Achieving affordability of Single-detached dwellings through Circular Design by Lyana Ibrahim

Part 1: Project Brief

Australia’s Housing crisis

Affordabilty of single-detached dwellings through Circular Design ARCT 5502 Independent Design Research . Lyana Ibrahim 21363052

Background Image: Circle House Demonstrator facade material- shingles made from upcycled plastic waste

“ By

maximising resource utility and

incorporating the concept of circularity during production and consumption (i.e. not just focused on

circular boosts entire

waste management), the

economy economies.

For Australia, where

currently the value of its natural resources lies only in the raw, unprocessed state,

a circular economy is critical in ensuring future prosperity and economic security. -CSIRO, “The Circular Economy” Source: https://www.csiro.au/en/research/ environmental-impacts/sustainability/circulareconomy

”

Design Brief

What is Circular Design? • Traditional approach to design is based on a linear economy where it follows “take-make-dispose” • shifting to design for a circular economy is a restorative and regenerative approach to businesses • design is vital to the 1st principle of circular economy which is to “design out waste and pollution”1

Why is it important for Australia? • Australia consumes more (resources) per person than many other countries.2 • Highly vulnerable to effects of climate change- extreme heat, drought bushfires, & agricultural imapcts • Australia is off track with their Paris Climate Change Agreement to cut emissions by 26% by 2030 3

How size affects Housing with relation to the planet’s resources? • Average size of a newly built Australian house now is 30% bigger than 1987/88 4 • US houses are bigger by 6% sqm on average than Australia, whereas NZ houses are 8% smaller

“The circular design guide,” Ellen MacArthur Foundation and IDEO, accessed March 08,2021, https://www.circulardesignguide.com/. 2 “Reduce carbon footprint & live a sustainable life,” WWF, accessed March 08,2021, https://www.wwf.org.au/get-involved/change-the-way-you-live#gs.wgusa3 3 “Are Australia’s efforts to curb global warming enough to meet our Paris target?,” March, Stephanie, ABC News, April 01, 2019, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-01/ is-australia-on-track-to-meet-its-paris-emissions-targets/10920500?nw=0 4 ”Economic Insights,” CommSec and ABS, November 16, 2018, https://www. commsec.com.au/content/dam/EN/ResearchNews/2018Reports/November/ECO_ Insights_191118_CommSec-Home-Size.pdf.

Design Brief

Abstract Separate houses make up for the largest dwelling type in Australia, making up 72.9% of all building types5. Within Perth(WA) itself, approximately 80-85% are separate houses. AUDRC lists one of the main factors to be market dominance.The main reason most households prefer separate houses attributes to the fact that housing acts as the largest investment most people make. Preference is selected on a product which has a better value for their investment.6 |Dwelling structure type within Australia.

Image source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing 1991, 2016.

|Dwelling tenure type within Australia.

Image source: Census of Population and Housing 1991, 2016.

4 ”Census of Population and Housing: Reflecting Australia - Stories from the Census, 2016,” ABS, accessed March 02, 2021,https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/ Lookup/2071.0main+features22016. 6 Anthony Duckworth-Smith, “Infill in the Sprawling City” (lecture, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, July 30, 2019). 5

Comparison of census studies from 1991 and 2016 reveals there is a increasing amount of households which are owned with mortgage or are rented, whereas there fewer households are owning it outright. This pattern co-relates to the affordability of housing and currently contributes as a factor of a major housing crisis within Australia. Despite current preference for separate houses, the underlying fact of its decreasing affodability remains. A potential solution to this may be moving the linear economy, in which majority of the construction sector is in, into a circular one. Value can be added into a separate house in terms of social, economical and environmentally.

Local separate house precedent: North Perth, WA approx built area: 155 m2 approx subdivided land area: 218 m2 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom+1 powder room estimated price- from AUD $820,000

Design Brief

Project Objectives In the past decade, lifestyles in Australia have significantly changed, one being increasing awareness to our environment. It is crucial to train designers to design for a circular economy as design is a crucial stage in a development and production of a product.

|Changes in lifestyle affecting the typology of housing in Australia. Image source: AUDRC

Solid waste in Australia

Building waste-management 8

In the context of separate houses, the process of thinking circularly involves a longer design process, as compared to a linear design. This would involve careful consideration of materials, how structural components are contructed and how from the process of production, to transportation, to construction, would affect the environment.7 With ‘Building a Circular Future’, we want to challenge and rethink the way we use and reuse resources in the building industry and ultimately eliminate the concept of waste. -3XN Architects The reseach aims to demonstrate how circular design of separate houses can achieve affordability while improving social sustainabilty.

|The need for waste minimisation of building materials.

6 Leyla Acaroglu, Circular Design Handbook: A toolkit for the circular economy (New York, United States: Disrupt Design LLC, 2018), 57. 8 Blue Environment and Randell Environmental Consulting, Waste generation and resource recovery in Australia (Docklands, Blue Environment Pty Ltd, 2013), 10, accessed May 06, 2021, https://www.environment.gov.au/protection/waste/ publications/national-waste-reports/2013/data-workbooks. 7

Two main strategies that will be delivered in the final design will be through cirular materials and the Design for Disassembly(DfD).

Design Brief

Project Framework For the past 15 years, the average building floor area in Australia ranges between 229m² and 245m².9 Evaluation of a houshold’s needs and the value user’s place in respective spaces in their homes will be done in order to determine which architectural element could be altered to reduce and subsequently elimanate waste in production or construction. The average area for separatehousing provided above will set the benchmark for the proposal. |Circular House used as buidling blocks for single-detached house. Image source: Casper Ravn, student at KADK

Design research and scheme will be in three stages: 1. DfD construction systems 1. Potential circular materials 2. Typology study and form exploration

|Circular House accomodating to different landscape topographies. Image source: Sarah S. Glatz, student at KADK 9

ABS, Characteristics of new residential dwellings - A 15 year summary, 2020.

For the purposes of the design research phase, 3 sites within Western Australia will be selected to demonstrate the adaptibility and flexibility of a circular designed house to a range of land types or sizes.

Design Brief

Location Perth, Western Australia Mediterranean climate Summer: December-February, average 31 °C Winter: June-August, ave. temp 12 °C Rainfall: Average annually 775.0mm Wind: Average 9.5 km/h

Midland

West Leederville

Ellenbrook

Design Brief

Precedent #1 Precedent #1 Circle House Demonstrator by 3xn Architects Copenhagen, Denmark 10 • • •

•

Curated of exhibition of circular materials, products and solutions. All components (structures & furnitures) are built upon the principle of C2C and DfD Superstructure erected quickly onsite- walls took 1 hour concrete foundations designed specifically for demountation and reuse for other projects

3XN, Circle House- Denmark’s first circular housing project (Denmark: KLS PurePrint, 2018), 17-21. 10

Design Brief

Precedent #2 Strawbale dingle-detached dwelling, Scaborough WA, by Christian and Deepti Wetjen11 • •

10 Deepti Wetjen and Chritian Wetjen, “Bio Based Materials-UWA-Week 3-Straw Bale (Part 1)” (lecture, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, August 12, 2020). 11

Strawbale exterior walls - excellent thermal & accoustic insulation - by-product from agriculture Flexible floor plates accomodates to changing needs of household

Design Brief

Precedent #3 ICEhouse by William McDonough + Partners, Switzerland (2011)12 • • |(Left) Interior image (Bottom) Exterior image

•

Image source: Bertram Radelow

•

designed to demonstrate the positive design framework described in ‘Cradle to Cradle©: Remaking the Way We Make Things’, aluminum for the structural frame, aerogel as insulation and polymers for cladding & furniture Designed for disassembly- designed to be used by people in need around the world structural system consists of two simple elements; 1. three-dimensional structural frame integrating the floor, walls and roof. 2. facade of polymer filled with aerogel as insulation

Building a Circular Future,” GXN innovation, accessed 05 March, 2021, https://gxn.3xn.com/project/building-circular-future 12

Design Brief

Precedent #4 The Cork Studio by Studio Bark, London UK13 • • • • •

|Bio materials: Expanded cork blocks cut to size.

12 “The Cork Studio”, Studio Bark, accessed 09 March, 2021, https:// studiobark.co.uk/projects/cork-studio/. 13

Cost: Approx AUD $11,000 Almost entirely biodegradable & zero-waste Cork as primary structure -durable, provides thermal & accoustic insulation, & is resistant to fire, water, & rot. Utilised discarded cork granules from wine cork manufacturer heating process to turn corks into solid blocks -process triggers cork to release natural resin

Design Brief

Functional Program Key functional relationships:

Project Schedule Project Brief (+presentation)

week 3

Design research

week 4

Design schematic (+presentation)

week 7

Detailed design (Folio Submission)

week 14

Detailed design (+Presentation)

week 15

• flexible floor plates • layout influenced by Dfd construction • materials to be reusable with maximum value retention over time • Use of non-toxic materials to provide a healthy environment • High-quality materials that can handle several life cycles • awareness to relationship of proposed separate-house to the public street

Schedule for a single-detached dwelling

Living Room Kitchen Bathroom (including toilet) Bedroom 1 Bedroom 2 Storage spaces Open space area (% of land area)

15m2 7m2 4m2 10m2 7m2 6m2 30%

Total Built Area

43m2

Average sizes based on existing sizes of households in Perth WA.

Project deliverables: Design of a single-detached dwelling that will be able to add value to the society through economical and sustainable approaches. This will be demonstrated through the use of circular materials and a Design for Disassembly (DfD) construction.

Background Image: ICEhouse, by William MCDonough, is made up of aluminium as structure, aerogel as insulation, and polymers for cladding and furniture.

Bibliography 3XN. “Circular House.” Accessed March 05, 2021. https://gxn.3xn.com/project/circle-house-demonstrator 3XN. Circle House- Denmark’s first circular housing project. Denmark: KLS PurePrint, 2018. ABS.“Census of Population and Housing: Reflecting Australia - Stories from the Census, 2016.” Accessed March 02, 2021. https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/ abs@.nsf/Lookup/2071.0main+features22016. ABS. “Characteristics of new residential dwellings - A 15 year summary.” Accessed 03 March, 2021. https:// www.abs.gov.au/articles/characteristics-new-residential-dwellings-15-year-summary. ABS. “Housing Occupancy and Costs.” Accessed 03 March, 2021. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/housing/housing-occupancy-and-costs/2017-18. ABS. “Household and Family Projections, Australia.” Accessed March 02, 2021. https://www.abs.gov.au/ statistics/people/population/household-and-family-projections-australia/latest-release#types-of-living-arrangements Acaroglu, Leyla. Circular Design Handbook: A toolkit for the circular economy. New York, United States: Disrupt Design LLC, 2018. Anthony Duckworth-Smith, “Infill in the Sprawling City” Lecture, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, July 30, 2019. Blue Environment and Randell Environmental Consulting, Waste generation and resource recovery in Australia (Docklands, Blue Environment Pty Ltd, 2013), 10, accessed May 06, 2021, https://www.environment.gov. au/protection/waste/publications/national-waste-reports/2013/data-workbooks. Circular Building Design: An analysis of Barriers and Drivers for a Circular Building Sector. Jouri Kanters Deepti Wetjen and Chritian Wetjen, “Bio Based Materials-UWA-Week 3-Straw Bale (Part 1),” (lecture, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, August 12, 2020).

Department of Housing and Planning in Western Australia. ”The housing we’d Choose: A study for Perth and Peel.” 2013. Western Australia, State of Western Australia. https://www.dplh.wa.gov.au/. GXN innovation. Building a Circular Future. Rev. ed. Denmark: KLS PurePrint, 2018. Man Yu, Thomas Wiedmann, Robert Crawford, Catriona Tait. “The Carbon Footprint of Australia’s Construction Sector.” Procedia Engineering, Volume 180 (2017): 211-220. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2017.04.180. Studio Bark. “The Cork Studio”. Accessed 09 March, 2021. https://studiobark.co.uk/projects/cork-studio/. VUB Architectural Engineering.” Building a Circular Economy. Design Qualities to Guide and Inspire Building Designers and Clients.”Accessed 05 March, 2021. https://www.vub.be/arch/page/circulardesign. Wetjen, Wetjen and Wetjen, Christian, “Bio Based Materials-UWA-Week 3-Straw Bale (Part 1).” Lecture, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, August 12, 2020. Ellen MacArthur Foundation and IDEO. “The circular design guide.” Accessed March 08,2021. https://www. circulardesignguide.com/. WWF. “Reduce carbon footprint & live a sustainable life.” Accessed March 08,2021. https://www.wwf.org. au/get-involved/change-the-way-you-live#gs.wgusa3. March, Stephanie. “Are Australia’s efforts to curb global warming enough to meet our Paris target?” ABC News, April 01, 2019. https://www.abc.net.au/ news/2019-04-01/is-australia-on-track-to-meet-its-paris-emissions-targets/10920500?nw=0. CommSec and ABS. “Economic Insights.” November 16, 2018. https://www.commsec.com.au/content/dam/ EN/ResearchNews/2018Reports/November/ECO_Insights_191118_CommSec-Home-Size.pdf.

Part 2: Folio Booklet

Australia’s Housing crisis

Affordabilty of single-detached dwellings through Circular Design

Background Image: Circle House Demonstrator facade material- shingles made from upcycled plastic waste

content. 01. Analysis

pg.4

02.

Open-source Platform

pg.10

03.

Design Scheme

pg.12

Design for Disassembly (DfD)

pg.13

Ethical Material Sourcing

pg.23

Improving Housing Typologies

pg.30

04.

The Proposal

pg.36

Endnotes

pg.52

Bibliography

pg.53

brief. The building industry in Australia contributes to the landfill with building waste of approximately 6.25 million tonnes each year. In present day, most products — including building materials — are designed through a traditional approach based on a linear economy which involves a takemake-dispose systems. Most construction waste comes from offcuts on-site or the over-ordering of materials. Considering most Australia’s building typologies are made up of single-detached dwellings, there is potential for future construction to shift from designs of a linear economy to a circular one. A circular economy aims to design out waste and pollution, keep products and materials in use, and regenerate natural systemsx. Designing for a circular economy allows the circulating of value and resources, which in return creates economic, environmental, and societal value. Other than producing a sustainable future, designing for a circular economy also has the potential to lower costs of manufacturing, production, transportation of building materials, and construction. By doing so, circular design is a reliable step towards achieving affordable and accessible housing for anyone and everyone.

01. Analysis Circular design for a Circular economy aims to circulate value and resources with the main objective being to protect the planet’s depleting resources for future generations. It is important to demonstrate adaptability and flexibility of a circular design with regards to location, usibility for anyone/ everyone, and it’s usability over time. This section contains analysis of existing single dwellings in Perth WA, espeically with regards to materials, building typology, and costs. These dwellings are picked from suburbs in Perth WA which are advertised to have good livability factors (West Leederville), as being affordable (Midland), or as a suburb with diverse communties (Ellenbrook). Suburb selection aims to provide a context for the design proposal.

The circular economy is not only “ about reusing volume, but also

reusing value. ” -John Sommer, Director of Strategy and Business Development MT Højgaard.

Case Studies & comparisons

Analysis

Typical dwelling M i d l a n d

Eddie Barron Dr

Outdoor area plot ratio 51 %

Furl Court, Midland

1 Furl Court, Midland WA Site area: 310 m2 R-Code: R35 Floor area: Approx. 150m2 Est. building cost: $380, 000 Roger St

N |LOCATION PLAN

Pedestrian access

Front vehicular access

|FLOOR PLAN

Timber Stud construction

Analysis

Typical dwelling Ellenbrook

73 Brixton Crescent, Ellenbrook Site area: 503 m2 R-code: R25 Floor area: Approx. 148m2 Est. building cost: $310,000 Outdoor areas plot ratio 64 %

rescent

Brixton C

Coree Ln

dway The Broa

|LOCATION PLAN

|FLOOR PLAN Rear vehicular access

Pedestrian access

Double Brick construction

Analysis

Typical dwelling West Leederville Porter Ln

Power Ln

St Leonards Ave

Ruislip St UP

41 Ruislip Street, West Leederville WA Site area: 270 m2 R-Code: R30 Floor area: Approx. 187m2 Est. building cost: $1,150, 000

Outdoor area plot ratio 31 % |LOCATION PLAN

|GROUND FLOOR

|FIRST FLOOR

Side lane vehicular access

Pedestrian access 8

Timber Stud construction

Analysis

Typical dwelling: AU vs UK Detached housing Australia

Average Floor area (m2) Approx. Embodied carbon (kg C02e)

Average cost

United Kingdom

Typical Australian single-detached housing

Typical England single-detached housing

Image source: Abel Property

Image source: Property Price Advice

186.3m2

152m2

Typical construction: Masonry 214,559 C02e

Typical construction: Masonry 50,000 kg C02e

AUD$313,775

£332, 839 (Approx AUD$600,000)

“Carbon Cops : Embodied emissions and energy,” ABC Television, accessed April 12, 2021, https://www. abc.net.au/tv/carboncops/factsheets/cc_embodied_emissions.pdf “English Housing Survey: Floor space in English Homes-main report”, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, July 2018, accessed April 12, 2021, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/.

02. Open-source Platform The development of proposed design will revolve around the idea of delivering components through an open-source platform. An open-source platform will allow designers all over the world to collaborate and contribute component designs for a Circular House. Over time, a catalogue of circular based components will be available for anyone to purchase and thereafter, design their own homes and/or self-build it themselves. Design proposal will demonstrate a sample of what this catalogue would be, and how it can form a Circular single-detached house within the context of Perth WA.

“ ..we’re building a distributed & ethical supply chain through a global maker network. ” -Opendesk (https://www.opendesk.cc/)

Analysis

OPENSOURCE PLATFORM [Left] Opendesk: Opensource platform for workspace furniture. Image source: Opendesk (https://www.opendesk.cc/)

[Top] Opensource website illustration

03. Design Scheme Subsequent to the analysis stage, this stage explores the process of the final deliverable outlined in the project brief. This is achieved through a methodical and coherent approach, broken down into three subsections; Design for Disassembly, Ethical Material Sourcing, and Improving Housing Typology. The development throughout this stage will revolve around the delivery of proposed design on the open-source platform (refer page 11).

“ Architecture as a

system & process,

rather than a finished structure. ”

-The Architectural Review on Aranya low-cost housingx.

Manon Mollard, “Revisit: Aranya low-cost housing, Indore, Balkrishna Doshi,” The Architectural Review, accessed May 01. 2021, https://www.architectural-review.com/buildings/revisit-aranya-low-cost-housingindore-balkrishna-doshi x

Strategy #1

Design for Disassembly (DfD)

Design Scheme

Circular Considerations Materials • Locally sourced • Material Passport Id • No toxic adhesives Modularity of systems • Prefabrication (all off site) • Allows user customisation • Lower costs and quicker production and assembly process System • ability to swap or sell in case of damage, changing needs, maintatinance/repair

14 |Biodegradable bio-plastic material from everyday ingredients. Image Source: Lyana Ibrahim

Design Scheme

What if you could deliver housing in a flat-pack transport system?

A DfD method for housing allows for multiple advantages in terms of labour and financial cost, as well as energy that goes into manufacturing, packaging and transportation of the architectural elements of a house. Planning the design to fit into a flat-pack system will allow for:

•

Significant reduction in labour input -through the modularisation of components -results in a compact and modularised packaging -ability to load more components per transportation trip

•

Removal of weather restraints

•

Controlled and consistent quality for components

•

Reduction in installation time

Most importantly, factors above will allow for construction and ownership of a separate house to be more ‘affordable’ for anyone.

|Modularisation allows for compartmentalisation.

Design Scheme

Flexible Floorplates

Designing base module to fit into floor systemisation

Circular component: #2.1.A Base Module - Floor interior finish underlay base board

600

structural framework

|Modular floor system Scale 1: 100

substrate

Flooring modules allows for flexibility in layout design & creates a standard framework for other house components

Circular component: #4.1.A Storage component

|Example of unit configurations Scale 1: 100

Design Scheme

Tongue and groove joinery details for easy assembly off-site and on-site

|Plan- Tongue & Groove joinery method

Power outlets incorporated within floor modules or other fixtures (i.e. door frames, cabinetry)

Scale 1: 5

|Floor modular system-Section detail

Design Scheme

Systemising structural components

Structural components should be designed to allow flexibility of spatial configurations and overall form

Circular components: #1.3.A Glulam column

Strategy: Allow for joineries that will be multi-function and versatile in connecting with other components

Timber options ensures a closed-loop system. It allows the use of CNC machines for milling shapes (joineries) from the components.

Circular components: #1.1.A Horizontal posts

18 Circular components: #1.2.A Timber battens

Designing for components to interlock with one another allows flexibility and ease in assembly process

Design Scheme

Systemising structural components 3

Structural components are multi-purpose, acting as supports for roof structural component as well.

Holes in glulam posts allows for structural timber battens to sit within. Size allowances for these holes allows proposed facade rails to share the same hole as the timber battens, or for flexibility in vertical arrangement of the two components.

Circular component: #3.1.A Vertical Rail

Circular component: #1.2.A Timber battens

Design Scheme

Systemisation of walls 1

Wall system automated to fit with specified floor modules

ie. 5 modules of 600x600 units

bio-material (straw or mycelium) poured/stuffed in

External Cladding that can be assembled, and taken off easily. Allows for easy replacement or maintainance of facade or Base Wall Module WPM

Hidden Component

Circular component: #1.1.A Horizontal Posts

Circular component: #2.2.A Base Module - Wall

bio-material added gradually

Circular component: #4.1.A Facade component Timber strips

|Wall module- Section detail Scale 1: 10

Timber strips treated with tung oil —weatherpoofing finish that is safe, non-toxic.

Design Scheme

Systemisation of walls - openings Variations are introduced to the main wall module (#2.2.A) in accomodate openings such as windows and doors

# 2.2.F

# 2.2.A

# 2.2.D

# 2.2.A

# 2.2.E

# 2.2.B # 2.2.B # 2.2.D

# 2.2.B # 2.2.A

# 2.2.B # 2.2.B

# 2.2.B

# 2.2.A

# 2.2.B # 2.2.B

Circular component: #2.2.F Base Wall-Opening

# 2.2.B

# 2.2.A

# 2.2.B

Circular component: #2.2.E Base Wall-Opening

# 2.2.B # 2.2.B

# 2.2.D

Dimensions or sizes of each component variation are thoroughly considered to be able to fit windows and doors of varying types or sizes

Circular component: #2.2.D Base Wall-Opening

# 2.2.A

Circular component: #2.2.C Base Wall-Opening

# 2.2.A

Circular component: #2.2.B Base Wall-Opening

# 2.2.A

Circular component: #2.2.A Base Wall- Main

# 2.2.C

Design Scheme

Roof Systems 1

Size of roof component to be Corrugated roof cladding determined after floor size areas have Recycable % been specified. Waterproof membrane

Circular component: #2.3.A Roof base module structural framework - prefab as one component off-site

Circular components: #1.2.A Glulam horizontal posts

Circular components: #1.1.A Glulam horizontal posts Circular component: #2.2.A Base Module - Wall

Strategy #2

Ethical material sourcing

Design Scheme

Material Option #1

Local Sourcing • •

Treatement applicable to Hardwoods Types: Red Ironbark, Queensland Spotted Gum and Blackbutt Existing plantations

Applications • Cladding (interior & exterior) • Floor finishes (interior & exterior) • Furniture Charred (FSC) Timber

Benefits •

Natural treatment/pigmentation allows end product to be returned to biosphere at the end of its life cycle Less responsive to temperature changes • Additional char layer acts as natural protection layer to decay, insects & weather. • Additional char layer increases durability.

Design Scheme

Material Option #2

Local Sourcing • •

Only mushroom community organisations within Australia Sourcing of mycellium mixture only available from the US and Europe as of date.

Mycelium

Applications • Insulation (thermal & accoustic) • Packaging • Furniture • Textiles Benefits • • • • • •

What is it? • • •

Mycelium is the reproduction part of a fungus Mushroom roots + sawdust into a mould Mycellium starts growing

100% Biodegradable Affordable Fire resistant High durability Waterproof Customisable shape

Prefabication • •

Mycelium prefab SIPs Growing mycelium within walls and roofs

|Mycelium & Saw dust mixture Image source: https://www. gourmetmushrooms.co.uk/ |‘Mushroom TIny House’ by Ecovative, US Image source: https://mushroomtinyhouse.com/

Design Scheme

Material Option #3

Applications • Structural • Insulation

Local Sourcing • Any farms with wheat or rice

straw supplies Good availability within Australia

•

Strawbale

Prefabrication • • • •

Srawbale SIPs Significant reduction in labour costs Reduced installation time Consistent quality in construction

Benefits • 100% biodegradable • good structural characteristics • tested fire resistance • good thermal & accoustic properties • Allows for prefabrication in wall •

systems long lifespan of raw material makes it sequester high amount of carbon

Design Scheme

Material Option #4

Applications • House framing, flooring, thatch

Local Sourcing • Australia-150 species • Asia region dominates world trade in bamboo shoots

Existing plantations Potential suitable areas

Bamboo

• • •

cladding for walls and ceiling, and even as shingles for the roof Furniture & finishes fiber boards & particle boards biofuels such as charcoal briquettes

Benefits • Utilisation of all its parts • Cascading potential • 3-5 years fast growth • Rapid sequestering of carbon • Versatility in usage

Design Scheme

Material Option #5

Applications • Structural • residential, commerical, industrial,

Local Sourcing • Good availability within Australia • Can be sourced from European

public buildings, bridges

countries

Glulam (GLT) Image Source: Perth Timber co. https://www.perthtimberco.com/ glulam-beams-hardwood-glulam-gluedlaminated-beams/

• • • •

Benefits can be custom built to any size, length or shape (curved, straight, tapered etc.) high fire resistance Allows for the CNC of holes not greater than 25mm joinery uses steel connectors- steel fits into a circular closed loop system

28 Univeristy of Amsterdam, “Biodegradable and 100% renewable non-toic plastic resins from biomass,” accessed April 25, 2021, https://www.uva.nl/en/content/news/news/2011/01/biodegradable-and-100renewable-non-toxic-plastic-resins-from-biomass.html?cb. x

Disadvantages • Adhesive types commonly used, i.e. •

Melamine formaldehyde, to bond layers are mostly non-biodegradable Potential of replacing these with new thermoset resins which are 100% renewable non toxic resins from biomassx

Design Scheme

What if bio materials can be durable enough as structural components of a house? Consideration to a heavy or light construction method should be factored into design stragies for a circular economy. This will allow components available on the Opensource platform to be accessible to a broader range of consumer group — people purchasing housing components — and additionally allowing those components to be able to adapt to varying landscapes or topographies. As this proposal involves heavily on prefabrication of components off-site, it is important to identify and analyse which materials can be utilised in a prefabrication method.

Selected Materials to be designed for prefabrication: Mycelium Light Construction System (#2.2.A)

Strawbale Heavy Construction System (#2.2.G)

Both materials have exceptional accoustic and thermal properties as well as adds to structural strength of every component. Images of the right illustrates the prefabication assembly of two typical base components (Top-right) #2.1.A/#2.1.B as Floor Base Module (Bottom-right) #2.2.A/ #2.2.B Wall Base Module 29

Mycellium or Straw

Strategy #3

Improving Housing Typology

Design Scheme

Housing preferences High-valued attributes To identify architectural aspects that can potentially be improved or redesigned with the incorporation of circular principles, an assessment of the wants and needs of households are done. Research is based on a survey titled ‘What matters most?’, conducted by the Grattan Institute in 2011, to determine which housing attributes were regarded as priority or important in the decision-making process when acquiring a place to live. These attributes are reflected by the needs and value placed

by individuals for respective spaces in their households. Affordability is considered the most important factor, framing other sub-attributes thereafter. Location is the next key factor driving the decision-making process.

Housing attributes By order of importance

Affordability

Location

• •

Local Environment

• •

•

near park/reserve near a mall

”The housing we’d Choose: A study for Perth and Peel,” Department of Housing and Planning in Western Australia, 2013, Western Australia, State of Western Australia, https://www.dplh.wa.gov.au/.

Characteristics of neighbourhood

Dwelling Design

• •

Double garage Number of living areas or spaces

Dwelling Features

•

Solar Panels 31

Safety & security Away busy roads

Convenience & Access

Form & Typology Precedent Hawthorn Villa, Melbourne AU McManus Lew Architects

North/South Converted garage facing living areas into kids room

Bathrooms on eastern-side & bathroom+toilet combined

Exposed ceilings = less material waste

1 sheltered car bay Larger front yard area = passive surveilance

Design Scheme

What if the clearing of natural habitats and vegetation can be kept to a minimum?

|Diagrammatic illustration of a typical Southeast-asia house Circular component: #1.0.A Foundation module

In traditional Southeast-asian housing, the ground floor is raised on columns that sits on stone or masonry plinths.The earth on the ground are only excavated around these plinths. The primary purpose of this is to mitigate flooding in a tropical-monsoon climate. However, by doing so allowed the clearing of natural habitats or vegetation to be kept to a minimum.

Natural Ground Level

Implementing this method within the context of Australia aids in the preservation of natural ecosystems. Raising the ground floor to be supported by columns on plinths will be adopted as strategy for the proposal.

|Proposed foundation system made of recycled concrete acting as a plinth connected to other structural components. 33

Design Scheme

What if housing typology can grow overtime with the household? Circular design strategies include methods like Bio-mimicry and regenerative architecture. Just like organisms that have a natural order, it grows and adapts to environmental cues over time in order to ensure it’s survival. One way to propose solutions for a circular design is by asking “How would nature solve this?”.

|Aranya low-cost housing by Doshi Image Source: AKTC

Two precendence illustrating this example is the Aranya Lowcost housing (India) by Doshi, and the Half-a-House (Chile) by Elemental. Both architecture represents housing which addresses affordability by presenting strategies revolving around the concept of providing the option to expand based on house owner’s terms. These houses are self-sustaining for the economy as well as the individual house owners and reduces waste and materials in the process. |Half a House by Elemental Image Source: 99 Percent Invisible

Design Scheme

Form & Typology Principle Takeaways

1. Rooftop Terrace

2. Narrow & Linear form

2.North/South facing habitable rooms

4. Passive surveillance

04. The Proposal Design proposal considers implementing the design to a range of topography and contexts in WA. From site analysis (Booklet Section 2), it is concluded that the suburb of Ellenbrook has positive attributes with regards to planning of residential zones. Therefore, illustration of proposal’s implementation will focus on the site selected for Ellenbrook. Sites selected in the suburbs of West Leederville and Midland are illustrated with an example each, of how components can be arranged to adapt to varying contexts or controls within each suburb

In that sense, circularity in architecture is “ how we conserve the energy content of building materials. Superficially, the architecture might strike people as unexceptional, but for the Circle House project, we will probably be taking the

different design aesthetic too. ” opportunity to showcase a slightly

-Søren Nielsen, Architect & Partner of Vandkunsten.

Component & System

Catalogue

The Proposal

Component Variations Component #1.0.A

Function: Plinth

Component #2.1.A

Material(s): Precast Concrete Joinery type: Anchor bolt with threads Component #1.1.A

Function: Horizontal Post

Component #2.1.B

Function: Floor & Insulation

Component #2.2.C

Function: Wall & Insulation

Material(s): Timber (FSC) Finishes vary Mycelium

Joinery type: Tongue & Groove

Function: Outdoor Decking

Material(s): Glulam

Material(s): Timber-Teak (FSC)

Joinery type: Mortise-&-Tenon

Joinery type: Tongue & Groove

Component #2.2.D

Function: Wall & Insulation Material(s): Timber (FSC) Finishes vary Mycelium Joinery type: Tongue & Groove

Component #1.2.A

Function: Battens

Component #2.2.A

Material(s): Timber (FSC) Joinery type: Half-lap

Component #1.3.A

Function: Columns Material(s): Glulam

Joinery type: Mortise-&-Tenon

Component #2.2.B

Function: Wall & Insulation

Component #2.2.E

Function: Wall & Insulation

Material(s): Timber (FSC) Finishes vary Mycelium

Joinery type: Tongue & Groove

Function: Wall & Insulation

Component #2.2.F

Function: Wall & Insulation

Material(s): Timber (FSC) Finishes vary Mycelium

Joinery type: Tongue & Groove

The Proposal

Component #2.3.A

Component #2.3.B

Function: Roof & Insulation

Function: Facade

Material(s): Timber(FSC)

Material(s): Charred Timber (FSC)

Joinery type: Screws Mortise-&-Tenon

Joinery type: Screws

Function: Insulation Material(s): Mycelium Joinery type: -

Component #3.1.A

Component #4.1.A

Component #4.2.A

Function: Stairs Material(s): Glulam Timber/Teak Joinery type: Tongue & Groove

Function: Facade vertiacl mounting rail Material(s): Aluminium Joinery type: Screws

Component #3.2.A

Function: Facade horizontal mounting rail Material(s): Aluminium 39

Joinery type: Screws

The Proposal

Construction sequence

Step 2: Lay #1.1.A

Step 3: Slot together #1.2.A

Step 3: Lay any variations of #2.1.A/B/C

Step 4: Insert #1.3.A

Step 5: Add another 4x of # 1.1.A

Step 6: Insert any variations of #2.2.A-F

Step 7: Insert #2.3.A

Step 8: Insert insulation #2.3.B

Step 1: Excavate spots for #1.0.A

The Proposal

Step 8: Fit #2.3.B into cavity of #2.3.A

Step 9: Slot vertical channel #3.1.A into holes of #1.1.A

Step 12: Fix windows and doors* *only utilise ones certified on Open-Source Platform to ensure materials are C2C certified and works well with other proposed components in maintaining acceptable waterproofing and thermal-barrier of interior spaces.

Step 11: Screw in facade of choice & attach all flashings

Step 10: Screw in horiztontal channel #3.2.A on the vertical #3.1.A

The Proposal

What if housing typology can grow overtime with the household?

Present building waste management in Australia generated yearly

Beginning to construct 50% housing with circular construction in housing has the potential to decrease amount that goes to landfill

As majority of Australia’s construction belongs to housing typologies, it is important to consider starting to construct with circular building elements. This in return will allow the 6.25 million tonnes of construction waste that goes to the landfill yearly, to instead be reused in a circular cycle or be channeled into recycling, or energy recovery.

Circular single-detached dwelling

Adapting to context

The Proposal

Ellenbrook, WA 73 Brixton Crescent

BRIXTON CRESCENT

1˚ SLOPE

VOID

1˚ SLOPE

COREE LANE

|GROUND FLOOR PLAN Scale 1: 200

|FIRST FLOOR PLAN Scale 1: 200

The Proposal

Roof structure component (#2.3.A)

3° SLOPE

Glulam Horizontal posts (#1.2.A)

CH+6.4

50mm thick Mycelium insulation (#2.3.B)

Wall component (#2.2.A or #2.2.G)

Charred Timber shingles (#4.1.A)

FFL+3.4

Horizontal rail (#3.2.A)

600x600 floor module (#2.1.A)

Glulam Horizontal posts (#1.2.A) Vertical rail (#3.1.A) Timber Battens (#1.2.A) Concrete Plinth(#1.0.A)

NGL+0.0 45

|SECTION DETAIL (Typical floor-wall-roof connection) Scale 1: 20

FFL+3.4

dway

The Broa

Coree Ln

Coree rescent

Brixton C

N |LOCATION PLAN

SCALE 1:2000

Site area: 503 m2 R-code: R25 Proposed design Floor area: 152m2 Outdoor area plot ratio: 78% Deep soil plot ratio: 91%

Brixto

n Cre

scen

Lane

The Proposal Porter Ln

West Leederville, WA 41 Ruislip Street

|LOCATION PLAN

Power Ln

St Leonards Ave

Ruislip St

Power Ln

Adjoining no. 88

void

The Proposal

Power Ln

Ruislip St

Adjoining no. 86b

|GROUND FLOOR PLAN

|FIRST FLOOR PLAN Scale 1: 200

N 49

Scale 1: 200

The Proposal

Midland, WA

1 Furl Court

Furl Court, Midland

Eddie Barron Dr

Roger St

Fu rl

urt

adjoining no. 3

|LOCATION PLAN

The Proposal

Furl Court

Adjoining no. 10

Adjoining no. 3

Adjoining no.8

|GROUND FLOOR PLAN

Scale 1: 200

Endnotes Designing for a circular economy can create vast opportunities for the creation of value. The systemisation of components that make up a house introduces architectural elements that are multi-functioning, thus, being able to adapt to varying contexts in Australia, as well as other countries. By consolidating components into an open-source platform, the convenience of maintainance and flexibility of house owners to renovate or alter their circular homes becomes convenient. Additionally, suppliers are able to provide maintainance to their products and consequently reuse or refurbish a returned component. This enables elements of construction to retain their value. Constructing with circular design building elements will allow the 6.25 million tonnes of construction waste that goes to the landfill to instead be reused in a circular cycle or be channelled into recycling, or energy recovery.

“ We now have the knowledge and tools to build

an economy that is fit

for the 21st Century.

”

-Ellen McArthur Foundation https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circulareconomy/what-is-the-circular-economy

The Proposal

Bibliography 3XN. “Circular House”. Accessed March 05, 2021. https://gxn.3xn.com/project/ circle-house-demonstrator ABS. “Characteristics of new residential dwellings - A 15 year summary.” Accessed 03 March, 2021. https://www.abs.gov.au/articles/characteristics-new-residentialdwellings-15-year-summary. ABS. “Housing Occupancy and Costs.” Accessed 03 March, 2021. https://www. abs.gov.au/statistics/people/housing/housing-occupancy-and-costs/2017-18. ABS.“Census of Population and Housing: Reflecting Australia - Stories from the Census, 2016.” Accessed March 02, 2021. https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@. nsf/Lookup/2071.0main+features22016. Acaroglu, Leyla. Circular Design Handbook: A toolkit for the circular economy. New York, United States: Disrupt Design LLC, 2018. Anthony Duckworth-Smith, “Infill in the Sprawling City” Lecture, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, July 30, 2019. Circular Building Design: An analysis of Barriers and Drivers for a Circular Building Sector. Jouri Kanters Deepti Wetjen and Chritian Wetjen, “Bio Based Materials-UWA-Week 3-Straw Bale (Part 1),” (lecture, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, August 12, 2020). Department of Housing and Planning in Western Australia. ”The housing we’d Choose: A study for Perth and Peel.” 2013. Western Australia, State of Western Australia. https://www.dplh.wa.gov.au/. Household and Family Projections, Australia https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/ people/population/household-and-family-projections-australia/latest-release#typesof-living-arrangements

Man Yu, Thomas Wiedmann, Robert Crawford, Catriona Tait. “The Carbon Footprint of Australia’s Construction Sector.” Procedia Engineering, Volume 180 (2017): 211220. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2017.04.180. Manon Mollard, “Revisit: Aranya low-cost housing, Indore, Balkrishna Doshi,” The Architectural Review, accessed May 01. 2021, https://www.architectural-review.com/ buildings/revisit-aranya-low-cost-housing-indore-balkrishna-doshi Studio Bark. “The Cork Studio”. Accessed 09 March, 2021. https://studiobark. co.uk/projects/cork-studio/. VUB Architectural Engineering.” Building a Circular Economy. Design Qualities to Guide and Inspire Building Designers and Clients.”Accessed 05 March, 2021. https://www.vub.be/arch/page/circulardesign. Wetjen, Wetjen and Wetjen, Christian, “Bio Based Materials-UWA-Week 3-Straw Bale (Part 1).” Lecture, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, August 12, 2020. Ellen MacArthur Foundation and IDEO. “The circular design guide.” Accessed March 08,2021. https://www.circulardesignguide.com/. WWF. “Reduce carbon footprint & live a sustainable life.” Accessed March 08,2021. https://www.wwf.org.au/get-involved/change-the-way-you-live#gs.wgusa3. March, Stephanie. “Are Australia’s efforts to curb global warming enough to meet our Paris target?” ABC News, April 01, 2019. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-0401/is-australia-on-track-to-meet-its-paris-emissions-targets/10920500?nw=0. CommSec and ABS. “Economic Insights.” November 16, 2018. https://www. commsec.com.au/content/dam/EN/ResearchNews/2018Reports/November/ ECO_Insights_191118_CommSec-Home-Size.pdf.

ARCT 5502 Independent Design Research . Lyana Ibrahim 21363052

CIRCULAR HOUSE dway

The Broa

Coree Ln

rescent

Achieving affordability of single-detached dwellings by designing for a Circular Economy

Brixton C

73 Brixton Crescent Ellenbrook WA Positive street attribute: 1)Existence of street parking Allowance for dispensation for car ownership of individual household Positive street attribute: 2) Pedestrian-centred urban planning Easy pedetrian access to main road (The Broadway) encourages use of public transport

Construction Principles 1

Configuration of spaces by arranging floor modules

Minimising excavation area with precast concrete foundation components acting as plinths

Timber(FSC) battens incorporates half-lap joinery system—supports load of floor modules sitting above

Mortise-and-Tenon joinery prevents contamination of components from toxic adhesives

Prefab component systems allows for both heavy & light construction systems

Mycelium or Straw

| Open-source platform delivering prefabicated circular housing components 21363052| UWA, Independent Design Research.

CIRCULAR HOUSE BRIXTON CRESCENT

BRIXTON CRESCENT

Circular components accomodating to varying suburbs, topographies & contexts

West Leederville, WA ad

joi

nin

1˚ SLOPE

VOID

1˚ SLOPE

ni joi

. no

1˚ SLOPE

Po w

ip isl

Ru COREE LANE

COREE LANE

Ground Floor Plan Scale 1:200

Midland, WA

First Floor Plan Scale 1:200 3° SLOPE

CH+6.4

Section Detail

Construction Sequence

(Typical floor-wall-roof connection) Scale 1: 20 3° SLOPE

Roof structure component (#2.3.A)

Glulam Horizontal posts (#1.2.A)

CH+6.4

50mm thick Mycelium insulation (#2.3.B)

Step 1: Excavate spots for #1.0.A

Step 2: Lay #1.1.A

Step 3: Slot together #1.2.A

Step 3: Lay any variations of #2.1.A/B/C

Step 4: Insert #1.3.A

Fu rl

Charred Timber shingles (#4.1.A)

Horizontal rail (#3.2.A)

Step 5: Add another 4x of # 1.1.A

FFL+3.4

Step 6: Insert any variations of #2.2.A-F

Step 7: Insert #2.3.A

Step 8: Insert insulation #2.3.B

adjoining no. 3

Wall component (#2.2.A or #2.2.G)

urt

Step 8: Fit #2.3.B into cavity of #2.3.A

600x600 floor module (#2.1.A)

Glulam Horizontal posts (#1.2.A) Vertical rail (#3.1.A) Timber Battens (#1.2.A) Concrete Plinth(#1.0.A)

NGL+0.0

FFL+3.4

Step 9: Slot vertical channel #3.1.A into holes of #1.1.A

Step 10: Screw in horiztontal channel #3.2.A on the vertical #3.1.A

Step 11: Screw in facade of choice & attach all flashings

Step 12: Attach windows and doors*

*to only utilise ones certified on Open-Source Platform to ensure materials are C2C certified and works well with other proposed components in maintaining acceptable waterproofing and thermalbarrier of interior spaces.

21363052| UWA, Independent Design Research.

Achieving affordability of Single-detached dwellings through Circular Design

Articles inside

Design research week

Project Brief week (+presentation)