Architectural Engineering | 1:1 Detail by Ramya Tippireddy

House in Meerkerk Ruud Visser Architecten

Luca Fiammetta Natalia Ochoa Ramya Tippireddy David Villegas 7QX3M0 Architectural Engineering Jan Schevers

Preface

Fig.1

The report shows the final result of the Architectural Engineering course. House in Meerkerk by Ruud Visser Architecten was chosen as a case study. The students were asked to analyze and understand the building in all its aspects, from the concept phase to its realization. This report is divided into two parts: part A, which shows the original design of the house, and part B that aimed to rethink and redesign the construction system of the building and, more specifically, a chosen detail. A 1:1 scale model has been made of the detail.

Table of contents Part a

Part b

•

Design concept

- the location

•

Building Structure

- the house

•

The detail

The project

- the concept •

•

Drawings

- exploded axonometry

- plans

- detail 1:10

- elevations

- detail 1:5

- sections

- components

Building structure - structural plan - exploded axonometry

•

- axonometric views

The detail - axonometric views - exploded axonometry - detail 1:10 - detail 1:5 - components - construction process

- construction process - pictures

the project the location

The project is located in Meerkrek, a small village in the south-west of the Netherlands. The Tolstraat is a historic street with houses built in the early 1900th. On one hand the facades are strictly lined-up making the street formal, but on the other hand the houses in the street are built up by small elements: annexes, sheds, roofs and fascias. Towards the back the houses are situated along a nature reserve. This leads to a totally different atmosphere. (2007, Tapia)

Part a

the house

The main challenge for the architects was how to blend in a new contemporary house into a complex historic setting. The architects decided to work with the local village character of the street by not approaching the house as a single stand-alone object. we divided the body of the house into three distinct parts. Every part is made of a different material, each already to be found in the adjacent facades in the Tolstraat. Part 1: The brick front-facade along the Tolstraat. Part 2: The white plastered side wall. Part 3: The grey slate roof.

Part a

the house

Fig. 1

Fig. 3

Fig. 2

Fig. 4

Part a

the concept

The Architects had the task to build a house for an elderly couple in Meerkerk, a conservative village located in the bible belt. According to the architects, the location of the house was the main inspiration for the design concept. The north side of the project faces a pristine natural reserve. The intention of the architects was to use the house as a frame for the views towards the natural reserve. The design started with a single monolithic box. The north façade is open and transparent. The owners wanted a house with a “modern” feel but the architects understood the importance of the context in a traditional village. For this reason, they decide to use a double façade system for the side of the house that is facing the street. The concrete wall is cover by a traditional clay brick wall. This side is closed and introvert as if trying to mix with the houses surrounding the project.

Part a

drawings plans scale 1:100

ground floor

first floor

Part a

second floor

drawings elevations 1:100

north elevation

east elevation

Part a

South elevation

drawings sections scale 1:100

north elevation

east elevation

Part a

South elevation

building structure structural plan

ground floor

first floor

Part a

second floor

building structure exploded axonometry

6 2

7 3

8 5

1. Steel beams 2. Concrete floor (2nd) 3. Concrete floor (1st) 4. Concrete foundation

5. East side concrete bricks wall 6. Steel columns 7. West side concrete bricks wall 8. Clay brick facade

Part a

the detail

The idea of the architects was to frame the window without showing the gutter. For this reason, they used a double layer facade. In between this layers, the pipe and the gutter are hidden. From the outside, one can only see the play of bricks with different tonalities and the white window frame that compose the facade, Creating a simple, but elegant element.

Part a

the detail axonometric view

Part a

the detail axonometric view

Part a

the detail exploded axonometry

8 1 2 3

5 10

11 6

1. Aluminium joint 2. Aluminium gutter 3. PVC pipe ø 100mm 4. Clay bricks 100 x 200 x 50 5. PVC clamp 6. Steel support

7. Aluminium window frame 8. Wood window sill 9. Rockwool insulation 8 cm 10. Concrete blocks 11. Dry wall

Part a

detail 1:10

Part a

detail AA’ 1:5

1 12

4 5

15 6 7

8 17

18 10 19 11

1. Dry wall

13. Steel plate connecting insulation and dry

2. Rockwool insulation 50mm

wall

3. Air gap 10mm

14. Waterproofing bituminous sheet

4. Concrete blocks

15. Aluminium window mortar between

5. Mortar between concrete blocks

bricks

6. Plywood

16. Canal between window and external wall

7. PVC water pipe 60mm

17. Aluminium plate connected to dry wall

8. Drain trap

18. Bricks 200x50mm

9. Aluminium plate connected to dry wall

19. Mortar between bricks

AA'

10&11. Bricks 210x100mm 12. Plywood

DD' B

BB'

CC'

Part a AA'

detail BB’ 1:5

11 12 4

13 14

16 17

1. Bricks 200x50mm

10. Aluminium window frame

2. Mortar between bricks

11. Mahogany wood

3. Aluminium gutter connected to dry wall

12. Steel plate connecting insulation and dry wall

4. Drain trap

13. Dry wall

5. PVC water pipe 100mm

14. Rockwool insulation 50mm

6. Bricks 200x50mm

15. Waterproofing bituminous sheet

7. 5mm steel rods connecting walls

16. Air gap 10mm

8. Aluminium joint

17. Concrete blocks

9. Mahogany wood

18. Mortar between concrete blocks

BB'

DD' B

BB'

CC'

Part a AA'

detail CC’ 1:5

3 12 4 13 5 6

7 15

1. Dry wall

10. Bricks 200x50mm

2. Rockwell insulation 50mm

11. Mortar between bricks

3. Waterproofing bituminous sheet

12. PVC water pipe 100mm

4. Air gap 10mm

13. Aluminum gutter

5. Concrete blocks

14. Bricks 200x50mm

6. PVC clamps fitting the pipe

15. 5mm steel rods connecting walls

7. Aluminium Gutter

16. Bricks 200x50mm

cc'

8. Plywood 9. 5mm steel rods connecting walls DD' B

BB'

CC'

Part a AA'

detail DD’ 1:5

3 4 12

5 6

7 14 8 9

DD'

1. Bricks 200x100mm

8. Rockwell insulation 50mm

2. Bricks 200x100mm

9. Dry wall

3. PVC water pipe 100mm

10. Mortar between bricks

4. 10mm Plywood

11. Bricks 210x50mm

5. Concrete blocks

12. Aluminium window frame

6. Air gap

13. Plywood

7. Waterproofing bituminous sheet

14. Steel plate connecting insulation and dry wall

DD' B

BB'

CC'

Part a AA'

the detail components

Clay Bricks

Concrete Block

A brick is a building material used to make different building elements in masonry construction. Traditionally a brick can be composed of clay-bearing soil, sand, and lime, or concrete materials. Bricks are produced in numerous classes, types, materials, and sizes which vary with region and time period, and are produced in bulk quantities. Bricks can be structural or non structural basic and fired non-fired bricks. For this case, fired clay – bearing soil bricks were used.

The use of block-work allows structures to be built in the traditional masonry style with layers (or courses) of staggered blocks. Concrete blocks may be produced with hollow centers (cores) to reduce weight or improve insulation. Blocks come in modular sizes, with the most popular typically referred to (by their thickness) as “4-inch”, “6-inch”, “8-inch”, and “12-inch”. In the US, CMU blocks are nominally 16 in (410 mm) wide and 8 in (200 mm) long. Their actual dimensions are their nominal dimensions, minus ø in any direction (to allow for mortar joints regardless of their orientation as laid).[5] In Ireland and the UK, blocks are usually 440 mm × 215 mm × 100 mm (17.3 in × 8.5 in × 3.9 in) excluding mortar joints. In Australia, New Zealand and Canada, blocks are usually 390 mm × 190 mm × 190 mm (15.4 in × 7.5 in × 7.5 in) excluding mortar joints. Concrete blocks are made from cast concrete.

Part a

the detail components

Aluminium Gutter

Window Frame

Aluminium gutter are used because of their durability. Aluminium resistance to not rust or corrode under normal use. It can also be painted in a range of colours. On top of this aluminium gutters are very light and therefore require no special support structures.

Aluminium is a material appreciated for its elegance and frequently used in making frames. Known for its strength, lightness and strength is an extremely durable material. The aluminium fixtures resist well to atmospheric agents and do not require constant maintenance or specific treatments. The aluminium windows and doors help to increase the capacity for thermal and acoustic insulation from the outside; this thanks to special treatments carried out during production such as thermal cutting technology that guarantees exceptional performance and protects from heat in summer and from cold in winter

Part a

the detail construction process

Step I

Step II

Step III

Assemble the interior wall : dry wall, insulation, cement brick wall, waterproof barrier and the exterior drywall sheeting.

Join the wall with the aluminium gutter, window sill and the window frame.

Screw the pvc pipe with the exterior drywall sheeting and link it together with the steel canal.

Part a

the detail construction process

Step IV

Step V

Assemble the interior wall with the external bricks using a steel support plate.

The corner detail is complete.

Part a

Part B

design concept

After doing an analysis of the house located in Meerkerk, where two views are clearly shown. The first one, a modern idea of the house with a great view of a natural reserve and the second one, a conservative need to keep the house inside a religious context. We decided that our main gold was to make the new design as similar as possible to the original one. For that reason and taking into account the circular building concept we maintained the architectural idea intact and only changed the original concrete walls for X lam panels, the facade clay bricks for clay bricks with dry joints, and finally kept the same roof made from bolted steel profiles.

Part b

building structure

6 2

7 3

8 5

1. Laminated timber beams 2. X-lam floor (2nd) 3. X - lam floor (1st) 4. Concrete foundation

5. East side X - lam wall 6. Laminated timber columns 7. West side X - lam wall 8. Dry connection brick facade

Part b

the detail

In order to make the new design as similar as possible to the old one we chose the bricks as the key elements of our detail. Taking into account that circular architecture was a must in the assignment, and traditional bricks are usually not re-usable, we decided to develop a special system with a dry joint that allow us to take the bricks apart and re-use them. From this point on, we agreed on a series of materials that would complement the bricks but also that would respect the idea of circular architecture, such as wood and bolted steel. Because of the time and money constrains we decided to use gypsum for prototyping our bricks, even though we were aware the “real“ brick will be in clay.

Part b

the detail axonometric view

Part b

the detail axonometric view

Part b

the detail exploded view

2 3 13 4 14

5 6 7 1. PVC pipe 100mm 2. Steel roots 3. PVC clamp 4. Bricks 200x100mm - type C 5. Steel plate 6. Bricks 200 x 100mm - type C 7. Bricks 100 x 100mm - type A

8. Bricks 200x100mm - type B 9. Aluminium window frame 10. Plywood window sill 11. Aluminium gutter 12. X- lam wall 1.400 mm 13. Rockwool insulation 100mm 14.Drywall

Part b

Detail 1:10

Part b

Detail AA’ 1:5

12 2 3 13

4 5 6

7 15

18 10

1. Xlam wall 140mm

12. C section steel plate connecting insula-

2. Rockwool insulation 50mm

tion and xlam

3. Waterproofing bituminous sheet

13. Aluminium window frame

4. Air gap 10mm

14. Aluminium Gutter

5. Plywood 10mm

15. Aluminium joint connected to dry wall

6. PVC water pipe 100 mm

16. 8mm steel rods connecting horizontal

7. Drain trap

bricks

8. 5mm steel rods connecting walls

17. Gypsum bricks 200x100mm

9. Gypsum dry connections bricks 200x100mm

18. Steel plate connecting bricks

10. 8mm steel rods connecting vertical bricks 11. Plywood window sill

Part b

AA'

Detail BB’ 1:5 1

19 10 20

1. 8mm steel rods connecting vertical bricks

12. Plywood

2. Gypsum bricks 200x100mm

13. Aluminium window frame

3. Aluminium joint

14. Screw joining window and wall

4. Aluminium gutter

15. Xlam 140mm

5. Aluminium gutter between window and external

16. C section steel plate connecting insulation

wall

and xlam

6. 8mm steel rods connecting horizontal bricks

17. Rockwool insulation 50mm

7. Drain trap

18. Waterproofing bituminous sheet

8. PVC water pipe 100 mm

19. Air gap 10mm

9. Gypsum dry connection bricks 100x100mm

20. 10mm plywood

10. 5mm steel rods connecting walls 11. Aluminium joint

Part b

BB'

Detail CC’ 1:5 7

2 3 9 4 10

12 6

1. Xlam wall 140mm

8. Gypsum bricks 200x100mm

2. Rockwool insulation 50mm

9. PVC water pipe 100mm

3. Waterproofing bituminous sheet

10. Steel plate connecting bricks

4. Air gap 10mm

11. 8mm steel rods connecting horizontal

5. Pvc clamps fitting the pipe

bricks

6. Plywood 10mm

12. 5mm steel rods connecting walls

CC'

7. 8mm steel rods connecting vertical bricks 13. Gypsum clip bricks 100x100mm

Part b

Detail DD’ 1:5

10 1 11 2 3

4 5 6

7 8

13 14

1. Gypsum dry connection bricks

10. 8mm steel rods connecting horizontal

2. 8mm steel rods connecting horizontal

bricks

11. Gypsum Bricks 200x100mm

3. 5mm steel rods connecting walls

12. Aluminium window frame

4. PVC water pipe 100mm

13. Screw joining window and wall

5. 10mm Plywood

14. Steel plate connecting insulation and dry

6. Air gap

wall

7. Waterproofing bituminous sheet

15. Plywood

8. Rockwool insulation 50mm 9. Xlam wall 140mm

Part b

DD'

the detail components

DRY CONNECTION BRICKS

XLAM

In order to reduce the use of building materials, a dry connection brick system was designed. The system consists of individually gypsum units that are connected to one another and the substrate by means of stainless-steel clips and wall anchors. The clips are specifically designed so that the individual elements are held together. No mortar is used, with no mortar required no water is needed and per square meter laid, less materials are being used in the construction. Recycling is an important part of the redesign. Where the traditional bricks are re-used as aggregate for road building and concrete manufacture, the system can be completely re-used. The waste is limited to a very small percentage of broken or damaged bricks

XLAM panels are prefabricated panels composed of wooden slats and are crossed and glued together using only glue without formaldehyde. XLAM panels are used in the construction of load-bearing elements of a building such as walls and floors. Usually the production is “on project” and the material is supplied directly on site in preformed panels, shaped, numbered and ready to be assembled. They have the merit of associating the bearing property of laminated wood with the two-dimensionality and solidity of the plywood. The structures realized in this way also have characteristics of environmental sustainability expressed in terms of energy saving, seismic resistance and fire resistance.

Part b

construction process homemade bricks

Step I

Step II

Step III

Five different types of plywood molds are made. The shapes of those are designed by us in order to have dry connections between them. No mortar has been used. The plywood is the ideal type of wood for doing the molds thanks to it properties.

Five different shapes of bricks are made. The bricks are made out of gypsum. This material has been chosen because the bricks are prototypes.

In order to have the dry connections. The bricks are connected with four steel rods and steel plates.

Part b

the detail construction process

Step IV

Step V

Step VI

The twenty bricks are all connected with the steel supports.

Once the external brick wall is done the steel gutter is added.

As sixth step the x-lam wall with the insulation and the exterior drywall sheeting are connected with the brick wall.

Part b

construction process

Step VII

Step VIII

Step IV

The aluminium window frame and the windowsill are placed.

The pvc pipe is screw to the exterior drywall sheeting and connected to the gutter.

The detail is complete.

Part b

construction process Step I

Fig. 5

Fig. 7*

Fig. 9

Fig. 6*

Fig. 8*

Fig. 10

* Fig. 6: the molds were assembled using only nails. No glue was used in the whole process.

Part b

* Fig. 7,8: to create the gap for the dry connection system, we fist tried to used plexiglas strips, but after the first try failed we decided to do it by hand using a saw.

construction process step II

Fig. 11

Fig. 13

Fig. 15

Fig. 12

Fig. 14*

Fig. 16*

* Fig. 14: first trial. The mixture was too dense and the bricks didn’t achieve the shape correctly,

Part b

* Fig. 16: the difference tonalities in the bricks are the results of a different amount of pigments used in each gypsum mixture. We tried to achieve the same tonalities but the results were not as expected.

construction process step III

Fig. 17*

Fig. 19*

Fig. 21

Fig. 18*

Fig. 20*

Fig. 22

* Fig. 17, 18, 19, 20: sequence for building the brick wall using the steel supports.

Part b

construction process

step V-VI

step IV

step VII-VIII

Fig. 23*

Fig. 25

Fig. 27

Fig. 24

Fig. 26

Fig. 28

* Fig. 23: the wooden stick used in the first trial to join the vertical bricks failed. Those were replace with steel rods, to give more stability.

Part b

construction process Final model: step IV

Fig. 29

Fig. 31

Fig. 33

Fig. 30

Fig. 32

Fig. 34

Part b

Reference: Image: Fig. 1, 2, 3, 4: RV Architectuur. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.rvarchitectuur.nl/ Text: Tapia, D. (2017, July 06). House in Meerkerk / Ruud Visser Architecten. Retrieved from https://www.archdaily.com/875160/house-in-meerkerk-ruud-visser-architecten