Peckham Library BUIL-1166-MO10-2013-14 Introduction to building environments and construction Course leader: Shaun Murray Mladen Varbanov
CONTENT
INTRODUCTION AIR LIGHT WATER ENERGY GROUND RECYCLE SYNTHESIS CONCLUSION
Information Project name : Peckham Library Architects: Alsop and Stormer Client: London Borough of Southwark MEP Consultants: Battle McCarthy Contractor: Sunley Turriff Project Engineer: Adams Kara Taylor Mechanical and electrical team: Battle McCarthy Quantity surveyor: Franklin & Andrews Acoustic: AAD Lighting: Janet Turner Timber Engineer: Mark Lovell Design Engineers Materials: TECU Patina Year of completion: 2000 Stirling Price for Architecture in 2000 Address: 122 Peckham Hill Street , London SE15 5JR, United Kingdom
Designer
Will Alsop receiving an honorary degree from the University of East Anglia in 2007 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Alsop)
Will Alsop was born in Northampton on 12 December 1047. He is a British architect based in London. Most of his designs can be seen in the United Kingdom. His work is rich in bright colours and unusual forms. Will Alsop’s work was influenced by his tutor Henry Bird while he was at foundation course at Northampton Art School. After attending the Northampton Art School he went to study at the Architectural Association School of Architecture where at 23 he entered the competition to design the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris. In 1981 Alsop set up a practice, Alsop & Lyall, with his classmate John Lyall in Hammersmith. Jan Stromer later joined the practice and a decade later, the practice received a new name “Alsop & Stromer”. In 1999 they design the Peckham Library, which in 2000 won the Stirling Prize for Architecture.
General Information
Peckham Library was opened to the public in March 2000. In the same year the building won the Stirling Price for architectural innovation. Two years later, in 2002, together with Tate Modern and the London Eye, Peckham Library also won the Civic Trust Award for excellence in public architecture. The library is considered to be the busiest Southwark’s lending libraries with over a half million visitors a year. The design of the library is very interesting. It is shaped like an upside-down “L”. The large lending library is located in the upper area, twelve meters above the ground. The lending library is attached on the north side of a five-storey vertical block. On the south side, the load of the lending library section is taken up by round steel support. These give the impression that the building is somehow “walking” and create a real sense of movement.
Moments from my trip to Peckham Library
Air (Ventilation / Convection / Radiation)
AIR Initially Peckham Library was naturally ventilated and did not have a mechanical ventilation such as air-conditioning. Having no-air conditioning was part of the design that combines shading, natural ventilation and passive cooling effects to produce considerable reductions in the operating costs of the building. Later on they found that the air inside during summer months get stuffy, so they fitted air-conditioning systems. The cooling systems in the library were relying in the thermal mass of the concrete as well as the exposed soffit where cool air is drawn from. The heat capacity of a concrete is approximately 0.2, which means the loss is at a high rate and the building cools quickly.
Examples of natural ventilation
Examples of mechanical ventilation
AIR
Green areas around the library supplying with oxygen.
The use of cooper, is a good ecological thought. Indeed, the cooper does not need any chemical products to maintain the surface.
AIR
Fig.2
On Fig.2 we can see how the cold air gets into the building and how it converts into warmer air inside the library.
On Fig.1 we can see how the cold air gets into the building and how it converts into warmer air inside the library.
Fig. 1
On fig.2 is shown how the airconditioning openings are located on the ceiling of the library. Fig. 2
LIGHT (Natural / Artificial)
LIGHT
The architecture of Peckham Library allows a lot of natural light to go through the windows. An enormous amount of natural light goes through the sough faรงade, which is entirely designed with different coloured windows, as well as the windows which surround the fourth floor. Despite the large amount of natural light entering the building, they do not always rely on it. In winter, in early mornings and late evenings they switch the lights on to make sure that the interior is well lit and comfortable for the readers in the building.
Natural light
Artificial light
LIGHT
On Fig.1 we can see that the light bulbs in Peckham Library are positioned very carefully and cover every space in the building. The building has 300 light bulbs in total as they are different types. Some of them straight light the area inside, whereas some are more inside the ceiling surrounded by a mirroring effect, and this is there to help to reflect more light so it will spread out and more surfaces will be lit. Fig. 1
On Fig.2 is shown the main area (fourth floor) is filled with natural light, most of it entering through the north faรงade, which is entirely covered with windows. Most of the shadows are created underneath the 3 large wooden capsules. Fig.2
LIGHT
Fig.3
Fig.4
Light usage for such type of public building is crucial. There are hundreds of people coming in to read or spend time on the Internet every day. Therefore, the light supply was one of the most important things to be considered when the building was designed. One side of the library is entirely covered by window panels. It is was oriented and the window panels were in the south then this would allow maximum amount of natural light to enter the building. The part that is overhanging (Fig.3) creates a large shade in the area beneath it. In this area even if it is sunny much light does not get there.
LIGHT
On these two diagrams we can see sun path and shadows during winter and summer months.
Fig.4
01/01/2014
12:00pm
Fig.5
01/07/2014
12:00pm
WATER (Usage / Flow / Infrastructure)
WATER Nowadays, all buildings involving human activities use water with a huge demand ro the fire safety, toilet and cooking. Water is one of the vital element. In building design, there are lots of method to supply water and to adjust the temperature of the water for human uses. Also, some particular activities like swimming pool would consume more water and need extra water supply.
Fig.1
The boiler of the library is located on the first floor (Fig.1). That is the boiler all radiators throughout the building get supplied with water from.
WATER
Fig.2 Location of the boiler and radiators on the fourth floor
Fig.3 Location of the water pipes on each floor throughout the building
On Fig.4 we can see the small drainage canal which surrounds the building taking the rainwater away Fig.4
WATER
On the faรงade of the library there is a dry riser inlet opening. That is a pipe that is kept empty of water. If the dry riser is filled with water then the pipe directs the water to several levels in the building. If heavy rainfall occurs then the library is protected because It has several drainages, such as a long thin curve which Directs small streams of water to the drainages. Also there is a bigger square drainages which are fast for taking water in. Another way that water is taken away from the building is soil.
Energy (Heat / Storage / Power)
ENERGY Peckham Library is a cultural type of building with heat demand 365. The importance of energy and efficiency in that building is very important, because it is attended by thousands of people every year. They spend time in looking for information, reading books, using computers and Internet and it is essential that the library is a comfortable place.
The window faรงade plays very important role in heating and lightening the building. The faรงade saves a lot of resources for heating and lightening the inside of the library. The windows are made out of 4 layers, therefore when the heat approaches the glass, it is redirected back to its original environment.
ENERGY
Another important role in saving energy and heat, plays the side and front facades which are made out of copper. It is known that copper is a good transmitter of heat and this tells us that the building is well isolated. The MEP Consultant Battle McCarthy thinks that the energy consumption might be around 182 kWh/m2. That is a good consumption for a building like that.
ENERGY Fig.5 Diagram showing where the wifi router is and how its signal spreads out
Fig.6 Diagram showing electrical wires on the floor on the 4th floor
GROUND (Materials / Construction / Techniques)
GROUND
For the main structure of Peckham Library is used mainly concrete. Also there are six metal columns which support the front part of the building. To finish the library off, builders used copper on the west, east and sout facades. For the north faรงade, they used 4 layers glass panels. Also for the front faรงade was used wire netting for protecting the building from violence. The building process takes time and a lot of hard work on the construction site.
Wire netting which protects the library from violence
GROUND
The copper that is used for the façade of the library was transported from Germany. It was supplied by TECU. Most of the materials were purchased from TECU-Patina- the facade; curtain-wall glassPilkington Plyglass; curtain-wall frame-Schuco International; lifts – Kone LIFTS, raised – floor-system-Durabella; doors and frames – Newman Tonks Martin Roberts; lightingConcord Sylvania.
GROUND
The triangular pods located on the fourth floor have got individual shapes and are not the same in plan and elevation. Each rib of the pods is individually cut and positioned to receive OSB cladding. The outer skin of the pods is finished with 1.5 mm Airplane Plywood tiles.
GROUND
That is a two storey pod which has got three station office space upstairs and a private interview room below.
The two pods are geodesic spheres based on hexagons and pentagons in 37x75 spruce. The pods are made out of plywood outside, carpet and acoustic quilt inside
RECYCLE (Reuse / Cradle to Cradle)
RECYCLE
Peckham Library is constructed from copper and copper is a material that is one of the most durable and recyclable. Also the trees outside of the building help to recycle the air around the library.
In the library they use VEOLIA bins to collect the waste. They use bins for different types of waste. They are located in different areas to encourage recycling and keeping the area clean.
SYNTHESIS
SYNTHESIS
Peckham Library is a new modern building designed by Will Alsop. In my case study I went through the building and focused on key elements of the building, its function and design, how air circulates and moves through the building, the light within the library, I also looked at what materials had been used. Also water usage, energy and how it is used in the library and recycling. These are the key components that need to be taken into consideration to produce a successful design.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
The building is built to a high standard, therefore the library won the Stirling Prize in 2000. The library functions as a library and also meeting rooms are located in the pods. If I had the chance to change and develop the library I would improve it by taking the soffit down. In my opinion, that soffit spoils the faรงade and the building does not look like a library. Removing the protection of the faรงade means that the windows will be unprotected. In that case, I would increase the security in that area.