Loblolly House
Private Residence - 2006 Taylors Island, Maryland Kieran Timberlake Associates
Architecture Materials Mehmet Doganata Kaan Avsaroglu Prof: John McNanie
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ground level
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Wood Walkway Bamboo and Rock Garden Exterior Stair Mechanical Piles Spiral Stair Guest Bedroom 1 Mechanical Room Outdoor Deck First Floor Entry Master Bedroom
first floor
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Master Bath Closet/Mechanical Room Guest Bedroom 2 Guest Bath Bridge Kitchen Living Room Dining Room Second Floor Entry High Performance West Wall
second floor
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Elevations Section Cut
West Elevation
South Elevation
East Elevation
North Elevation
Section Facing North Detailed Section
ELEMENTS OF ARCHITECTURE The idea of an elemental architecture extends to the method of assembly. The house is composed entirely of off-site fabricated elements and ready-made components, assembled from the platform up in less than six weeks. Specification is no longer conceived and structured about the sixteen divisions of the CSI that organizes thousands of parts that make up even a small house. Instead, the conception and detailing are formed about four new elements of architecture: the scaffold, the cartridge, the block and equipment. The aluminum scaffold system, coupled with an array of connectors, provide both the structural frame and the means to connect cartridges, blocks and equipment to that frame with only the aid of a wrench.
FIXTURES DUMB CARTRIDGES
SMART CARTRIDGES EQUIPMENT
SCAFFOLD
BLOCKS
PILES
SCAFFOLD Anodized aluminum structural components for linear motion assemblies. Each component is fabricated, cut and drilled for precise erection upon the site driven pilings.
Bath/Closet/Mechanical Modules. Floors, walls, ceilings, glazing, roofs, finishes, fixtures and drainage system, power and lighting are finished within the factory and lifted into place at waiting utility connections.
SMART CARTRIDGES Off-site fabricated wood trusses form the floors, ceilings, and roof. Within this 12� deep sandwich are integrated radiant floor heating, insulated micro ducts, and wiring for power, lighting, and data. Each cartridge is eight feet wide and lengths vary according to the floors and space. They are set upon the aluminum scaffold and bolted together.
FIXTURES All kitchen cabinetry and fixtures are constructed as large furniture with integrated fixtures and systems, connected on site to waiting utility connections in the lateral cartridges.
DUMB CARTRIDGES Exterior skin, complete with insulation, vapor barrier, sheathing and windows. BLOCKS Off-site fabricated spatial units contain the most complex and intricate elements of the house, the
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EQUIPMENT The west waterfront wall is composed of off- the-shelf products. These include fold-away glass walls and bi-folding translucent hangar doors. The hangar doors are placed 16� forward of the retractable glazing, creating a high performance adjustable double wall assembly.
BUILDING INFORMATION MODEL AWARDS 2007
SEQUENCING
preparation of piles
attachment of collar beam
structural aluminum in place
modules and wall panels installed
cedar rain screen panels installed
equipment installed
As the model developed and the number of components increased, the challenges of assembly and sequencing become more apparent. Highlighting possible conflicts before arriving at the site allowed the design team and fabricators to develop a comprehensive visual erection schedule which clearly defined the assembly strategies for each day. This schedule was informed by the way in which the virtual model was constructed.
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BUILDING INFORMATION MODEL AWARDS 2007
FABRICATION
Bathroom blocks are fully equipped with sink, toilet, shower and vanity. Ventilation fans and ducts along with heating and cooling distribution and piping are integral, as are electrical outlets and light fixtures.
Utilizing the model as a basis for fabrication eliminated the need for two dimensional construction and shop drawings. Each component was modeled to accurately illustrate its building materials and finishes. As a means to improve the fabrication method, the model was incorporated with additional parameters dictated by manufacturing limitations and other restrictions. In some cases the ability of the design team to envision the construction sequence also informed the way in which parts were fabricated. The prefabricated boxes, which housed the bathrooms and mechanical rooms, were constructed in a way which took into account how they would be shipped, how the would be lifted into place, as well as how they would be attached to the rest of the structure. Much like the other components, the prefabricated wall panels carried within its properties, embedded information about its assembly. Unlike typical walls built on site, these walls have to respect the limitations of shipping; therefore being aware of its parameters became particularly useful in developing the design towards fabrication.
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Mechanical blocks contain mechanical and electrical manifolds that organize and manage all incoming and outgoing utility connections. Quick coupled mechanical manifolds direct the distribution of cold water, hot water for faucets, and water for the radiant heating system, and enables systems integration in the smart cartridges and the bathroom blocks.
the digital model provided measurements for precise cutting with digital saw at factory
module fabrication off-site
interior view of mechanical room
and installed on-site
on-site computer for quick reference to the digital model
BUILDING INFORMATION MODEL AWARDS 2007
first floor view through bridge toward spiral stair
first floor view through bridge toward spiral stair
second floor view through glass floor at bridge
second floor view through glass floor at bridge
Emily Pilloton
Founder and Executive Director of Project H Design
We first got excited about Kieran Timberlake Associates’ Loblolly House over a year ago, when it was still just the promising conceptual brainchild of the Philadelphia-based firm. The Loblolly House has since been completed (AND featured in the January 2007 issue of Wired as one of seven “green and high-tech” projects), and demonstrates a truly unique approach to prefab and an eye-catching aesthetic to boot. Named for the tall pine trees native to the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland site, the Loblolly House represents a non-traditional, component-based approach to prefab construction, in which a “kit-of-parts,” much like in automotive assembly, can be unbolted and rebuilt in different configurations for a different site or house. These “Elements of Architecture,” as KTA calls them, range in size and function, from the prefab room modules to the aluminum frame, green roof, and coffered floor system.
Mehmet Doganata
Kaan Avsaroglu
I am most intrigued by the quickness in which this building was erected. In less than 6 weeks workers were able to finish construction, due to the prefrabrication and planning done before hand. I believe that if we can construct buildings this quickly, then we should be able to disassemble them in the same amount of time. This could mean mobile housing, which would allow homes to be disassembled before storms or any catastrophes, and reassembled in a safer location. This also leaves less of an impact on the site and environment, which the Loblolly house does very successfully.
In my opinion the sustainability of this building is the most appealing aspect. A team of architects and engineers were able to anticipate this projects erection before construction. This enabled them to save material, time, money and most importantly the environement. The houses orientation and position on the site allows it to have minimal contact with the environement, while simultaneously benefitting from it. The bi-folding translucent hangar doors either allow penetration of sunlight and warmth or reflection, relative to the need of the occupants.
Bibliography:
1) http://woodburydb.worpress.com/ 2) http://kierantimberlake.com/pages/view/20/loblolly-house/parent:3 3) http://fsmarchitect.e-monsite.com/pages/analyse-constuctive/lob lolly-house-kieran-timberlake.html