone-in-Modular-Construction.aspx

Carmel Place (My Micro NY) | nARCHITECTS. (n.d.). Retrieved November 09, 2016, from http://narchitects.com/work/carmel-place/

LOBLOLLY HOUSE - AIA Homepage. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2016, from http://www.aia.org/aiaucmp/groups/aia/documents/pdf/aiab081572.pdf

Pincus,

A.

(2014,

October

1).

October

2014.

Retrieved

November

10,

2016,

from

http://therealdeal.com/magazine/october-2014/

Smith, R. E. (2010). Prefab architecture: A guide to modular design and construction. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

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Appendix

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Case studies analysis 1. Case Study: Carmel Place (My Micro NY), Spring 2016  -

Project description

First micro-unit apartment building in New York City. It is a 55-unit project, with area ranging from 260-360 sq. ft. and complemented by generous shared amenities, setting a new standard for micro-living

-

Create a sense of spaciousness, comfort and efficiency by shrinking their footprint and increasing the ceiling height results in a volume that is close to or exceeds that of a regulation 400sf apartment



Construction methods, tools and best practices (ie CLT wood technology; shipping containers)

-

Traditional construction methods were employed for the foundations, utilities and first-floor.

-

Pre-fabricated steel framed with concrete floor modules were shipped to the job site, stacked with a crane and bolted together.

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The units took about four weeks to install on site



Preconstruction business model and market

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Minimal onsite construction

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Close collaboration with the city, developer and contractor



Lessons learned (areas of difficulty, risks, benefits)

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Reduction of cost by reducing construction time from more than 25 weeks to 22 weeks

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New housing prototype in NYC

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Construction cost of 16.7 million, Area: 35,000 sq. ft. = ± 478 $/sq. ft.

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Traditional construction cost in NYC ranged from 400-650 $/sq. ft. (5)

 -

B+H possibilities, Should we do it? Could we do it? Potential sectors-market

Potential new market for the new generation (single people living in down town areas)



Project credits

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Architect: nArchitects

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Client: Monadnock Development/NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

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Structural engineer: DeNardis Engineering LLC

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MEP engineer: A Joselow, PC

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Civil engineer and landscape: Langan Engineering

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LEED consultant: Taitem Engineering, PC

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Builders: Monadnock Construction and Capsys Corp (modular units)

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2. Case Study: The Stack –NYC, 2014  -

Project description

The Stack is a 7-storey residential building, which addresses the need for moderate-income housing in Manhattan construction.

-

The 38,000-square-foot building is made up of 56 modules including 28 luxury rental apartments in a combination of studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom units

-

The building design expresses its offsite modular construction; each individual unit is legible but also reads as part of a knit-together whole.



Construction methods, tools and best practices (ie CLT wood technology; shipping containers)

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Modules were fully pre-fabricated in a factory

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Steel-and-concrete structure

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Sustainable approach (waste reduction, recycled content)



Preconstruction business model and market

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Minimal onsite construction: Foundation, basement, and first level.

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The developers saved 6 to 8 months of construction time—the project was completed in half the time of the traditional onsite construction—and 15 to 20 percent of the approximately $7 million in construction costs

 -

Lessons learned (areas of difficulty, risks, benefits)

Offsite construction offers an accelerated schedule and shorter financing period, turning sites that might otherwise be considered risky into opportunities.

-

Is a pilot project for developing a quality and economically viable housing solution to strategically rebuilding and filling gaps in outmoded housing infrastructure.

 -

B+H possibilities, Should we do it? Could we do it? Potential sectors-market

Although B+H work hasn’t been focused on residential developments, the use of prefab modular residential could be a possibility to innovate in this sector.



Project credits

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Architect & construction manager: Gluck+'s

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Developer: Jeffrey Brown

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Builder: Kim Frank and Deluxe Building Systems, Inc

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3. Case Study: Tower house, Gluck+ 

-

Project description

The four-story Tower House was designed as a single-family home in a skyscraper’s body. The vertical tower rises from a narrow 14 foot footprint, and a horizontal, cantilevered volume bisects the fourth floor to create this “adult tree house”. 

-

-

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Construction methods, tools and best practices (ie CLT wood technology; shipping containers) Stacked modules to reduce foot print, optimize energy consumption and create effect of a tower. Each module includes the stair case and a bedroom-bathroom unit.

 Preconstruction business model and market Variations of design-built approach were the architect is also a developer and contractor at the same time.  Lessons learned (areas of difficulty, risks, benefits) Understanding the construction process, the challenges of a site, constrains in constructability will always benefit a design 

Project credits

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Architects: Gluck+

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Manufacturers: Arcadia, EPDM Roofing, Larry Hayden, Oldcastle Building Envelope,

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Structural Engineer: Robert Silman Associates P.C.

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Mechanical Engineer: IBC Engineering Services Inc.

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Façade: Forst Consulting Co., Inc.

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Environmental Engineer: IBC Engineering Services Inc.

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4. Case Study: Treet- “The Tree” 

-

Project description

14-storey luxury apartment building including 62 apartments – 11 one-bedroom apartments (43 m2) and 51 two-bedroom apartments (64-66 m2) Cost-efficient, modular high-rise using a prefabrication process.

The building’s apartment modules have been designed to comply with the Passivhaus sustainability standard

(The Space Heating Energy Demand, the Renewable Primary energy demand, the airtightness and the thermal Comfort)  -

-

-

-

Construction methods, tools and best practices (ie CLT wood technology; shipping containers) Combination of prefabricated building modules with a glulam & CLT structure.

System approach: Prefab wood framed modules (Units), Glulam framework (beams and columns), concrete platform (for weight purposes only), CLT elements for services (elevator shaft and corridors) & façade or shell.

Use of BIM software The design and construction involved a close collaboration of all the consultants and manufacturers.

 Preconstruction business model and market The building is a pilot project to demonstrate that it is possible to build modern city residences out of materials that meet tomorrow’s standards for sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions, while still achieving a high plot ratio. The use of timber instead of non-renewable construction materials represents an important step towards reducing global warming  Lessons learned (areas of difficulty, risks, benefits) This project cost was similar of a traditional high-rise building construction; however by using prefabrication it was built in less time. Reduction of cost by reducing construction time Net area of 5830 m2 £22m project cost. ±3774 £ per m2. 

Project credits

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Architect: Artec

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Engineering: Sweco

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Glulam and CLT structures: Moelven

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Prefab modules: Kodumaja

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Concrete Platform

CLT Elements

Glulam Framework

Wood Framed Modules

Concrete Platform

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5. Case Study: Loblolly House by Kieran Timberlake 

Project description Private residence Taylors Island, Maryland 2,200 square feet 2006

 -

-

Construction methods, tools and best practices (ie CLT wood technology; shipping containers) Fully off-site fabricated house, conceived as a new system to be assembly or disassembly. Their components are no longer a mass of small pieces, instead it is divided in 6 elements: Scaffold or Structure, Smart Cartridges (floor and ceilings with integrated mechanical, electrical lines), Dumb Cartridges (walls & partitions), blocks (full bathroom, mech. Rooms), fixtures & equipment (kitchen) Lego-esque customized pieces fabricated off-site, shipped and assembled on site.

Use of a shared Revit model as a tool for design, development, fabrication, assembly. To better design and understand the components of the house, every element were virtually assembled, tested and sequenced prior real fabrication.

-

 Preconstruction business model and market Innovative use of prefabrication and technology by creating a system where components have been developed in a way that they can be assembled, altered or replaced and dissemble anytime.

Their approach is based on automotive industry.

-

 Lessons learned (areas of difficulty, risks, benefits) The liability risk could be solve with legal advice were developing the project structure and fee.

One benefit is to solve in advance any possible interference during fabrication –assembly.

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-

 B+H possibilities, Should we do it? Could we do it? Potential sectors-market Possibilities: development and use of hybrid assembly methodologies, rather than with conventionally constructed modules. 

Project credits

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Architect: Kieran Timberlake

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Structural Engineer: CVM Structural engineers

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MEP engineer: Bruce Brooks & Associates

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Fabricators & Assembly: Bensonwood Homes

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6. Case Study: Cellophane House by Kieran Timberlake 

Project description Installation in The Museum of Modern Art, Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling exhibit New York, New York 1,800 square feet 2008 Single-family prototype home with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen, living/dining space, roof deck, and carport

 -

-

-

Construction methods, tools and best practices (ie CLT wood technology; shipping containers) A Revit model was used to design, develop and fabricate this house. The team used the model to establish schedules, materials quantity, simulations for assembly.

Time of fabrication: 13 weeks. Time of on-site assembly: 16 days.

The outer walls of the building are made from transparent PET, a recyclable material. The transparency allows sunlight to filter through the house, while solar power is harnessed through PV cells adhered to the PET, enabling the house to function off-grid. An inner layer of 3M solar heat and UV blocking film lets daylight in while bouncing solar gain back out. A vented cavity between the two layers traps heat in the winter and vents it in the summer, greatly reducing the amount of energy required to heat and cool the house.

 Preconstruction business model and market Innovative use of prefabrication and technology by creating a system where components have been developed in a way that they can be assembled, altered or replaced and dissembled anytime.

Their approach is based on the automotive industry.  B+H possibilities, Should we do it? Could we do it? Potential sectors-market Possibilities: development and use of hybrid assembly methodologies, rather than with conventionally constructed modules. 

-

Project credits

Architect: Kieran Timberlake

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Prefab (modular) construction These case studies demonstrate the power of prefabrication in creating innovative design. Advantages of prefab projects are many, including improved quality control during construction, less materials waste, less environmental impact and faster delivery time. In projects like Loblolly house by Kieran Timberlake and the Tree (14-storey building), prefabrication was taken a step ahead – the architects approached the building design as a system.

With today’s access to technology, using 3D BIM software (Revit) we could design smart, conceive sustainable buildings that adapt to today’s life style. By understanding the relationship between all building components, we can separate then into modules and elements in order to assemble or disassemble them as required. Testing the building components connections in the 3D model and printing them could potentially lead to improve our design even before to build them.

The traditional design construction approach is: 1.

Design a building,

2.

Develop construction details and

3.

Build the on-site.

Prefab systems-based design: 1.

Work together to build a working model and component pieces

2.

Build component parts

3.

Assemble on site

A lot of the time those details need to be changed or adapted to site conditions. These site conditions are normally a result of workmanship practices. A lot the times designers and contractors hasn’t a direct communication or a clear understanding of the other party intent or priorities. And traditionally, consultants don’t share models, for liability reasons.

With a prefab systems-based design approach, a shared model between all parties involved is crucial. Every team member has the same responsibility to make the system works and this could only be achieved by sharing expertise.

In traditional on-site construction, the relationship between consultants and the contractor is often difficult due to the stress of the construction schedule, limited fees for changes, uncharged changes in the construction documents, and more. Ideally at this stage everything should run smoothly, with few changes, and not a lot of hours are allocated for the service of site review.

A prefab modular system as an approach to building design could allow for improved collaboration between contractors and consultants. In such a system, upgrades would be possible and won’t affect the overall performance of the building – just like in the automotive and cellphone industries. The design development stage would be extended, and the contract administration period would be reduced and stress minimized.

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