Contents 1.0 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3
2.0 2.0 2.1 2.2
3.0 3.0 3.1
4.0 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6
Introduction Introducting the site Macro Site Research Macro Site Research Respond to the context
Site Analysis Wider context analysis Site accessiblity MMU campus analysis
Environmental Analysis Urban building analysis Environmental study
Program Development Area usage Clients brief - students brief Program organisation Public space + massing development Towers development Apartment system Room types development
5.0 5.0
6.0 6.0
7.0 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6
8.0
DFMA Approach Pannelised System
Drawings Package Floor plans
Technical Strategy Facade and Details Structural Strategy Construction sequence + RIBA plan of work Site MEP Strategy Plan MEP strategy Building Regulations Enviromental Strategy
Conclusion
CAMBRIDGE HALL ANALYSIS
0.0 Vision and Aims MMU and our vision Gaining an understanding on the existing building and its problems allows us to solve these within our proposal. The Manchester City Council sets out different indicators and ratings for different student accomodations.
OUR VISION
MMU VISION AND AIMS - Accommodation provision will focus on first year home undergraduate and overseas students. - 800 rooms on phase 1 - The University should control a number of rooms to be able to offer first year home, international UG and first year PG guarantees with confidence.
- Understand the needs of the user and provide a hollistic high quality accomodation in accordance with MMU vision. - Lower than 800 rooms and provide more than a basic accomodation - Public, retail, activity spaces from which users benefit
PROBLEMS OF CAMBRIDGE HALLS Clustered rooms with poor sunlight and obtrusive views
1/5
Circulation route is not designed effectively
No Common Space
4/5
2/5
Little Common Space
3/5
Ground floor common space Lack of variation in space
Good Common/Social Space Study Spaces Gym Breakfast bars
no/minimal social activity spaces
5/5
Large Common Space Games room with pool table tennis and TV
Extensive Common/Social Space Study Spaces Gym Breakfast bars Cinema room Private dining facilities
INFLUENCE ON PROJECT - Our scheme aims to provide and meet the highest rating 5/5 as this is what is rare and missing within the city and this is complemented
from the program.
- Resolve problems identified within existing cambridge halls for our scheme
01
This years brief for PS1 will focus on student housing working in the area of North of Cavendish street. As shown on the images our site is Cambridge Student Halls. In collaboration with the MMU estates we will be developing the site and contribute to the addition of a new character to the campus are of Manchester Metropolitan. Due to the fact that students are living on site the project will be divided into two phases,in order for the students to be able to live there.
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Understanding and analysing the macro scale of the city will help further our unerstanding of the context the project is situated in to help inform our decisions. The mancunian highway acts as an urban boundary that separates the taller dense buildings in comparison to the rest of the city.
The site lies on the edge of this boundary serving as a gateway to a mix of different densities. As a result of the already developed core city centre, we see an increase in new projects and population increasing on the outskirts of the highway.
Increasing density of city caused by students moving south also increased the vertical density of the urban fabric
INFLUENCE ON PROJECT - Segregation of the different socio groups occur on the outskirts of this highway, with the students packed in an area surrounding the university buildings and numbers continue to rise southwards. Whereas, residents on the southwest and southeast parts of Manchester. - A problem that can be resolved within our scheme through providing spaces for all groups
Building use
Population categories
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STUDENT POPULATION WITHIN MANCHESTER
UoM and MMU campus are within close proximity of each other as highlighted by the map. This has led to an increase of the student population over the years at a steady rate to reach 50,000 students each by UoM and MMU in 2020 and 2024 respectively. Graph showing rising student population over the years
However, this increasing population has not resulte d in an similar increase for the demand of student housing leading to a compounded shortfall over the years.
INTERNATIONAL
INTERNATIONAL
Although this is to change due to the increasing international student population that require student accomodations as a necessity further increasing the demand. The Manchester City Council aims to address this problem and have several student housing projects within their portfolio aligning with our brief.
INTERNATIONAL
INTERNATIONAL
UK/EU
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UOM : Increasing divide between number of home : international students
Supply and Demand Shortfall of Manchester Student Housing
From the macro and the student housing analysis, the need for student housing is at its highest. The site being on the threshold of the city and the university owned area provides an interesting opportunity to address the lack of social cohesion between the residents and students. With a large international student cohort, we aim to propose a micro student city woven within the urban fabric responding to the user and societal problems.
INFLUENCE ON PROJECT The city lacks a high quality student accomodation that accepts the students as a part of the city but instead neglects them. Our aim is to provide more than ‘Student Accomodation’ but a place where it hosts the activity of the city for all types of people.
05
A wider context analysis enables us to have a thorough understanding of the site, its constraints and problems which will need to be addressed in our scheme to produce a user friendly environment. They also serve as the basis for identifying trends that develop in to a concept driving the aim of the project.
Highly populated traffic areas
Railway stations in the city centre
INFLUENCE ON PROJECT Trainline accesibility can be utilised in our project for DFMA transport arrangement of panels from the factory. Similarly, train and highway access promotes ease of transport links for students and proves to be part of prime location for students when deciding on student accomodations.
06
Mancunian highway in close proximity to the site
Illustrated through these diagrams, connections to different parts of the country and the city is abundant. However, this causes problems such as air and sound pollution for people living in the area. Consideration of these problems to be taken in our scheme. Due to the high activity of motorists in the surrounding area, the need for green areas and pedestrianised routes and walkways is at its highest. We aim to incorporate this in to our scheme in a non evasive manner
Site and MMU buildings enclosed by major high connectivity roads to
Major roads in proximity to the site
other parts of the city
Pedestrian Access Car Access
INFLUENCE ON PROJECT Need for active green spaces that add and provide to the wellbeing and leisure of the users. Merge building boundary or borders with landscape and blur these conditions to activate urban forms and programs in our scheme.
Primary pedestrian movement around the MMU areas
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INFLUENCE ON PROJECT 1. Bus Stop Locations Situated away from the site resulting in no large vehicles intruding the site, pedestrian route can be enhanced as a spatial experience. 2. Parking Spaces Several parking spaces in close proximity to the site which can be easily accessed to on foot therefore not needing any underground parking space for our scheme 3. Green spaces Although there are many green spaces around the site, they are separated from the built environment and are not utilised efficiently as an activity or a leisure space.
1. Bus stop Locations
2. Parking spaces
3. Green spaces
4. Bike lanes
We aim to change this and use green space in our scheme as an opportunity to enhance the program and activity outreach.
08
As the university buildings are surrounded with highways a noise pollution assessment was carried out and as illustrated by the diagrams the resultant effect. In order to create a homogenous response to the surrounding buildings a height study was appropriate to find a suitable height for the building.
3D urban height study Night noise pollution
Morning noise pollution
Enabling a relationship to the landmarks of the city is not just limited by a visual connection but an analysis of what can be seen from an existent condition was necessary to utilise it in our advantage.
2D urban height study with the skyline of manchester Viewpoints to different landmarks of the city
09
Summer Solstice Sunrise time : 3:44am Solar noon time : 12:19pm Sunset time : 20:55pm
Strongest winds occur from the western direction on the site, areas of low height buildings helping the flow.
Sun rising angle: 45.61 Sun setting angle: 314.42
Least amount of wind occurs from the northern area due to many obstructions such as the business school and taller buildings from the city centre.
Winter Solstice Sunrise time : 8:35am Solar noon time : 12:16pm Sunset time : 15:56pm Sun rising angle: 131.16 Sun setting angle: 12.49 Complied wind diagram for the year
Studying the wind direction enabled us to understand its affect on site and different methods of using it to our advantage. Massing will be influence in order to allow wind to pass through and ventilate open spaces in between.
Wind direction emphasising the strongest direction Compiled shadow study during winter and summer solstice
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Different disciplines of students co exist around the site, and being a student accomodation it is imperative to consider and cater to their needs.
Disciplines to be catered to around the site
Understanding their needs and involving them at an early stage enhances the quality of space we aim to provide. Analysing usage patterns helped better understand the relationship of the site with the city and how people move and interact during different times.
University buildings
Church
Residential
Pub
Day time activity
INFLUENCE ON PROJECT Research in to needs of specific students indentify spatial necessities and wishes for the user Encorporate subjects studied and lifestyle behaviour in to design
Immediate surrounding building use
Night time activity
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Majority of the students within the MMU cohort around our site are from the Business School 70% and the remaining 30% comprise of Architecture and Art students. Within these variety each of the student group have similar needs. For example, - Business students want larger social spaces and communal areas than very large rooms. Architecture students want larger than regular sized ensuites and shared spaces to produce models or collaborate with peers. - Art students want larger than regular sized ensuites for storage space and communal areas for socialising.
INFLUENCE ON PROJECT Thus a program seemed to emerge with an emphasis on catering these needs with amenities such as library spaces, cinema rooms, gym and private study spaces. These can be identified and zoned into different categories such as public, semi public and private giving users varied options to indulge in their interests.
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Vertical Circulation
Retail + Public open space
Wellbeing and Leisure activites
Study + private spaces
Accomodation / student living
13
4.3 Program Development
Landscape Development
Public space + massing
14
Identify site boundary and access
Main circulation and ground floor program
Establishing permeability and important paths in to the site in relation with exterior urban life
Giving importance to the primary axis intervening the site and creating open green spaces that interact with internal spaces
Contoured Terrain
Introduce 3D lattice truss frame and regulating lines
Contoured steps allow public to sit and socialise with the rest of the community
Cartesian grid from landmarks superimposed with existing lines of cambridge halls to produce external pathways
4.3 Program Development Public space + massing
Introduce raised podium platform
Provide Student Accomodation
Establishing semi public program which acts as an intermediate space for both the students and public
Student residences sit on top of the activity base, as a result enjoy the privacy and reduced noise distraction
Mass manipulation
Refining the final scheme
Towers react to environmental analysis and make visual connections to the MMU buildings
Create connections and resolve vertical and horizontal circulation
15
Establish basic tower massing
Introduce open plan levels for civic spaces
Towers placed on the podium creating various green spaces and areas for social activities to occur
16
Use DFMA as an opportunity to save cost + time on construction
Cores situated externally for efficiency of cost and space, primary method of circulation for connection to other floors and podium levels
Cranes lift and place panels to slot in to primary structure
Embrace tectonic value by exposing structural beams and columns
Connect open floor civic spaces between towers and fire escapre stairs continue to ground floor
Round Circular system composition enables
ease of circulation to different internally and externally
areas
Centralised Space Rooms
arranged
around centre which communal area
acts
as
a
External core and circulation route between towers
Circulation Network Illustrating route around the rooms and the communal area
Entrances/access to rooms Simple unobstructed corridors and entrances to rooms prevents dead space in the form of corridors typical in student accomodations
Typical floor plan layout and grid system
Expansive views towards university
Tower Strategy Connection to other towers Connection to other towers
- Simple language of circulation and ease of travel - Define towers
connections
- Utilise building expansive views Expansive views towards city
to height
other for
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4.7 Program Development Ensuite + studio room
4.7 Program Development Ensuite + studio room
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19
Primary Steel Frame Beams
Wall Assembly Ceiling panels of 4m x 4m
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
-
Primary Structure 2x plasterboard Metsec framing system Wool Insulation Sheathing board Rigid insulation board Facade panel
1
Bathroom pods (Prefabricated off site and situated)
Internal partitional walls Insulated)
2 3 4
Facade panels and external wall
5
(Prefabricated off site)
6 7 8 9
10 Primary Steel Frame Columns
Floor Assembly 8 - Screed with underfloor heating 9 - Concrete Infill 10 - T90 trapezoid sheet 11 - Secondary frame C channels 12 - Rigid insulation board 13 - plasterboard ceiling
11
12
Floor panels (Prefabricated off site)
13
Primary Steel Frame Beams
20
Exploded Axonometric of a regular ensuite room showing the layer buildup, adoption of panellised construction method for DFMA approach. Panels to be used 2m x 4m and 4m x 4m for all types of rooms.
Structural Axonometric
00
01
02
03
04
RF
21
22
Visual looking at the civic space that occurs inbetween the towers and acts as a space for informal exchange. Also the idea of micro city is created due to the urban arrangment of the towers and different forms of engagment within the user and the architecture.
23
Visual Representation of the tectonic nature celeebrated within the scheme throuhg exposing columns, beams and the 3D lattice truss formation. To produce a vivid visual experience we marked different elements with different colours. Such us yellow marks external circulation or dark orange to highlight the cores.
24
The external space on the podium acts as an intermediate level between the public and the students, it merges the two levels and thus forms a circular composition supported by the stairs enabling thorough engagement with the architecture.
25
Steel frame formed on a grid with primary structure UKC Columns 305 x 305 x 283mm, Secondary structure UKC Columns 203 x 203 x 60mm
Steel frame formed on a grid with primary structure UKB beams 203 x 133 mm, Secondary structure UKB beams 152 x 89mm
Pile cap foundation 900mm diameter piles of depth 10000mm
Tower Podium trusses Level Space Truss System 1200mm deep Columns Core
Load Transfer - Tower connected toand loads transferred to podium floors with large trusses of 500mm deep and 6400mm high. - Two floors of podium transfers loads to a complex 3D space truss system which spans 7000m, height of 3600mm and each member has a thickness of 500m which is then distributed to 16 UKC columns.
27
Demolish existing building and pile foundation works
Construct cores
Erect structural members for the terrained platform
Construct 3D lattice truss formation
Erect structural members for the podium floor and cross brace trusses
Erect structural columns and beams based on a grid system
RIBA Plan of Work Construction Sequence Strategy Demolition of existing buildings occur on site and prefabrication of panels occur within the factory at the same time. This saves time and as a result saves cost due to the benefit of DFMA pannelised approach enabling it to happen. Construction of terrained contours, 3D lattice trusses and podium floors are constructed on site whereas the towers for the scheme are prefabricated off site and placed by cranes on to the primary structure.
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7.6 Technical Strategy Environmental Strategy
Rainwater Harvesting Rainwater is collected from the rooftops of the towers and transported by pipes to the service rooms for brown water use such as flushing toilets via the core.
Lighting Use of large double glazed windows that cover the majority of the facade allows plenty of natural lighting in to the room. When required artificial lighting is utilised by LED lights instead of incandescent bulbs.
Re-use and Disassembly Due to the DFMA pannelised approach, the panels can be disassembled and reused and placed within a different structural frame in a different location or can be recycled easily. Green roof use, MVHR assembly, LED lighting
Ventilation The use of MVHR (mechanical ventilation heat recovery) units work on the principle of extracting and reusing waste heat such as those found in the bathroom and the kitchen. They efficiently pre-warm and filter fresh air drawin in to the building with waste stale air using a heat exchanger. 95 percent of waste heat is recovered in this way.
Sefaira Analysis The use of sefaira helped in the process of identifying areas that need changes to if they are overlit or underlit. The final results of SDA - 69% and ASE - 32% overall with overlit spaces in the student rooms which was a strategical move to bring in as much natural light as possible. Underlit spaces being the central spaces in towers which are more focused on activites such as indoor table and video games. other spaces such as toilets and corridors to the gym are also underlit and do not require a lot of natural lighting. Rainwater harvesting system
Sefaira analysis
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Concluding Thoughts This project enabled us to challenge ourselves in terms of using DFMA as an opportunity to save time and cost for the construction process. This is of greater importance due to the structural complexity of the project to realise a daring solution to the segregated socio group tension between the students and the public within the heart of Manchester.
Working as a group was thoroughly beneficial as we learnt a lot from each other in terms of design thinking and skills sharing as well as learning techniques that would have not been possible without groupwork. Using rhino to model the building gave us the flexibility to test different ideas and expand our skillset towards the benefit of the project. Diagramming was an essential form of communication to not only others but to ourselves in the act of making them. It helped reinforce the narrative and prevent being distracted by other elements of the project which might not solve the critical issues we were dealing with.
Technical expertise from ARUP through the structural and MEP engineers helped in realising the design. A technical approach within this project made us aware and learn extensively about structural and MEP difficulties which we were not exposed to earlier in our architectural education.
We are pleased with the outcome of the project and have been exposed to different conditions within the framework of architecture which helped make us better architects equipped to deal with future problems to solve.
Follow this link to watch our video to watch the demonstration of our building: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq1BJZ6WRww&ab_channel=PanayiotisIoakim