Construction Elective by Kimberley Scally

Construction Elective Sixth Year Semester 2 0803619

Translucent Facade Panels Contents

INITIAL IDEAS CHARACTER DESCRIPTION GENERAL SCHEME BRIEF FACADE RESEARCH PRECEDENTS INITIAL MODELS - SLUMPING ISSUE DEVELOPMENT MODELS - LIGHTING TEST PANEL EXPLORATION GLASS TEST LIGHTING OUTCOMES DETAIL RESEARCH CONNECTION OPTIONS AND MODELS U-VALUES RESIN TEST FINAL MODEL PROCESS CRITIQUE OF FINAL MODEL

INITIAL IDEAS

CHARACTER DESCRIPTION - GRAPHIC NOVELIST - WORKS IN DIM LIGHTING AND IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT - MULTIPLE DRAWING BOARDS AT A1 AND ABOVE - PRACTICAL DRAWING SEAT OR STOOL - INDIRECT LIGHTING - DISPLAY SPACE AND STORAGE - BOOK SHELVES - COMFORTABLE SEATING

GENERAL SCHEME

BRIEF DESIGN A SMALL WRITER’S STUDIO WITHIN A 5M X 5M BOUNDARY TO A MAXIMUM OF ONE STOREY. THIS BUILDING CAN BE AN ADAPTATION TO AN EXISTING HOUSE OR A STAND ALONE STRUCTURE. THE MAIN IDEA IS THAT IT IS A SMALL, LIGHTWEIGHT AND EASY TO CONSTRUCT DESIGN. THE GENERAL SCHEME USED TO DEVELOP A CONSTRUCTION PRODUCT IS SHOWN IN THE 3D IMAGES TO THE RIGHT. THE KEY ASPECT FOCUSED ON IS THE NEED FOR DIFFUSED LIGHT AND INDIRECT SUNLIGHT FOR THIS GRAPHIC NOVELIST WRITER AND ILLUSTRATOR’S STUDIO. THIS KEY REQUIREMENT LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TRANSLUCENT FACADE PANEL THAT COULD MAKE UP A LIGHT WEIGHT WALL SYSTEM ALLOWING LIGHT TO DIFFUSE THROUGH THE WHOLE WALL ILLUMINATING THE ROOM AND ALLOWING THE BUILDING TO GLOW FROM INSIDE AT NIGHT.

PRECEDENTS

NAKED HOUSE SUGERHU BAN POLYETHERINE BAGS FILLED WITH PLASTIC NOODLES TO ACHIEVE DEFUSED LIGHT

KUNSTHAUS BREGENZ / PETER ZUMTHOR THE MINIMALIST STRUCTURE STANDS AS A LIGHT BOX THAT ABSORBS, REFLECTS, AND FILTERS LIGHT ACROSS THE FAÇADE AND THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING. THE FACADES ETCHED, TRANSLUCENT GLASS GLOWS AS IT IS ILLUMINATED BY THE SUNLIGHT, OR THE INTERIOR LIGHTING.

HOUSE UNIMOG FABIAN EVERS ARCHITECTURE OPAQUE CORRUGATED CLADDING COVERS THE FIRST-FLOOR WALLS AND ROOF, WHILE THE LOWER LEVEL IS SURROUNDED BY TRANSLUCENT POLYCARBONATE WITH MATCHING RIDGES, ALLOWING DAYLIGHT TO PERMEATE THE WORKSHOP.

DORNIER MUSEUM / ALLMANN SATTLER WAPPNER ARCHITEKTEN THE CURVED LONGITUDINAL PERIMETER SURFACES ARE SEGMENTED IMPERCEPTIBLY BY POLYCARBONATE PANELS. THE ASSEMBLY SYSTEM OF THE FULL-HEIGHT, TRANSPARENT PANELS ENABLES AVOIDING CONSTRUCTION-BASED DIVISIONS IN THE BUILDING EXTERIOR

PRECEDENTS

CELLA SEPTICHORA VISITORS CENTRE BACHMANN ARCHITECTS LITRACON LIGHT-TRANSMITTING CONCRETE

VERTIKALE KLETTERHALLE BRIXEN BY STADTLABOR AND WOLFGANG MERANER THE METAL PANELS ALSO FORM PART OF A MULTI-LAYERED BUILDING ENVELOPE THAT INCORPORATES A CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM PROVIDING NATURAL VENTILATION, HEAT STORAGE AND ANTI-GLARE FILTERS.

BEINECKE RARE BOOK AND MANUSCRIPT LIBRARY / SKIDMORE, OWINGS, & MERRILL ALABASTER STONE PANELS

QUILTED GREENHOUSE BY C. F. MØLLER INFLATES TO CHANGE LIGHT AND TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS A FACADE OF TRANSLUCENT PLASTIC PILLOWS CAN BE PUMPED UP TO ALTER LIGHTING AND TEMPERATURE INSIDE THIS DOMED TROPICAL GREENHOUSE IN AARHUS

PRECEDENTS

STEVEN HOLL, THE NELSON-ATKINS MUSEUM OF ART

NATIONAL ART MUSEUM OF CHINA COMPETITION ENTRY BY GEHRY PARTNERS GEHRY’S SUBMISSION FEATURES TRANSLUCENT STONE CLADDING AND AN INTERIOR MADE UP OF A SERIES OF TALL, GEOMETRIC COURTYARDS REMINISCENT OF PAGODAS AND TEMPLES.

FOLKWANG LIBRARY BY MAX DUDLER THE DESIGN OF THE BUILDING’S FACADE WAS DEVELOPED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE PHOTOGRAPHER STEFAN MÜLLER. EVERY PANE OF GLASS IN THE FACADE DEPICTS A LARGE FORMAT CLOSE-UP OF A QUARRY. THESE PHOTOGRAPHS REPRODUCE THE UNHEWN STONE IN ITS ORIGINAL SIZE. THE PHOTOGRAPHIC WORKS WERE APPLIED DIRECTLY ONTO THE GLAZING USING A SPECIAL TECHNIQUE.

TAASTRUP THEATRE BY COBE THE PRISMS ARE MADE UP OF TRANSLUCENT AND CLEAR ACRYLIC AND HAVE RED LIGHTS BEHIND THEM THAT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE THEATRE IS SOLD OUT.

PRECEDENTS

WORKSHOP SIEGEN BY IAN SHAW ARCHITEKTEN DESIGNED BY FRANKFURT-BASED FIRM IAN SHAW ARCHITEKTEN AS A GARAGE FOR CAR AND TRUCK REPAIRS, THE BUILDING IS FITTED WITH FIBREGLASS PANELS TO PROVIDE ENERGY-EFFICIENT INSULATION AND A SOFTLY DIFFUSED LIGHT INSIDE.

UNA’S KITCHEN BY NORDIC BROS. DESIGN COMMUNITY POLYCARBONATE WALLS HAVE ALSO APPEARED IN A NUMBER OF PROJECTS WE’VE FEATURED LATELY, INCLUDING A HOUSE IN JAPAN WITH AN UPPER STOREY MADE OF POLYCARBONATE SHEDS AND AN ELEVATED EXTENSION TO AN INDOOR RUNNING TRACK AT A GYM IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC.

FRANZ FUEG ST. PIUS CHURCH 28 MM [1 1/10’’] THIN PLATES FROM PENTHELIAN DIONYSOS MARBLE

LADDERSTILE HOUSE BY THREEFOLDARCHITECTS TO CREATE A DIVERSE RANGE OF CONNECTIONS TO DIFFERENT EXTERNAL ROOMS, AND VIEWS THROUGH AND IN BETWEEN THE BUILDING, INTO SPACES BEYOND, THROUGH THE GLAZING, THE PERFORATED STEEL AND TIMBER SCREENS.

PRECEDENTS

JOHNSON WAX RESEARCH TOWER / FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT

LABAN DANCE CENTRE / HERZOG AND DE MEURON

BEINECKE RARE BOOK AND MANUSCRIPT LIBRARY / SKIDMORE, OWINGS, & MERRILL

KUNSTHAUS BREGENZ / PETER ZUMTHOR

INITIAL MODELS

PRECEDENTS THERE ARE SO MANY OPTIONS FOR A TRANSLUCENT FACADE AS SEEN BY THE MANY PRECEDENTS REFERENCED ON PREVIOUS PAGES. THROUGH TIME TRANSLUCENT FACADE HAVE BEEN USED ALL AROUND THE WORLD, IN VARYING DEGREES. AFTER STUDYING THE PRECEDENT DETAILS I HAVE DECIDED THAT THEY ARE TOO HIGH TECH FOR THE SMALL NATURE OF THIS BUILDING PROJECT. THE NEXT STEP WAS TO CONSIDER A RECYCLABLE MATERIAL SO THE PANEL IS LESS TECHNICAL, AND TO TRY AND INCORPORATE A LIGHT WEIGHT ELEMENT THAT COULD BE ASSEMBLED BY ONLY A FEW PEOPLE.

INITIAL MODELS THE PHOTOGRAPHS OPPOSITE SHOW THE INITIAL MODELS CREATED TO EXPLAIN FIRST THOUGHTS FOR LIGHT LEVELS AND MATERIALITY. THE USE OF RICE WAS TO GET AN IDEA OF THE SHADOWS CREATED BY SMALL PARTICLES, RICE WOULDNT BE USED IN A FINAL WALL PANNEL SYSTEM. THERE WERE HUGE ISSUES IN THE FIRST MODEL WITH SLUMPING, DUE TO THE SIZE OF THE PARTICLES MAKING UP THE INSULATION BETWEEN TWO PANES OF GLASS THERE WAS A HUGE AMOUNT OF MOVEMENT AND SETTLING THIS CAUSED THE PANES TO BOW AND THE RICE TO SLUMP. THIS IS AN ISSUE ON SITE WITH ROCK WOOL INSULATION THAT IS COMBATED BY ATTACHING THE INSULATION TO BATTENS AND COMPARTMENTALISING THE AREA THAT HAS TO BE INSULATED.

SOLUTIONS EXPLORED WITHIN THE MODELS WERE THINER PANELS TO SECURE THE SMALL ELEMENTS, TWANGS IN BETWEEN THE PANELS TO COMPARTMENTALISE AND AHDESIVE TO GLUE TO SMALL PIECES TO ONE ANOTHER.

DEVELOPMENT MODELS

PANEL EXPLORATION

FIRST PANEL THE IDEA BEHIND THIS FIRST SOLID PANEL WAS TO CREATE A TIMBER STRUCTURAL BOX THAT HOUSED THE INSULATION AND HAD A FRONT AND A BACK PANEL THAT WERE SECURED WITH THE USE OF PINS.

HOWEVER THESE MODELS DISPLAYED ISSUES WHEN ATTACHING THE FRONT AND BACK PANELS ONTO THE FACE OF THE TIMBER, THE PINS WERE NOT EFFECTIVE AND LEFT THE PANEL QUITE LOOSE. INTERCHANGEABLE PANELS WITH DIFFERENT PRINTS AND IMAGES IMPROVED THE SCREENS LIGHTING EFFECT, THIS WAS MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN SMALL PARTICLES WERE USED TO MAKE UP THE WHOLE FACADE. THESE PANELS THEN MIMICKED THE USE OF RICE WITH BROKEN GLASS, PRODUCING A SIMILAR LIGHTING QUALITY AND SHADOW.

SECOND PANEL SECOND ATTEMPT AT MAKING PANELS SOLID WITH MDF AND CREATING A SEALED STRUCTURAL BOX. THESE BOXES USED A STRONGER BACK AND FRONT FACE, ACRYLIC, WHICH WAS SECURED MORE SUCCESSFULLY WITH GROVES IN THE TIMBER FOR THE PANELS TO SLOT INTO. TWO MATERIAL WERE CHOSEN TO BEGIN WITH, ACRYLIC AND TEXTURED ACRYLIC. BUBBLE WRAP WAS USED AS INSULATION TO MINIMISE THE SLUMPING AS IT IS MADE OUT OF LARGER PARTICLES.

BROKEN GLASS IN BETWEEN A PANEL WILL BE TESTED NEXT TO JUDGE THE LIGHTING EFFECTS.

GLASS TEST

LIGHTING TEST

GLASS TEST IN PREVIOUS MODELS THERE WAS TROUBLE WITH THE CRUSHED GLASS FORCING THE ACRYLIC TO BOW. CLAMPING HELPED HOLD THE ACRYLIC IN PLACE WHILE ADDING THE CRUSHED GLASS BUT THERE WAS THEN EXTRA PRESSURE ON THE FRAME AND THE GLASS BROKE FREE. COMPARTMENTALISING MAY DECREASE THE PRESSURE BUILD UP ON THE PANEL DUE TO THE VARYING SIZES OF CRUSHED GLASS. RESIN WILL BE TESTED NEXT TO BIND THE GLASS TOGETHER.

LIGHTING OUTCOME THE BROKEN GLASS GIVES THE MOST EFFECTIVE LIGHTING QUALITY AS IT HAS THE MOST SURFACE AREA TO REFRACT LIGHT SHINNING THROUGH THE PANEL. THE BUBBLE WRAP IS TOO DENSE TO LET ENOUGH LIGHT THROUGH IT IS MORE OF A GLOW SO THIS SHOULD BE BARED IN MIND WHEN USING BUBBLE WRAP AS INSULATION.

DETAIL RESEARCH

Glass set dimension

DETAIL RESEARCH

A view, not a window | Swiss made.

Units installed via “mast climber”

DETAIL RESEARCH

CONNECTION

CONNECTION OPTIONS THREE CONNECTION OPTIONS FOR THE PANELS THEMSELVES: THE FIRST DRAWING THE LEFT ILLUSTRATES THAT HE SECOND OPTION IS THE BEST DUE TO THE STABILITY ON BOTH SIDES OF THE PANEL IN TENSION. WHEREAS THE TWO OTHER OPTIONS WOULD BREAK APART WITHOUT GLUE OR A PIN HOLDING THEM IN PLACE. THE IDEA IS THAT THIS PANEL CAN BE HELD TOGETHER BY FRICTION, THEREFORE THE SECOND OPTIONS ALLOWS MORE CONTACT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE JOINT ALLOWING FOR MORE FRICTION AT THIS AREA.

TWO OPTIONS FOR THE CONNECTION BETWEEN PANELS: THE PHOTOGRAPH TO THE LEFT SHOWS A MALE AND FEMALE CONNECTION WHICH WORKS WELL IN ONE DIRECTION BUT CAN PULL APART VERY EASILY. THIS OPTION IS ALSO ONLY SUITABLE FOR A SMALLER NUMBER OF PANELS. ON SITE ONCE THE SECOND PANEL ON THE SECOND ROW IS FITTED IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO CONNECT A MALE AND FEMALE CONNECTION ON TWO EDGES OF THAT PANEL.

DUE TO THIS ON SITE CONSTRUCTION DIFFICULTY, A THIRD ELEMENT SUCH AS A ROD THAT WOULD SLIDE INTO THE PANELS TO CONNECT THE TWO IN PLACE IS FAR MORE SUITABLE. THIS ROD TAKES THE FORM OF A CRUCIBLE IN MY DESIGN TO ALLOW FOR STABILITY ON ALL THREE AXIS.

U-VALUES

U VALUES THE U VALUES ACCEPTABLE IN THE BUILDING REGULATIONS FOR WALLS IS 0.7 - 0.35 THE FIRST WALL THICKNESS HAS A U-VALUE OF 0.8 WHICH IS TOO HIGH THEREFORE THERE NEEDED TO BE AN INCREASE OF INSULATION WIDTH. THE SECOND DESIGN HAS A U-VALUE OF 0.51 WHICH IS ACCEPTABLE UNDER THE BUILDING REGULATIONS AND WILL CREATE A COMFORTABLE WRITING ENVIRONMENT. CALCULATIONS BELOW: R BUBBLE WRAP =

1 0.18

R CRUSHED GLASS =

1 X 15 0.315 1000

= 0.05

R ACRYLIC =

1 0.2

= 0.2

R ARGON GAS =

1 X 10 0.016 1000

150 1000

40 1000

= 0.8

= 0.625

1 0.12 + 0.06 + 0.12 + 0.8 + 0.05 + 0.2 + 0.625 0.51

AESTHETIC ALTERATION THERE WAS AN ALTERATION IN DESIGN AT THIS POINT TO MAKE THE VISIBLE FRAME BETWEEN PANELS LESS SO THE TRANSLUCENT FACADE WAS LARGER AND FREER, A REDUCTION TO 50MM ALLOWED THE OVERALL LOOK OF THE WALL TO BECOME MORE AESTHETICALLY PLEASING.

RESIN TEST

RESIN TEST THE IDEA BEHIND USING RESIN WAS TO BIND THE GLASS AND PROVIDE A TOP LAYER OF RESIN THAT LEVELLED OFF THE BROKEN GLASS IN ORDER TO APPLY THE SECOND LAYER OF ACRYLIC. THE TEST 1. THE BROKEN GLASS 2. THE RESIN PRODUCT 3. ADDING THE RESIN TO THE GLASS 4. MIXING AND USE WITHIN TEN MINUTES 5. LAYING THE RESIN AND GLASS MIXTURE ON THE ACRYLIC 6. APPLYING THE TOP PIECE OF ACRYLIC 7. THE FINISHED PANEL THERE WERE SOME ISSUES WITH THIS TEST. I LEARNT THAT THE FIRST PIECE OF ACRYLIC SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUILT INTO THE TIMBER FRAME SO THE RESIN COULD BE LEVELS OFF AND THE SECOND PANEL APPLIED EASIER. THIS PROCESS WOULD TAKE PLACE WHILE THE UNIT IS PLACED ON THE GROUND ON SITE AND THEN WOULD BE LIFTED INTO PLACE.

MODEL PROCESS

CRITIQUE

MODEL CRITIQUE THE ACRYLIC PANELS ARE TO REPRESENT GLASS. THE PANELS ARE MADE UP OF TWO TRIPLE GLAZED UNITS COMPRISING OF: 6M PANE / CRUSHED GLASS / 8M PANE / ARGON GAS / 6M PANE. DPM UP AND UNDER THE ACRYLIC PANEL AND DRIP SILL TO PREVENT CONDENSATION OCCURRING IN THE PANELS BY CREATING A BETTER SEAL BETWEEN PANELS. RESIN MIXED WITH CRUSHED GLASS NEEDS TO BE APPLIED WHEN THE ACRYLIC IS IN FRAME LAID DOWN FOR AN EVEN SURFACE TO APPLY TOP PIECE OF ACRYLIC. CONNECTION OF TWO PANELS IS TWO STRAIGHT ALLOWING WATER TO PENETRATE THE WALL BUT NOT THE PANEL DUE TO THE CAREFUL CONSIDERATION OF THE JOIN BETWEEN THE PANEL ITSELF. MORE COMPLEX ROUTE BETWEEN PANELS NEEDED TO ENSURE WATER DOESN’T INFILTRATE CAUSING LEAKS AND CONDENSATION.

THE CRUCIBLE FORM IS NOT STABLE ENOUGH AND GLUE WAS USED TO ATTACH THE TWO PANELS TOGETHER A LARGER CRUCIBLE NEEDS TO BE USED FOR A PANEL THIS SIZE. THE 45 DEGREE ANGLE WAS DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE WHEN GLUEING THE TWO SIDES OF THE PANELS, AND SCREWS HAD TO BE USED TO HOLD THE SIDES IN PLACE. THE ACRYLIC AND CRUSHED GLASS UNIT SHOULD BE AS ONE AND SHOULD THEN SITE INSIDE THE TIMBER STRUCTURAL BOX, NOT LAYERED UP AS WAS CONSTRUCTED IN THE FINAL MODEL. COLD BRIDGING ACROSS THE TIMBER WOULD OCCUR IN THE FINAL MODEL THEREFORE INSULATION WOULD RUN IN BETWEEN ELEMENTS TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING.

CONCLUSION

CONCLUSION THIS FINAL MODEL DISPLAYS THE CONNECTION OF EACH DOUBLE GLAZED PANEL TO THE TIMBER WINDOWS WITH GASKETS. CONNECTIONS OF EACH LEAF OF THE TIMBER TO ENCLOSE THE PANEL AS A WHOLE HAS BEEN EXPLORED SUCCESSFULLY. CRUSHED GLASS HAS BEEN EXPLORED FULLY AND OPTIONS HAVE BEEN TESTED TO ALLOW THIS RECYCLABLE, THERMAL PERFORMING AND AESTHETICALLY SUCCESSFUL MATERIAL TO BE USED. THE CONNECTIONS OF EACH PANEL TO ONE ANOTHER USING A CRUCIBLE WAS EXPLORED. THE MANUFACTURE PROCESS HAS BEEN CONSIDERED. SIMILARLY TO THE WAY THE MODELS WERE MADE THE PANELS WOULD BE LAID DOWN AND MADE IN A LAYERED PROCESS ON THE FLOOR.

FINALLY THE ASSEMBLY ON SITE HAS BEEN DEVELOPED, ESPECIALLY WITH THE SOLUTION OF THE CRUCIBLE ELEMENT TO JOIN THE PANELS. HOWEVER THE OVERALL WEIGHT OF THE PRODUCT WAS UNDER ESTIMATED UNTIL THE FINAL MODEL WAS CONSTRUCTED.