Rumoer 70: XXV | Bout | Tu Delft

1994

2019

EXPERIENCE ENGINEERS WHO ARE WE

WANTED!

WHO ARE YOU You can not wait to finally apply your knowledge from your studies in practice. Someone who likes to contribute to the future of the built environment. As an experience engineer you and your team ensure that buildings are safe, comfortable and future-proof for the end user. We think it is important that everyone works from his own strength, from young to old. Personal development is therefore just as central as your professional knowledge. Are you ready to grow? Call, email or even better ... just drop by for a cup of coffee to discuss the possibilities.

We are DPA Cauberg-Huygen.

Our 120 engineers join forces every day and work together with our customers on the challenges of tomorrow. We are a distinctive engineering firm that looks just a little differently against the challenges we face as a society. Challenges such as climate change, depletion of raw materials, sustainability, digitization, aging society and urbanization have an impact. Impact on how we feel, move and manifest. On how we experience the world around us.

PARAMETRISCH ONTWERP LUCHTKWALITEIT COMFORT BOUWFYSICA BRANDVEILIGHEID

CIRCULARITEIT

TRILLINGEN

MILIEU

ENERGIE

DUURZAAMHEID BOUWSCHADE

AKOESTIEK the box

www.dpa.nl/ch 06 83163609

RUMOER 70 - XXV 2nd Quarter 2019 25th year of publication Praktijkvereniging BouT Room 02.West.090 Faculty of Architecture, TU Delft Julianalaan 134 2628 BL Delft The Netherlands tel: +31 (0)15 278 1292 fax: +31 (0)15 278 4178 www.praktijkverenigingbout.nl rumoer@praktijkverenigingbout.nl instagram: @bout_tud Printing www.druktanheck.nl ISSN number 1567-7699

Credits Edited by: Valeria Piccioni Article editing: Erron Estrado

Javier Montemayor

Prateek Wahi

Tania Cortes Vargas

Valeria Piccioni

Yarai Zenteno

RUMOER is the official periodical of Praktijkvereniging BouT, student and practice association for Building Technology (AE+T), at the Faculty of Architecture, TU Delft (Delft University of Technology).

This magazine is spread among members and relations.

Circulation: The RUMOER appears 3 times a year, with more than 150 printed copies and digital copies made available to members through online distribution.

Membership Amounts per academic year (subject to change): € 10,- Students € 30,- PhD Students and alumni € 30,- Academic Staff Single copies: Available at Bouw Shop (BK) for 5€.

Sponsors Praktijkvereniging BouT is looking for sponsors. Sponsors make activities possible such as study trips, symposia, case studies, advertisements on Rumoer, lectures and much more.

For more info contact BouT: info@praktijkverenigingbout.nl If you are interested in BouT’s sponsor packages, send an e-mail to: finances@praktijkverenigingBouT.nl Disclaimer The editors do not take any responsibility for the photos and texts that are displayed in the magazine. Images may not be used in other media without permission of the original owner. The editors reserve the right to shorten or refuse publication without prior notification.

Interested to join?

The Rumoer Committee is open to all students. Are you a creative student that wants to learn first about the latest achievements of TU Delft and Building Technology industry?

Come join us at our weekly meeting or email us @ rumoer@praktijkverenigingbout.nl

2

transformed from the space frames and glass specializations into an internationally working specialized design & build firm for facades and roofs, see fig. 16, 17 and 18.

CONTENT Some examples of recent design & build projects by Octatube:

RuMoer 70 | XXV

BouT

BT Alumni: Facade Design

THE STORY OF RUMOER

NEXT ACTIVE FACADE

page 22

page 34

Valeria Piccioni

Harshad Shitole

BT Alumni: PhD in Structural Glass

Rumoer article febr 2019 Mick Eekhout

THE CRYSTAL HOUSES AND RE3 GLASS

Company

DESIGN & BUILD INNOVATIONS

BY MAKER STUDENTS

Faidra Oikonomopoulou page 38

Mick Eekhout page 6

1992 1991

2008 1994

2013 2012

Academic

Interview

THE MAKING OF ARCHITECTURE

THE MAKING OF BUCKY LAB

Jan Brouwer page 16

Marcel Bilow, Prateek Wahi, Yarai Zenteno, Javier Montemeyor page 28

Interview

SHAPING OF THE BT PROGRAMME Peter Teeuw, Javier Montemeyor page 44

3

BT Alumni: Design Informatics

PARAMETRIC DESIGN Jamal van Kastel page 60

BT Alumni: PhD in Building Product Innovation

BT Alumni: Climate Design

BouT

FACADES AS A SERVICE

THERMAL MORPHOLOGY

ROBOUWTICS

page 48

page 66

page 80

Juan Azcarate-Aguerre

Eve Farrugia

2018

2016 2014

Sofia Mori

2018

2019

Company

BUILDING INNOVATION FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE Tim Jonathan page 54

Interview

THE PROCESS OF INNOVATION

Paul Kalkhoven, Tania Cortes, Valeria Piccioni page 72

RuMoer 70 | XXV

4

Editorial Dear reader, I am happy to present the 70th publication of RuMoer. This is the last issue elaborated under my lead as soon the next editor-in-chief and editorial team will take over. I am sure they will keep following the path of innovation that we have started together with great enthusiasm.

This publication X X V celebrates the 25th anniversary of BouT Study Association. In this regard, this issue focuses not only on BouT but also on the Building Technology Master as a whole. With the aim of tracing back the history of the programme and what led to its founding, this issue gathers the experience of the people who played in big role in its development throughout the years. This edition also wants to show the impact and potential that MSc BT can offer to prospective and current students by highlighting the experience and accomplishments of BT graduates.

To do this, we conceived the whole issue as a history book. The content is arranged following the

Rumoer committee 2018-2019

BT timeline, where the most significant events for the master’s programme, BouT study association and RuMoer are highlighted, providing an overview of what has been accomplished and suggesting directions for future development.

I hope you enjoy reading.

Valeria Piccioni Editor-in-chief RuMoer 2018-2019

BouT Board 2018/19 says goodbye!

As Q4 is approaching, it is time to pass the baton to a new BouT Board. Last year has been amazing for us and being part of BouT has been a valuable experience, leading to personal and professional enrichment. We are happy to have contributed to the growth of the study association and would like to thank all the committees for their exceptional

work and commitment. We have been looking for motivated students that are passionate about BT and willing to add to BouT’s legacy as the new board.

The 2019-2020 BouT Board will be officially announced on April 26th and the celebration will take place at BouwPub. Save the date!

Board and commitee members of BouT 2018-2019

BouT

5

RuMoer 70 | XXV

6 Fig.7: Moda in Casa glass faรงade in Mexico City, earthquake resistant.

Figure 1: Student mock-up from the Prototype Laboratory

7

by Maker Students

BT Company

Design & Build Innovations

By Mick Eeckhout

1

“These students embody spirit, intelligence, ingenuity, organisation, and much fun in their life time. They

are ‘The golden eggs of Delft.’ A promise for the future of Delft, the Netherlands, and internationally for ‘Making of Technology.”

Jan Brouwer was the professor at the faculty of Architecture who took the initiative to found the department of Building Technology. As a practicing architect with intense networks in The Hague, he was accustomed to taking initiatives and developing them.

In the introduction of an entirely new set up of the faculty of architecture, after a former negative report about the two faculties in Delft and Eindhoven, he took this initiative for Building Technology. Two years earlier architect Joop van Stigt had been appointed as a professor of Renovation & Restoration. In 1988 Jan Brouwer and Mick Eekhout had already founded with other friends ‘Booosting’, which is an association of architects, industrial designers and producers who wanted to industrialize the building sector more.

Booosting celebrated its 30th anniversary recently.

Jan Brouwer has designed in his life what architecture critics would call ‘High Tech Architecture’. His High Tech office façades were especially well known, made often of glass fiber reinforced polyester with parallel ribs and windows with rounded corners.

His adage was ‘The Making of Architecture’ (Figure 2). He became a father figure for the new generation of Building Technology students. His strength as

Figure 2. Jan Brouwer architectuur: LEEP CENTER, general electric, Bergen op Zoom (polycarbonate panels)

the professor of ‘Building Technical Integration & Coordination’ was bridging the gap between architecture and building technology, between dreams and reality, but reality with a bright horizon.

As the faculty director of education he reformed later the teaching process for students. Around 2000 he also was chairman of the Dutch Architects Rumoer article febr 2019 Mick Eekhout

Mick Eekhout is appointed professor for ‘Product Development’

1991

RuMoer 70 | XXV

8 Association. All these activities while he also had a busy office in The Hague, later in Delft. He retired in 2000 and kept his contact with Bout students for many years after.

In 1991 Mick Eekhout, a Delft architect, component designer, structural designer and design & build contractor for projects worldwide, was appointed as the professor for ‘Product Development’. He was well known from his projects at Octatube, daring building technical innovations in space frames and graduated as a PhD on his portfolio in 1989, ‘Architecture in Space Structures’ (Figure 3). Together with Joop van Stigt the new study program of building technology was set up. Jan Brouwer more directed towards the students, Mick Eekhout more directed towards research & development.

Mick Eekhout had in Octatube an internationally acting

design & build company for space structures. He

worked in his student years at the offices of Frei Otto in Stuttgart (Olympic Games Cablenet Roof in Munich 1972) and at Renzo Piano’s office in Genova. Both architects approached their designs with many models, scale models and detail models. That would inspire

him ever since, almost 50 years long. After starting as an architect, he started making designs of membrane structures. However, he did not find a building company able to produce these designs so he started to make these designs himself. Cutting and welding stretched membranes (like sails), making the steel masts and a cable components, erecting them on site, pre-stressing them up to the point that no wrinkles were visible: this way the membrane was perfectly stretched (Figure 4).

This attitude of design & build gave much more responsibilities and liabilities than design only or design and engineering. Since the influence of one’s decision is larger, this approach gives a bit more power and is also much more rewarding. Initially he restricted himself to membrane structures and space frames, which is only a small niche in the building market. Through his frequent 3 publications, he was asked in different countries to build space structures and glass structures, often clad with glass panels (Figure 5).

Later, the space frames evolved from flat roofs to cylindrical and dome-like forms, elegantly cladded with

4

in Munich 1972) and at Renzo piano’s office in Genova. Both architects approached their designs

Rumoer article febr 2019 Mick Eekhout

Figure 3. Architecture in Space Structures, dissertation by Mick Eekhout

Figure 4. Stretched membrane structure for the Royal Palace, where HM Queen Beatrix would receive the new ambassadors

Rumoer article febr 2019 Mick Eekhout

Figure 5. Glass Design Innovations in Architecture, Mick Eeckhout

5

7

frames clad with glass, the glass proved more of a problem or challenge than the metal structures itself. The last chapter of his dissertation was about the future of glass claddings, and, indeed,

9 BT Company

with many

Figure 6. Interior of the rebuilt Glass Hall in het Loc Hall of Tilburg

glass. The glass proved more of a problem or challenge than the metal structures itself. The last chapter of his dissertation was about the future of glass claddings, and, indeed, foretold the future of Octatube. In 1990 the Glass Music Hall in the exchange of Berlage, Amsterdam, was realized after his structural design in collaboration with architect Pieter Zaanen. It was the first structural glass experiment in the Netherlands, inspired by the glass facades of Peter Rice in La Villette, Paris, 1986,

but executed at half the price per square meter. The glass panels were suspended and stressed in tension and the connection details were provided with sand paper to heighten the friction in the pre-stressed bolted connections. In January 2019 the glass Hall, demounted and remounted in Tilburg at the LocHal, was inaugurated as a symbol of circular building (Figure 6).

Rumoer article febr 2019 Mick Eekhout

Quattro spider-like connectors were invented, developed and employed. Many more projects were made. Double glass connectors were developed with only bolted connections to the inner blades and silicone sealed connections to the outer blade for the Netherlands Architecture Institute [NAI] of Rotterdam in 1995 with

1995 The Prototype Laboratory is established

foretold the future of Octatube. In 1990 the Glass Music Hall in the exchange of Berlage, Amsterdam, Figure 7. Moda in Casa glass façade in Mexico City, earthquake resistant was realized after his structural design in collaboration with architect Pieter Zaanen. It was the first structural glass experiment in the Netherlands, inspired by the glass facades of Peter Rice in La Villette, Paris, 1986, but executed at half the m2 price. The glass panels were suspended and stressed in tension. The connection details were provided with sand paper to heighten the friction in the prestressed bolted connections. In January 2019 the glass Hall, demounted and remounted in Tilburg at the LocHall, was inaugurated as a symbol of circular building. See fig. 5 and 6.

architect Jo Coenen. Glued connections on the inside of double glass panels were seriously made for roofs in 1995 Quattro spider-like connectors were invented, developed and employed. Many more projects were and for facades in 1997. Quattro glass facades and roofs made. Double glass connectors were developed with only bolted connections to the inner blades and became very popular as ‘frame-less glazing’. In 1995 silicone sealed connections to the outer blade for the Netherlands Architecture Institute [NAi] of Rotterdam in 1995 with architect Jo Coenen. Glued connections on the inside of double glass panels also an earthquake resistant system, ‘Quattro SR’ was were seriously made for roofs in 1995 and for facades in 1997. Quattro glass facades and roofs became very popular as ‘frameless glazing’. In 1995 also an earthquake resistant system, ‘Quattro developed for Japan and applied in projects. Even a few SR’ was developed for Japan and applied in projects. Even a few years after the big quake of 1985 in years after the big quake of 1985 in Mexico City a frameMexico City a frameless Quattro façade was built in that city, see fig. 7. less Quattro façade was built in that city (Figure 7).

Rumoer article febr 2019 Mick Eekhout

The spirit of his design & build attitude was taken over to the faculty of Architecture in 1995 when he managed to initiate the Prototype Laboratory. In this lab students learned to make working drawings up to the very detail, but also learned how to machine and weld metal components and to build their own prototype design as a mock-up. Usually it was a façade mock up. But also a 4-storey tower was made by a group of students, consisting of a steel level, a timber level, an aluminum level and a GRP level on top. The purpose of the tower was for two students to drink a glass of champagne at the top. So it had to include stairs. All four levels had to be connected properly. The issue of tolerances became a critical factor. Other groups made a full glass dome of

10

10 RuMoer 70 | XXV

6mm fully tempered glass without a structural frame with PhD student Jan Wurm (Figure 1).

Many students claim that after having run through the prototype study module they discovered that aside from drawing or computer aided design also material design matters and detailing even more. Some of them even claim that “They saw the light”, the reason to study architecture and to make architecture themselves. The prototype study module was usually a semester long. Peter van Swieten was the supervisor of the Prototype Laboratory that had five different locations since 1995 and is now in the capable hands of Dr. Marcel Bilow in his ‘Bucky Lab’, as it is called nowadays. One a of the most astonishing facts resulting for the prototype laboratory was a young female blond-haired student who had learned to weld, travelled to the Islamic republic of Tajikistan and produced a brick pressing machine for the local people.

Fig. 9: The white prototype of the Maison d’ Artiste reconstructed and built by students 2004/2008

Figure 8. The white prototype of the Maison d’ Artiste reconstructed and built by students between 2004/2008

Many of the Delft Building Technology students have the wish of the ‘making architecture’

themselves. Some of them even followed Mick Eekhout in making an independent company after their own graduation design. Example is Pieter Stoutjesdijk who started a firm ‘TheNewMakers’ in Delft, see fig. 11.

9

Rumoer article febr 2019 Mick Eekhout

Fig 10: The fully coloured Maison d’Artiste Prototype with the reconstructed colour composition in the courtyard of the Burgerweeshuis of Aldo van Eijck in Amsterdam, headquarters of Bouwfonds Project Developments [BPD] 2018/2019

Figure 9. The fully coloured Maison d’Artiste Prototype in the courtyard of the Burgerweeshuis of Aldo van Eijck in Amsterdam, headquarters of Bouwfonds Project Developments 2018/2019

Another highpoint of the Prototype Lab was the reconstruction of the Maison d’ Artiste, designed in 1923

by Theo van Doesburg and Cor van Eesteren (De Stijl movement). This was to be reconstructed from flat black and white photographs in the original geometry and the original red-yellow-blue colours, in a large scale model (1 :5 scale, 4 x 4 x 4 m) of the prototype (Figure 8). All this was done by 2nd to 4th year students and it proved the value of design & build approach of the Prototype Laboratory. At the time of retirement of Mick Eekhout as a professor in 2015, more than 1.000 students had followed this design & build prototype study module.

The Maison d’ Artiste Prototype currently is exhibited on the courtyard of the famous former ‘Burgerweeshuis’ or orphanage of Aldo van Eijck in Amsterdam, headquarters of ‘Bouwfonds Property Development’, BDP (Figure 9).

The idea is to bring the prototype model in 2023 to Paris in an international exhibition, after 100 years after its original design.

Many of the Delft Building Technology students have the wish of the ‘making architecture’ themselves.

Some of them even followed Mick Eekhout in making

11

11

Fig. 11. Timber building as interior system designed, developed and produced by TheNewMakers

an independent company after their own graduation design. Following this approach, Pieter Stoutjesdijk started a firm, ‘TheNewMakers’, in Delft (Figure 10). The current digitized generation of architecture and building technology students (even now the department has been called Architectural Engineering Technology), that is used to digital design, have the inspiration for making material prototypes.

Figure 10. Timber building as interior system designed,

The current digitized generation of architecture and building technology students (even now the developed and produced by TheNewMakers department has been called ‘Architectural Engineering Technology’ [AET], that is used to digital design, has the inspiration for making material prototypes.

12

It is supported by other students of TU Delft who take a leave from their study program of one year to design & build special vehicles, like the solar cars [‘Nuon Cars’], through which in 8 of 9 successive years Delft students became world champion in the solar speed races in Australia and South Africa, see fig. 12.

It is supported by other students of TU Delft who take a leave from their study program of one year to design & build special vehicles, like the solar cars, the so called Nuon Cars, through which in 8 of 9 successive years Delft students became world champion in the solar speed races in Australia and South Africa (Figure 11). These students embody spirit, intelligence, ingenuity, organisation, and much fun in their life time. They are ‘The golden eggs of Delft.’ A promise for the future of Delft, the Netherlands, and internationally for ‘Making of Technology’.

In 2008, at the start of the building recession a small research group in the chair of Mick Eekhout developed an energy-positive prototype apartment, called the ‘Concept

13

Rumoer article febr 2019 Mick Eekhout

Fig 12: A number of the Nuon Cars where a group of students work integrally to win a speed price.

Figure 11. A number of the Nuon Cars developed by a group of students

to win a speed price.

Rumoer article febr 2019 Mick Eekhout

Figure 12.

Concept House Prototype developed and realised as a external reThese students keep spirit, smartness, ingenuity, organization and much fun a life time enthusiastic.

They are ‘The golden eggs of Delft’, promise for the future for Delft, the Netherlands and search project with 40 companies internationally for ‘Making of Technology’.

In 2008, the start of the building recession a small research group in the chair of Mick Eekhout developed an energy-positive prototype apartment, called the ‘Concept House Prototype’ designed to be a part of a multi-storey building, supported by 40 industries, see fig. 13. The full size prototype was built in 2012 at the Concept House Village, an experimental laboratory field in Heyplaat, Rotterdam.

Fig. 13: Concept House Prototype developed and realised as a external research project with 40 companies; I was functioning 5 years after inauguration and was demolished by the TU Delft, although a proper quotation to take the Prototype over with all rights and duties was on the table. A low point in circular building at TU Delft. All components were destroyed.

BT Company

12 RuMoer 70 | XXV

14

House Prototype’ designed to be a part of a multi-storey building, supported by 40 industries (Figure 12).

The full size prototype was built in 2012 at the Concept House Village, an experimental laboratory field in Heyplaat, Rotterdam. It had served for 5 years as a transformed from the space frames and glass specializations into an internationally working laboratory for the faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, specialized design & build firm for facades and roofs, see fig. 16, 17 and 18. when it was purposely destroyed by the TU, although Mick Eekhout had a complete offer to take the prototype Some examples of recent design & build projects by Octatube: over, including all rights and duties, and transform it to an innovative ‘Aquahouse’ in Arnheim.

Figure 13.

Design proposal of an energy positive concept tower based on the It served for 5 years as a laboratory for the faculty of Industrial Design Engineering [IDE], after which

is was purposely destroyed by the TU, although Mick Eekhout had a complete offer to take the Concept House Principles. prototype over, including all rights and duties, and transform it to an innovative ‘Aquahouse’ in Arnheim. But progress is never made without headwind, even if unexpected and incomprehensible in this era of circular building and sustainability. Mick Eekhout is designing as the architect a 40 m tower with 70 apartments in Delft, energy positive, as an application of the Concept House Prototype, see fig. 14.

Fig 14. Design proposal of an energy positive concept tower based on the Concept House Principles.

Rumoer article febr 2019 Mick Eekhout

Rumoer article febr 2019 Mick Eekhout

2014 Markthal, Rotterdam (MVRDV)

But progress is never made without headwind, even if unexpected and incomprehensible in this era of circular building and sustainability. Mick Eekhout is designing, as the architect, a 40m high energy positive tower with 70 apartments in Delft, as an application of the Concept House Prototype (Figure 13).

15

15

13

Figure 14. Supply chain of maker students to young companies related to

(former) students at TU Delft

Currently Mick Eekhout is the chairman of the ‘Economic Platform Delft’, in the golden triangle of Delft City, TU Delft and Business representing the companies to stimulate the ecosystem and stimulating new jobs made

by StartUps and NextUps of the TU Delft (Figure 14). Like he had been himself when he started his company on his graduation design of the Octatube space frame system in 1983. The company has now more than 110 people, with many young engineers from the TU Delft Architecture and Building Technology departments. The company is now under leadership of his son Nils Jan Eekhout, also a building technology graduate. It has been transformed from the space frames and glass specializations into an internationally working specialized design & build firm for facades and roofs. On the next pages some examples of recent design & build projects by Octatube are presented.

17

Rumoer article febr 2019 Mick Eekhout

Rumoer article febr 2019 Mick Eekhout

transformed from the space frames and glass specializations into an internationally working specialized design & build firm for facades and roofs, see fig. 16, 17 and 18.

Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Kurokawa & van Heeswijk) 2015 Some examples of recent design & build projects by Octatube:

BT Company

RuMoer 70 | XXV

14

Like he had been himself when he started his Octatube company on his graduation design of the Octatube space frame system in 1983. The company has now more than 110 people, with many young engineers from the TU Delft Architecture and Building Technology departments. The company 2017 London Business School, London (Sheppard Robson) is now under leadership of his son Nils Jan Eekhout, also a building technology graduate. Is has been

15

REALIZING CHALLENGING ARCHITECTURE Check out our latest projects and jobopportunities at www.octatube.nl!

RuMoer 70 | XXV

16

The Making of Architecture

By Jan Brouwer

“Any artistic architectural idea is worthless, even ridiculous, if it cannot be expressed within the regular building process” - Herzog & de Meuron, 1993.

Two words stand out in the above heading: ‘Making’ and ‘Architecture’. In principle, architecture means creating space on the basis of programme and context. Putting it into these words also clarifies that

the materialisation is as influential as determining the space itself. However, the great aesthetic diversity across buildings and cities shows that the designer’s personal influence is important.

Figure 1. Waste “Cathedrale” in The Hague ( Jan Brouwer, architect). The whole building easy to disassemble with a wrench and a screwdriver.

1992

The Bulding Technology master’s programme is established

BT Academic

17

Cultural tradition has also had a consistently big impact on construction methods, with the material tradition it gives rise to playing tricks on designers. On the other hand, technology is more important nowadays than ever before. Indeed, technological developments are a prerequisite for meeting modern demands. This also means that ‘space’ and ‘material’ develop alongside these technological - as well as societal - developments.

Bout When Bout was founded, 25 years ago this year, circumstances in the construction sector were very different. The final ten years of the previous century saw an increase in the application of computer technology. The traditional designing architect was manoeuvred into an increasingly difficult position. Conceptual thoughts about ‘space’ and hand drawings by the master were replaced by computer design, particularly during the materialisation stage within the process. Architectural work is a design process that, starting with functional, spatial and contextual assumptions, goes further into materialisation, constructive, physical and methodological aspects.

”

Figure 2. Details by Jean Prouvé, inspirator for architectural engineers.

“This continuity of concept, form and materialisation does not appeal to everyone, and the concepts of structure, material and detail are regularly neglected.”

This alternative working method has meant that this sequentiality has been reduced to a more integrated approach. The chair I was appointed to in 1990 was entitled: Building Structural Integration and Coordination.

Within the faculty curriculum, our sub-department made every effort to gain a new position within the sequential design process. However, this was not generally appreciated. I remember being told off by colleagues in the Architecture section about the fact that my lectures touched on architecture too. I was told in no uncertain terms that that part of the curriculum was not part of my professorial appointment. I got the impression that

RuMoer 70 | XXV

18

1964 Potteries Thinkbelt by Cedric Price. A circular building ‘avant la lettre’

BT Academic

19

Figure 3: Exploded view of F1-car.

More complicated than architecture, lots of components per m3.

they would be quite happy with design guidance merely teaching skills and knowledge around wind and water tightness. And of course the structural safety of the building was important.

Figure 4. Crate chair. Circular design by Jan Brouwer.

Two second hand vegetable crates, eight used tennis balls, two jeans of my daughter, one broomstick.

However, in the end we managed to turn Building Technology into a fully-fledged degree course specialisation. My mission was for graduates to be able to join the Register of Architects and build careers as architects, which was impossible at the start because the word ‘architecture’ was missing from the name of the degree specialisation. This type of issue had to be decided in Brussels on a European level. Once I had gone there to explain the Building Technology curriculum, I was told that our curriculum met the principles more successfully than the Architecture degree specialisation, but nothing could be done as the name did not meet the requirements.

methodology which was going to lead to different, better design processes. And that is exactly what happened. The architect is just one participant in the design process. Of course, their voice is important, in particular because they are at the conceptual start of the process. I have been a member of the panel of judges for the Nederlandse Bouwprijs for many years now and, as time went on, the various entries started to carry an increasingly long list of names of design team members. This year the minimum number of parties to any design process has risen to at least six per project. You will doubtlessly be aware of the media attention to changes in society. Climate change, and the measures we should be taking quickly and purposefully in order to contain global warming, are in the news on a daily basis. Windmills and solar panels are also widely covered in newspapers and magazines, while the concept of circularity is even discussed on TV.

Development However, the entire discipline was developing, and integrality as a concept became increasingly important.

We called this development ‘Collaborative Engineering’, a

Future role patterns The developments outlined above will have a great impact on the materialisation of architecture. It is a wonderful challenge for the designing parties to suggest solutions

in an integral way. The developments will also have a heavy impact on the faculty curriculum. This is a massive opportunity for building technological design courses, that will also affect the cultural character of architecture.

Architecture is not Art with a capital A and is not the outcome of the work of an artist - it is the result of a complex design process. However, in construction jargon, there is the concept of “Kunstwerken” - usually in the shape of infrastructural works such as roads, viaducts and bridges, as well as the Zeeland Delta Project and the results of the entitled Room for the River programme. In spaces on that scale too, there is room for the involvement of the architectural engineer. In short, the effect of the construction, materialisation and detail on the appearance of our built environment will be huge.

There are great opportunities for the department of Architectural Engineering and Technology here, as the degree specialisation has apparently been named.

The themes are optimistic: connecting, deepening and widening. This is without mention of changes in building methodology such as 3D printing and robotisation.

In comparison with other industrial technologies, construction technology appears to have remained relatively simple. That will also change in the future, due to the continued development of construction methodology. We will have to ensure there is a new generation of architects and engineers who have been trained to translate societal, cultural and technological changes into buildings, cities and landscapes. Let’s not forget that architecture is the art of necessity.

Conclusion Construction is in the news in different ways. There is a political and social need for more homes. In our cities in particular, new build ”airbound” homes up to 220m high are part of the solution. The circular economy is also a government effort and circular construction one of its elements. The printed media focus on the products of our star architects, showing noteworthy buildings across the world. All architecture of any significance is widely represented on the Internet, even that with none at all.

Unfortunately, on Dutch television we do not seem to get past the boring walks and confrontational style of documenting by the Van Rossem family about trends and directions in Dutch architecture. Luckily, architecture is not a suitable topic for the ‘De Wereld Draait Door’ programme. This would not be beneficial to the depth of the debate, because of the excessive speed at which topics are rushed through. However, the world continues to spin, like the design world does.

Bout has been in existence for 25 years, and the association is facing a huge task in helping to determine the future of our environment. Personally, I am still humbled by the event in 2000, when Bout’s then board offered me honorary membership of the society.

”

RuMoer 70 | XXV

20

“ The effect of the construction, materialisation and detail on the appearance of our built environment will be huge.”

Figure 5. Official BouT honorary membership certificate from 2000

2000 Prof. Jan Brouwer becomes honorary member of BouT

A 25,

1

DK

SP EC

e Mor

IA

LI ST

l, Amst n Hote Postilli o

Ble

iZo

,Z

oe

ter

me

lft

er

eg

e ,D

Sti

e

sw ltje

Ç

A

m

D

E

S

.nl

wa aldo . w ww

ob o

&j

info

s:

nitie

rtu ppo

I N

M E T A L FA

erdam

Dudok,

Rotterd

am

am

/d ms

l, R

a erd t t o

Ma

ha rkt

22 RuMoer 70 | XXV

RuMoer

a periodical for the Building Technologist

By Valeria Piccioni

“Publishing this magazine is a big step in the development for this relatively new association. The intention of this magazine is to keep teachers and students informed about what is happening inside and outside the Faculty of Architecture� - Gertrud Topper, RuMoer n. 1. June 1994 Last year BT alumnus Rutger Callenbach wrote to me.

He had been looking through Praktijkvereniging BouT website and noticed that the RuMoer Archive section was missing information about the first issues. He told me that, as member of the first BouT board, he had a complete collection of the magazine from the very first number and he was willing to donate it to the study association to start a physical archive.

Of course I was more than happy to take up his offer and in no time he came to the Faculty with a trolley carrying his RuMoer collection. It was very exciting to see how the magazine changed over time. Leafing through the issues, I could recognise names of people and companies that are still very significant and well-known in the Building Technology world.

I also got to see cutting-edge thesis and research projects, demonstrating the drive for innovation and multidisciplinarity that sill characterises the approach of the AE+T Department.

It was nice to realise that the magazine and its mission remain true to its founding principles. The members of the Rumoer committee and I have been looking through the collection and selected some issues to trace back and share with you the history of the magazine from 1994 to 2019.

1994

The first BouT board launches RuMoer and Gertrud Topper is appointed editor-in-chief

1994

25

On the occasion of2 5the 25 YEARS Y E Afirst R S O FBouT Lustrum, the layout was completely redesigned. The square format was introduced, destined to stay.

25

25

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

1999

25

23

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

25 #31 Computer Aided YEARS OF

25

25

25

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

The issue discusses the role of form-finding and digital design in architecture and building engineering. Among the themes, the design of a structurally optimised pavilion and 2a5 focus Y E A R S on O F rapid prototyping and 2 5 Y the E A R S opportunities OF offered by 3D printing in architecture.

25

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

25

25

25

25

25

25

25

YEARS OF

OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

25

25

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

25

25

25

YEARS OF

#16 Lustrum YEARS OF

25

25

25

YEARS OF

BouT

25

25

25

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

25

25

YEARS OF

2004

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

5

5

5

5

RuMoer 70 | XXV

5

24

YEARS OF

25

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

#EXTRA Berlin Trip

This special edition a recount of the BT trip to2Berlin, 5 YEARS 2 5 is YEARS OF which took place in 2002. A group of 22 students took part in a tour of Berlin’s architecture, led by Mick Eeckhout.

The issue presents Berlin as an architectural exhibition with articles about architecture and building sites visited by2the 5 Ystudents.

EARS OF 25 YEARS OF

25

OF

25

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

#SYMPOSIUM There not there 25

YEARS OF

25

25

25

25

25

25

25

YEARS OF

2004

25

25

25

25

25

25

YEARS OF

25

25

25

YEARS OF

2004

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

25

25

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

The issue is again a special edition on the Symposium about glass in architecture which took place in 2004. The 2 5 Y E A R S O contributed F 2 5 with YEARS speakers of the symposium to the issue, articles form Prof. Jan Brouwer, Ir. Freek Bos, Prof. Alan J. Brooks, Mick Eekhout, Prof. Rob Nijsse and Prof. Fred Veer. The study of the Zappi research group on innovative materials is also presented.

YEARS OF

25

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

25

25

YEARS OF

With this issue RuMoer changed language to English, 25 YEARS OF 25 YEARS OF opening itself to the increasing number of international students. The issue is about the role of innovation in the Building Technology world and introduces two new sections: the Graduate Project section and a column written by a BT Alumnus his new start-up.

2 5 Y Eabout ARS OF 25 YEARS

25

25

YEARS OF

25

OF

BouT

#43 Innovation

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

#47 Past, Present, Future 25

25

25

YEARS OF

25

25

25

25

25

25

YEARS OF

2008

YEARS OF

25

25

25

25

25

25

2009

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

25

25

25

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

25

25

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

25

25

25

YEARS OF

In this issue the layout was completely renovated in the event of the 15th BouT anniversary. Inspired by A Christmas 2 5 Y Eby A R SCharles OF 2 5 Yreflections EARS OF Carol Dickens, it contains from Jan Brouwer (BT past), Patrick Teuffel and Thijs Asselbergs (BT present) and a statement of intent from the leader of the brand new Chair of Computation and Performance, Rudi Stouffs (BT future).

YEARS OF

5

5

5

5

RuMoer 70 | XXV

5

26

YEARS OF

25

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

#57 Energy

The new cover page was introduced with a2 5brand YEARS 2 5 design YEARS OF new graphic for the magazine title. In this issue dedicated to energy management in the built environment, the Pretà -loger project from the TU Delft Solar Decathlon team 2014 is introduced to the students.

25

25

YEARS OF

25

OF

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

#60 XX 25

YEARS OF

25

25

25

25

25

25

25

YEARS OF

2014

25

25

25

25

25

25

YEARS OF

25

25

25

YEARS OF

2015

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

25

25

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

Celebrating 20th BouT anniversary, this issue contains interview from teachers and students documenting the 2 5and Y E A RAE. S O FThe results of an interesting 25 YEARS current state of BT survey among the students are presented, regarding their student life, internship experiences and future expectations.

YEARS OF

25

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

27

The layout of the magazine turns to full colour on the 25 YEARS OF 25 YEARS OF inside and the BouT blue colour is the protagonist of the new layout. In this issue the first Debut event is recounted, highlighting the interested participation of students and companies in this workshop.

25

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

25

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

BouT

#63 Extreme Forces

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

#67 Native Resources 25

25

YEARS OF

The new BouT logo is introduced, which was designed by BT student Ignace de Keyser, winner of the official BouT 2 5 Y Edesign A R S O F challenge. With this2 issue 5 Y E A RRuMoer S OF Logo officially embraces international contribution, with the featured article about A Brick House designed by indian firm iSTUDIO Architecture.

YEARS OF

periodical for the Building Technologist

25

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

67. Native resources

BOUT CONNECTS!

25

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

25

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

periodical for the Building Technologist PRAKTIJKVERENIGING

25

BOUT

YEARS OF

student association for building technology

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

25 63. Extreme Forces

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF derksen windt architecten

YEARS OF Cabinet 02.West.090 Faculty of Architecture Julianalaan 134 2628BL Delft The Netherlands

+31 (0)15 278 1292 www.praktijkverenigingbout.nl rumoer@praktijkverenigingbout.nl

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

25

1st quarter 2018

25

25

YEARS OF

25

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

YEARS OF

67. Native resources

Rumoer 67 cover page.indd 1

25

25

5-4-2018 18:13:28

25

YEARS OF

2016

YEARS OF

25

25

YEARS OF

2004

YEARS OF

28 RuMoer 70 | XXV

Conversations with Dr. Bucky Lab

The m aking of

Bucky Lab

By Javier Montemayor, Prateek Wahi & Yarai Zeteno

“I don’t exactly know when this happened, but the idea of Bucky Lab seemed to be a great name reflecting the spirit of Buckminster Füller, where you can build whatever you could imagine” Bucky Lab has been an integral part of Building Technology ever since its inception of the course.

Along with the history of the master track, we traced down the annals of BUCKY LAB as well. In an interview with the man at it’s forefront Dr. Marcel Billow, we dived deeper into Bucky Lab’s initial days, its development and how it will be in the future. Here is an excerpt from the interview.

Although everybody knows about Bucky Lab, still we would like to know from you about the back story of Bucky Lab. I’m doing Bucky Lab now for more than ten years, but the course existed a long time before. It was initiated back then by Mick Eekhout and was a prototyping course with a different name. He started the curriculum to teach how to make things focusing majorly on metal. They also had a huge workshop where students learned how to weld and machine metal, but back then it was a small course with only 10-15 people building crazy and huge projects which were often externally financed.

2008

Marcel Bilow becomes coordinator of Bucky Lab

How different was the prototyping course than the present day Bucky Lab? Well back then, the students used to search for sponsors for external assistance for the metal workshop, which is now wood for us. We had Kees Bardolff back then who used to teach students how to weld and machine metals.

The projects then were majorly focused on facades, which for us now is all sorts of other building components like sun shades, etc.

Well that was different, but we would like to know about how this course got to its name “The Bucky Lab”?

That’s an interesting one! I was already involved in the name-giving of the course before I was a part of this prototyping course. Ulrich Knaack and Mick were searching for a new name, and I don’t exactly know when this happened, but the idea of “BUCKY LAB” seemed to be a great name reflecting the spirit of Buckminster Fuller, where you can build whatever you could imagine.

We thought that this hands-on approach of this course demonstrates very nicely to that idea.

Figure 2. Final project of Bucky Lab

Right! So when did you finally take over to become the famous Dr. Bucky Lab? That was when our old building burned down, and I was in a sort of a transition phase when I took over. They asked me several times before, but I was busy with my PhD. It took me quite a while to agree to become a more active part of the faculty’s education. I also had my own Façade Engineering company, but I grew more into it after I decided to be the new head of Bucky Lab. I took over entirely and decided that this is my course and that is what I like to do. I was re-thinking about the facilities because our previous building got burned down and had to move the production facilities to a small room in the Civil Engineering Laboratories.

Since your involvement with the course from the past ten years, how did this course evolve based on your experience?

I joined Bucky Lab as an assistant to Peter van Swieten, the former head of the Bucky Lab. I witnessed within my first-semester a couple of things that went well and

Figure 3. Student with final project of Bucky Lab

Interview

29

RuMoer 70 | XXV

30

Figure 4. Assebly of prototypes for a Bucky Lab exhibition

others that didn’t work that well. This was primarily for the materials that were chosen and the circumstances within the workshop. First, there was a significant lack of time to finish every project I did with Peter. I like metal, but it demanded expertise and precision to work with it, which was quite difficult for students. It requires proper planning in advance and making it. I have seen the final prototypes still warm during the final presentation because it is timeconsuming to get things right in metal. At a certain point, I felt that the students were not happy about it because they were not able to make changes to the final design as so much time had already been invested in making those metal prototypes. This made me rethink the approach of what we do in the Bucky Lab. The significant change also happened when we lost our production space in the old building; we had to rethink the production assemblies

as well. Our former Dean asked me to think about the production space since they had to pay one hundred and eighty thousand euros every year for that small space. That was a perfect moment to rethink the entire educational programme of the Bucky Lab. So, I came up with the idea of having a mobile workshop that will house all the tools we need to build prototypes.

I grew up with friends of mine in the façade business, worked with steel early with my father as a plumber and got to use wood and stone as a mason. After I finished my schooling, I became a bricklayer to prepare myself as an architect, so I already knew with my experience of working with different materials. I took the opportunity to say hey!

We will skip steel totally and then move to hand power tools, using plywood as the first source of concept. Wood

the students are motivated to think out of the box, free to design whatever they believe is the perfect solution for that specific problem. Being able to work in a team of like-minded people and, at the very end, even to build what they’ve imagined with their own hands and this power of creating something out of scratch from nearly nothing is a potent tool to develop and boost creativity and to learn. I also think what makes this course the most valuable that you are in a beautiful, inspiring environment with all the different courses coming together. It all makes sense that building physics, material science, structural mechanics, research methodology and the production knowledge come together because of your prototype. It is the manifestation of all the different disciplines. That’s what I often hear from students at the very end: “Marcel I didn’t believe you, but in the end it all made sense”. I’m always asking for a personal reflection in the final report.

For me it is also as a way of improving the course.

Figure 1. BT students exposition for the Bucky Lab projects

has this experimental nature, which I believe is crucial for prototyping. It’s more forgiving and faster to master.

That’s a long route! But when did you got to know that Bucky Lab has become such a famous course among the students?

We had an increasing number of students ever since. In our second semester we got 35, then 40 but the busiest was once we had 85. It was two years ago we had 250 enrolments for the course. That was the last time Bucky lab held together for architecture and building technology students. I remember the far sight of students hooking up their laptop to the LAN cable for enrolments, and in 10 seconds the course was full. Then I had to answer a hundred and seventy sad emails.

Why do you think students are attracted to this course?

I think we were able to create an environment in which

Why is it that the Bucky Lab is at the starting of the course of Building Technology Master Track or not in between the quarters?

You must understand that the first semester of the BT track is also a melting pot of all the different cultures. I am glad about it happening in the beginning because of this mix of culture, a bowl of different opinions of expertise that come together to tackle the design problem. Also, this makes more sense because when all the internationals come together, they also share the same issues of settling down, where to buy your vegetables from and so on, so forth. The nature of the course – working in groups for the first six months allows them to bond and become a family. And I believe that BouT also plays a crucial role in keeping these families together. So following this first six months in a group activity makes everyone closer to each other. I must tell you that I already know a couple who got married and they first met in Bucky Lab: Juan who is now a PhD researcher and his wife, also doing her PhD from Germany. I am also writing a book about the secrets of Bucky Lab and the work behind it, and now if I see old pictures, it makes sense why they were always standing together.

Interview

31

32 RuMoer 70 | XXV

As you mentioned you are writing a book about Bucky Lab. Can you tell us something more about it?

Along with Ulrich Kanack and Tillmann Klein, we are writing a series of ten books which we call REAL which is Research Engineering Architecture Lab. We thought that since I have ten years of experience with this course, Bucky Lab would be a good start as the first book in this series. So, the first one would be about the Bucky Lab. The story of the Bucky Lab itself and then with my story, also what I’ve already started here within the interview will be a little bit more elaborated with the pictures of course.

It will also be about the way I teach in the workshop. The second book will be most likely about The PD LAB, the little house we have to disassemble in half a year…It’s quite sad though! That would be the second book. The third or fourth will be a book about the Bucky lab projects.

We have the sun on the cover because it will be about 150 different sun shades. These books will remain available on our repositories free to download from day 1. Also, you will be able to order via Amazon as a hard-copy.

Figure 6. Student projects from the Bucky Lab

That’s an exciting project we must say. Now if we pivot a bit towards the future of Bucky Lab. We want to ask about how do you see Bucky Lab evolve concerning the approach of digital making like 3d printing, additive manufacturing, robotics and so on.

Honestly, I would not change so much because I think you first have to learn how to walk before you can start dancing. You already have within our bachelor quite elaborated educational program in which we teach students how to use the laser cutters, 3D printing and so on. This ends in an entire group of students who can’t model or build a cardboard model. They are so used to ordering a pizza by phone, sending in a file to be printed, sending a 3D file to be laser cut or 3D printed so that they sit on their laptop all day long. They are quite familiar with all the different techniques and technologies, and they now outsource all of that. This is for me a pity because this way you never experience things that may happen by accident, something you will discover out of failure rises to another level. However, I’d like to have a small CNC milling machine or a water jet for cutting metals. But for

Interview

33

Figure 7. Students exhibition of projects

Figure 8. Bucky Lab as a big family

me, it’s about building prototypes, and whenever you must make 15 different parts of it, there are more efficient ways of doing it.

to that but also be aware you will find other excellent jobs in different techniques and materials. Secondly, don’t try to impress or follow a hype. Do something that you like, that is challenging for you and you won’t be able to get bored within half a year. Something you strive for. I’ve seen students testing something they have never done before. That’s quite tricky; try to answer something that’s out of your comfort zone because then you’re able to learn but don’t try to win a battle on foreign lands! Make sure you include sustainability – everyone can make beautiful designs that does not make sense, we are able to combine that with the right technologies to make the world a little bit better.

Well, we have reached towards the end of our interview, and we enjoyed it. Still, in conclusion, we would like to have some advice from you to the graduating students.

You don’t have to save the world. It’s just a graduation project. See the graduation project as your business card to open the doors of the company you would like to enter.

If you wish to work with glass or you want to be within that, you do something with that. We have excellent researchers in that field. Make sure you can show the skill sets you’ve learned and applied, and then that might lead

RuMoer 70 | XXV

34 BT Alumni: Façade Design

NEXT Active Façades

By Harshad Shitole

“The journey from drawing the façade details as Architectural intern to consulting world renowned Architectural practices would not have been possible without TU Delft.”

What inspired me to pursue my masters in BT I would be lying if I said that Building Technology and façade engineering has always been my preferred subject following my Architectural studies in India. It has been more like an ‘acquired taste’ for me thanks to some of the interesting work experiences in the past. After I completed my Architectural studies back in India, I started working with one of the very creative Architectural practices, Malik Architecture, who were doing some technically challenging projects. I got involved in one of such projects for which I spent 2.5 years of my career. As the project was challenging in terms of the façade technology and innovative choice of materials, it peaked my interest in complexities of façades. For me façade design is still architectural design but on much smaller scale where you still need to have a balance between aesthetics, structural robustness and response to the local climate, materiality etc. Following this experience, I decided to explore the possibilities to specialise in façades.

Unfortunately, there were not many opportunities to pursue studies in façades, which made me look beyond my country, and that is when I came across TU Delft’s International façade masters, which was part of wider Building Technology masters.

My Time at TU Delft After the first year of general Building Technology master courses, I decided to follow the International façade masters track during the second year of the masters. Under the expert guidance of Prof.

Tillmann Klein and Eric van den Ham, I worked on my graduation thesis “NEXT Active Façades”. NEXT is a collaborative platform of façade industry experts

Figure 2. Next active façades prototype - Delta Netherlands bv

2012

Harshad graduates from the Building Technology master at TU Delft

BT Academic

35

Figure 2. Conceptual design of the NEXT Adaptive Façades framework

Alcoa, TROX, Somfy, Delta Netherlands, Hurks, Cepezed and TU Delft. NEXT deals in façade integrated services, including decentralized ventilation systems. It is not a product but an idea. It is an open system or a toolbox like desktop computers with several modules we can choose from depending on the requirement of the building or client (Figure 2).

The main objective of my thesis was to understand the feasibility of the ‘NEXT’ concept in a given condition and working out a detailed application for the system.

There were previous attempts by different companies to go for a façade-integrated services solutions but the main advantage of NEXT over others is its modular setup. Communication between the players involved in the façade construction e.g - architects, contractors,

advisors, system suppliers etc. becomes very important when it comes to time and cost of construction. A toolbox developed by NEXT as a design tool is a first step to optimise the communication. Thanks to past work experiences as an Architect, I could really understand the relevance of the one point contact approach of NEXT Active façade. A major part of my thesis was interacting and understanding stakeholder needs, especially Architects, with them being the key stakeholder in design decision making and system selection. Interviewing the achitects about the system - which may be a bit of an unconventional method of research for a façade master’s thesis but not very strange for the real estate and housing track - helped me understand the need of a solutionbased product rather than a product-based solution.

After the initial research and industry interaction, I chose

RuMoer 70 | XXV

36 two case study buildings, which were proposed for refurbishment, to test the impact of application of the NEXT active façade solution by analysing the existing energy consumption and potential energy consumption with conventional refurbishment and with the NEXT active façade solution. The case study demonstrated significant energy savings with conventional refurbishment and with the NEXT active façade approach. Comparing the NEXT active façades with conventional refurbishment there was not much of a difference if used without DCV (demandcontrolled ventilation). With a DCV system there is a considerable amount of savings with NEXT active façade (Figure 3).

Life as a Façade Engineer The Building Technology track prepared me for my career as a façade design consultant. Apart from the technical knowledge acquired during the 2 years at TU Delft, the change in way of thinking and more organised approach to a technical problem has contributed to my career as a façade engineering professional. The Dutch work culture has also influenced me to be more organised in planning and execution of my work tasks.

During my masters and briefly after graduation I got a chance to assist Dr. Karel Vollers in his vision of developing an adjustable mould for a double curved glass. It was the first instance I could use my parametric design knowledge for product development. I also got a chance to get my hands dirty, literally. This experience exposed me to the challenges, technical and financial, in the product development industry.

After a short professional stint in the Netherlands I accepted an offer to work as a Façade engineer and project manager with Van Santen and Associates (VS-A), a Lille (France) based façade consultancy firm. During my 3 years at VS-A I got the chance to work on many technically challenging projects in France, India, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Belgium and Morocco and to build on the technical knowledge I acquired during my time at TU Delft.

Figure 3. Comparison of energy consumptionwith conventional refurbishment and NEXT façades solution

London being the ‘hub’ for façade engineering firms due to the proximity to many ‘star Architects’, has always been a city of professional attraction for me.

A job offer from Ramboll as a Senior Façade engineer was a perfect opportunity for me to take the next step. Ramboll has offered me a chance to engage with façade industry leaders and involved me in every aspect of façade engineering from design development to client negotiations. Being a part of one of the few global multidisciplinary engineering consultancies, I got a chance to work with the team who has delivered challenging façade projects like Tate Modern extension

BT Academic

37

Figure 4. Tool developed at Ramboll optimising location, shape and orientation of the façade shading system

Apart from the project work, I have managed to continue with some of the research work which I had started during my time in TU Delft. The idea was to develop tools for performance driven facade design. I have developed a facade shading tool as part of my research at Ramboll to optimise the internal / external shading (location /shape / orientation etc.) taking into consideration the daylight requirement, glare protection, solar gain etc. I got a chance to use this tool on some of the live projects I have been working on at Ramboll (Figure 4). The experience and knowledge I have gained during my time at TU Delft has shaped my career path and has exposed me to the niche

2016

and creative world of façades. Looking back, the journey from drawing the façade details as an architectural intern to consulting world renowned architectural practices would not have been possible without the influence I had during my time at TU Delft. I could relate to Steve Jobs’ words from few years back:

”

in London with Herzog & de Meuron architects and Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi. The key projects I am working on currently includes multiple residential high rises in the UK, the world’s first purpose built multilevel indoor skate park in Folkestone, floating retail buildings in London and multiple shop front glazing for luxury brands like Luis Vuitton, Burberry etc. in UK and Asia.

“I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do”.

Harshad starts working as a “Senior Façade Engineer” at Romboll, UK.

RuMoer 70 | XXV

38

BT Alumni: PhD in Structural Glass

By Faidra Oikonomopoulou

From the Temple of Apollo to the Crystal Houses and RE3 Glass

“It was through the Crystal Houses façade project that we discovered the structural potential of cast glass, but also saw the engineering challenges involved. And that fascinated us!”

If someone told me back in 2010 that in the future I would be working at TU Delft as a Researcher and Teacher, pursuing at the same time a PhD degree, I would probably laugh. It was a chain of fortunate events and opportunities that lead me to become a glass expert. However, it was definitely not an easy road as well – it was a long, challenging and at times a very stressful, frustrating and disappointing, yet rewarding process that required a lot of determination and hard work.

should be given in English, it should specialize on the technical/engineering aspects of architecture and it should have a competitive tuition fee. These three criteria soon narrowed my choices to only two institutions: TU Delft and TU Eindhoven. I applied and got accepted by both. To be honest, back then the curriculum of the TU Eindhoven Master seemed a bit more fascinating to me; then again TU Delft had one of the top university rankings and offered a more international environment. So, I chose Delft.

Looking back, it was during my studies at NTUA in Greece when I came to realize that the courses I enjoyed most were focusing on the more technical aspects, the detailing and the structural engineering of the projects. Back then, I opted for any elective relevant to the technical aspects of architecture. I also realized that we learned little on this field at my university or any other in Greece for that matter.

I joined the MSc Building Technology in 2010. At that time the curriculum of the Master track was quite different than the current one. Bucky Lab was still evolving around a 1:1 construction of a façade component out of metal, which meant that we had to learn how to weld, cut, fold and mill steel and aluminum! There were no SWAT and no Technoledge courses and we were just 20 students! At the beginning of the Master I struggled a bit in getting adjusted to the TU Delft study rhythms, which were completely different to the ones from my previous studies: weekly assignments, strict deadlines and lots of homework in every course! Every studio/ assignment given in a quarter was more elaborate than a studio lasting one semester back at NTUA.

So, once graduated, I decided to pursue a master’s degree abroad –in Europe- with the aim of enhancing my skills on those more technical and engineering aspects of architecture and gain an international academic experience. I considered the following criteria for the MSc programme I would opt for: it

2012

Faidra graduates from the Building Technology master at TU Delft

BT Academic

39

It was my thesis initiative that introduced me to glass as a structural material. I had come up with the idea to design a glass shelter for the Temple of Apollo Epicurios in Peloponnese. The sheltering of the specific temple is important, due to the nature of its building material, limestone, which is sensitive to weathering, especially in its harsh environment. To protect the temple from deterioration, it has been completely covered since 1987 by an opaque white canopy – a huge tent actually – so the monument can only be seen from a very close distance and under subdued light. Nonetheless, the connection of the temple with the surroundings and the views from a long distance are essential for realizing and appreciating the monument’s architecture. Thus, I came up with the idea of designing a transparent shelter that would protect the temple from weathering and even regulate the climate conditions inside; most importantly, it would allow for the connection of the temple with the surroundings. I initially discussed the topic with Michela Turrin who prompted me to contact Fred Veer.

I remember going to his office, a bit hesitant, and proposing to design a shelter for the temple from glass with a very slender metal load-bearing structure. He said:

Figure 2: Learning from the Maasai how to make ropes out of rice bag threads in Namelok, Kenya.

”

Figure 1. “Pure Transparency”, Master Thesis by Faidra Oikonomopoulou.

- “Great idea, but we will make the load-bearing structure also from glass” - “Is that even possible ?!”

- “People will think we are crazy, but we can do it.”

And this is how I entered the world of glass. A bit by accident, a bit by luck, not completely intentionally.

Nonetheless, the more I read about glass as a material the more fascinated I was by its properties! Transparent, strong, brittle, unpredictable and unforgiving! I really enjoyed working on my thesis – and this is my advice to all BT students: Do a topic that you really like, because you will not only do it well but you will also have to deal with it for 8 months! Just a couple of days after my graduation, in June 2012, I was honoured to present my thesis at Challenging Glass 3 conference. It was my first presentation in front of a large audience and I was quite nervous; it was also my introduction to the academic world. At this point the idea of following an academic career and getting a PhD in glass started to become more and more appealing.

RuMoer 70 | XXV

40

Figure 3: Developing a replacement method in case of damaged glass blocks for the Crystal Houses facade.

After my graduation though, I needed a break from it all.

I embarked on a three-month adventure (through a TU Deft programme) as a volunteer working on mud-brick structures in Namelok, a Maasai Village in Kenya, pursuing at the same time my other big passions: travelling and wildlife watching! (Side note: I always wanted to become a veterinarian for wild animals, but I did not pursue this dream because I did not want to live away from Greece. But then again life can be very unpredictable!)

Many elephants and lions later, I returned to Delft as a

researcher to work for six months on a funded project on innovative glass connections under the guidance of Fred Veer. This was the first stage of a funding and the idea was that we would apply for the second part which would bring enough funding to pursue a PhD on glass. As there was a gap between the first and second stage of the funding of half a year, I returned to Greece and worked as an intern in a structural engineering office specialized in glass structures. In December 2013, Fred informed me that we did not get the second stage of funding. I was

BT Academic

41

Figure 4: Working as quality control engineer at the Crystal Houses construction site.

Figure 5. Building the architraves of the Crystal Houses facade at the Glass & Transparency Lab.

devastated. I was so sure we would get it. But then, a few weeks later Fred contacted me again and asked me when I could return to Delft to work on a new glass project. This was the turning point. I could either stay in my beloved Greece and continue working in the office where I was, which was perhaps my best chance in my own country, or I could go for the unknown adventure!

we supervised the construction of the Crystal Houses façade and even built together with the construction crew the first 1.5 meter of the glass wall! For our work in the Crystal Houses we received multiple awards, including the Innovation Award 2016 by the Society of Façade Engineers and the Talent met Toekomst 2017. But most importantly, it was through the Crystal Houses façade project that both of us discovered the structural potential of cast glass, but also saw the engineering challenges involved. And that fascinated us! So we took off!

So, I left my internship and came back to Delft a few days later, knowing little about the project that would become a milestone in my future career and help me pursue among others, a PhD degree in glass: The Crystal Houses façade. I was appointed by Fred Veer and Rob Nijsse as the lead researcher on the research and development of the applied adhesively bonded system. 8 months later, my friend and colleague Telesilla Bristogianni joined me in the research on this project. After more than 1.5 years of research and experimental work, together with Telesilla

Together with Telesilla we continued our innovative research on cast glass and were even awarded two 4TU. Bouw Lighthouse grants to work on our ideas.

Our latest “brainchild”, Re3 Glass was nominated for the New Material Award 2018. A great part of all latest developments is also the result of the work of our MSc students. With every MSc thesis on a new innovative

RuMoer 70 | XXV

42

Figure 6. Physical testing of structural glass beam

aspect of cast glass we discover something new, and unveil even more the potential of this amazing material!

Hopefully, by the end of this year I will be defending my PhD degree on innovative building systems using cast glass components. It has been a long and often a “bumpy� path, but I am happy to have followed it. Pursuing a PhD degree was not really my intention when I first came to Delft, but the idea started growing to me during my thesis and my growing passion for glass as a material. I still strongly believe that one should pursue a PhD mainly if he/she wants to continue in the academic environment or join an R&D team/institute. PhD is not an alternative to work, nor should be considered a prolonged student life.

Instead the PhD is a ticket to a specific range of jobs, the ones focusing on research. So for me that I wanted to stay in academia to keep on researching about the possibilities of this intriguing material, it was a one-way road, yet one that I have enjoyed a lot despite the bumps, dead-ends and potholes!

Figure 7. Re3 cast glass component: Recyclable, Reusable, Reducible

BT Academic

43

©Daria Scagliola & Stijn Brakkee

Crystal Houses, Amsterdam (MVRDV, abt, TU Delft)

2015

44 RuMoer 70 | XXV

Conversations with Peter Teeuw

Shaping of the BT programme

By Javier Montemayor

“It is important to know how to translate the knowledge and concepts we develop in Building Technology to more applicable terms.

We want experts in society and contexts.”

The BT track encompasses a broad spectrum of engineering and architectural design skills combined in a single programme. Why is the BT programme relevant nowadays?

One of the main reasons to make the track this way was the market. It was asking for this very specific profile. Also, some architecture offices prefer people like the BT students. They want designers with technical skills. The fact that Building Technology graduates can bridge the architect with the engineering team is highly valorised. Actually, 96% of students obtain a job within the first 6 months after graduating, which is the highest statistic in the Faculty. Another characteristic of the BT track is the interaction with current and future markets. This is also reflected in design projects actually executed or related to the department’s research, practice Track Architecture Building Technology Urbanism Landscape Architecture Management in the Built Environment Total

2017‐18 367 60 91 34

2016‐17 354 50 72 16

2015‐16 316 46 55 17

2014‐15 341 32 49 23

2013‐14 302 16 59 11

47 599

42 534

54 488

56 501

53 441

Figure 1. Diplomas per Master track

2013

involved in education, as well as in important international competitions such as the Solar Decathlon, in which Building Technology students had a dominant share in TU Delft’s teams (in 2014 as well as now in 2019). Increasing interest from the market reflects in the growth of the BT track over the last years, as shown in the overview of diplomas.

Why is the market asking for this bridging profile that connects both disciplines?

They want designers with technical knowledge, more than designers with no idea of how things work. Architects that end up as famous designers are only few, not every graduated architect will become this. I think having both skills is significant. BT is much more focused on what the market asks for. Graduates are 50% designer, 50% engineer. Some are more focused on design, some are more in engineering. They have broad options but they all have in common research and design skills, as well as technical knowledge. Now, the programme leads to the formation of one of the dominant professions of the future, the sustainable designer.We also expect sustainability skills from all of our students. For BT graduates making

innovations and being sustainable are keywords of the track. It would not make sense to not to consider the sustainable aspect of things, which does not mean every student has a main focus on sustainability.

Has this focus always been like this, or has the programme developed throughout the years?

In 2013, the BT programme was revised. Too few students were doing the track and we had to decide whether to stop or to give it another image. At the same time, the market was already showing a great demand for architects, designers and engineers who understand each other’s areas, who can innovate and who know how to design sustainably. The revised Building Technology programme focused on this gap.

Before, MSc1 and MSc2 were the same as the track of Architecture and the graduates were more researchoriented. Some graduates did both tracks. In the new system, this was not possible anymore. Besides, before 2013 the programme focused on innovation and not too much on sustainability. But the variety of scales has remained: you can work in very small scales, a façade

Figure 2. Students after the Elevator Pitch of Bucky Lab, studio from MSc1

2013

BT programme revisited: emphasis on sustainable designer

Interview

45

RuMoer 70 | XXV

46

Figure 3. Excursions to building sites complement the learning experience

for instance; and in larger ones, involving urban regions even. The emphasis of the current programme is on designing innovative, future-oriented and sustainable building components and on their integration into the built environment. Not only does it focus on the technological aspect, but also on the context in which these technical solutions are applied. Graduation theses also shifted towards being more design driven.

is changing very quickly. It is more important to develop such skills in society than just have knowledge in a very specific area because of phenomena like digitalization, globalization, etc. Within the track, we have different studios that highlight different skills. Some students complain about these social and ethical aspects, but we think it’s important to valorise the context and bring the knowledge to society.

What makes the incorporation of different scales and disciplines so special?

Because of the mix of designer and engineer. Now in society, it is more about the connectedness and not just having people with technical skills. Social skills are vital.

Also, management skills are important because society

How has the increase in the number of international students contributed to the programme and its aim?

Last year it was 60% international. However, we would like a 50/50 balance. We are trying to get more Dutch.

But that changes. About the number of international students, it has to do with the institution having grown

and being more well-known. TU Delft is ranked 3rd in the world for Architecture, that has also increased its popularity. The demand of the international is growing in the campus in general. The Architecture track has a more selective procedure. They are stricter and have a maximum number of students. We also have a maximum number of students, but we are looking for skilled people.

If someone is skilled, then they will be accepted.

So, you are looking for diversity?

We are looking for motivation. A lot of already graduated architects have interest in the BT, architects from different countries that might have already led projects and they want to broaden their technical skills. You might say you miss some technical skills but when you are motivated, you are willing to learn. For the international, especially the non-EU, it is very important that we select the right people because they are paying a lot of money to come here. It would be very disappointing to be here and not be able to do what you were looking for.

Do you think international students enrich the program?

They do enrich the programme. We do see that a lot of the international students do have a higher level of knowledge when starting, compared to our Dutch students. This due to the fact that most students come straight from their Bachelor, whereas most of the internationals have already worked in practice. We would like the level to be the same, but that also pushes the overall level. We try to prevent stress in between students. This international awareness also reflects in the academic content. We try to situate studios in different contexts. Extreme is set in different locations that pose a challenge in extreme conditions, for example we started in Antarctica. The SWAT Studio was always connected to foreign cities, and universities.

EARTHY, which has just been introduced in the last Q1, is a special studio focusing on earthy construction. The first design site was a refugee camp in Jordan.

How will the programme adapt to the future and the necessities it might pose?

We already see such adaptation by sending students

with external companies. The faculty as a whole keeps on asking these professionals what the faculty should bring.

We also connect to the section of Heritage & Architecture, willing to bring new topics to the Building Technology track, regarding not only old heritage but more current examples. We now see more and more students being guided by Management of the Built Environment tutors.

For instance, the lease façade is a current topic being addressed by our students.

We formally used to have three kinds of profiles within the master: Facade Design, Climate Design, and Structural Design, with a backbone of Design Informatics. Lately Design Informatics has also transformed into a profile itself. It has become a fourth ‘colour’ of the track. Now our students graduate with different supervisors, specialized in any of these four areas, that results in a Building Technology profile with knowledge in various fields.

The emphasis of this programme is designing with innovation and sustainability in mind. Can students expect being ready for an ever-changing industry?

It is preferable to be a lifetime long-learner. You don’t have to know everything, but you must prove you can learn. Of course, the student must already have knowledge from several fields. But Building Technology is also very broad, you have to be able to make choices.

It all comes together in a design/research profile: it’s the attitude, the way of thinking, the academic level, all those things are important. We don’t want students learning from repetition of their mentors.

Some students have difficulties on how to simplify and be able to talk to the general public. Technical decisions are being made, and the context and people demand an understanding, so the implementation of the project is feasible. We know the more technical the study gets, the easier it is to get lost in the technicality of it. So it is important to know how to translate the knowledge and concepts we develop in the Building Technology discipline, to more applicable terms. We want experts in society and contexts.

Interview

47

RuMoer 70 | XXV

48

BT Alumni: PhD in Building Product Innovation

Façades-as-a-Service

By Juan Azcarate-Aguerre

“I believe the main strength of the Building Technology programme is that it produces people who are capable of understanding both the small detail and the big picture.”

How I ended up at BT in the first place It was after bouncing around the world of architecture for a few years that I decided to enrol for the Building Technologies programme at TU Delft Bouwkunde. I had started with a bachelor’s in Architecture in Mexico City, where specialisation lines are still blurry and architects are still expected to take care of everything: from design through engineering, contracting, site supervision, real estate development, and even financial administration. Architecture was not meant to be just art or construction, but business. At the start of my fourth year (out of five) I transferred to

Sci-Arc, in Los Angeles, which couldn’t have been more different. Near-fanatical art students with a unique devotion to digital design tools would work – and often live – at their desks for 16 hours a day or more. They would “push the envelope” of geometric exploration to produce seemingly unbuildable structures which appeared to have only the frailest relation to any actual human activity or need, or even to Newtonian laws of physics. Visually the work was impressive, and always accompanied by a nice text full of complicated words inspired by Foucault, or

Figure 1. XXL project: Design for the renovation of the Thialf ice arena, in Heerenveen, NL. Project team: Osama Naji, Mira Conci, Wenjia Wang, & Juan Azcarate.

2014

Juan graduates from the Building Technology master at TU Delft

BT Academic

49

Figure 2. Façade renovation concept for the PathÊ cinema complex at Schouwburgplein, Rotterdam, NL.

RuMoer 70 | XXV

50 Deleuze & Guattari. It was often unclear, to me at least, whether we were still talking of architecture as the design and planning component of the construction industry, or whether we would all just graduate and go work for Pixar, or Industrial Light and Magic, or maybe Blizzard Entertainment.

All seemed to make sense again a year or so after graduating, when I got my first real job at Gehry Technologies, also in Los Angeles. Among the arsenal of digital design tools which I had learnt to use at Sci-Arc was Digital Project: A BIM software which is far from intuitive or user friendly, so few people knew their way around it, and which GT used almost exclusively in all their work.

After about two years working on quite repetitive tasks for amazing projects by Gehry Partners, Zaha Hadid, and others, I decided I needed to go somewhere I could learn the actual façade and building engineering skills, which I was mostly translating and managing for architects and engineers through my knowledge of a BIM engine.

Life as a BT student and the path to a PhD Life as a BT student was pretty great. I fell in love with the country and the university the moment I arrived.

I fell in love with my now wife – also a BT graduate – a few weeks later. I enjoyed theory courses on material sciences, building physics, and structural mechanics, but I especially enjoyed the studios: XXL (now Mega, Figures 1 and 2), Building Technology Seminar (now Technoledge, Figure 3), and the two weeks we spent in Sarajevo for our SWAT semester just before the start of our graduation project.

During the brief and intense SWAT project I decided to go back to my origins, and look at how to make a business case out of facade energy renovations in Sarajevo. I started working with professor Tillmann Klein on a few façade engineering iterations, and then elaborated a 25year financial study comparing the cost of each design option versus their long-term energy savings. I now remember little about the exact results of the project, but

Figure 3. Structural concept for the Thialf renovation.

the main take-away was that making a good business case of façade renovations by looking at energy savings alone was near impossible.

This gap between what technology can offer, also referred to as the “supply push”, and what the market can – or is willing to – pay for, known as “demand pull”, became my main interest. So, a few weeks later when I set out on my graduation project, Tillmann introduced me to Alexandra den Heijer, from the now called Management in the Built Environment department (then Real Estate & Housing) to guide me on the demand side of the equation.

Through my research I quickly bumped into two interconnected fields which I’ve been following ever since: Product-Service Systems (PSS) and the Circular Economy (CE). PSS is the idea that the economy shouldn’t be based on the sale of products which are then used and discarded by their owners, but should rather be based on ongoing services, for which materials and products are a

means to delivery and not an end onto themselves. The Circular Economy is the idea that the global resource challenge can only be solved by keeping products and materials in loops of reuse, repair, remanufacturing, and recycling.

My master’s graduate thesis therefore looked into the possibility of applying facades, for both new buildings and deep renovations, through a product-service system contract. In other words, the idea of “leasing” a façade, or hiring a “Façade-as-a-Service”. Under this idea, real estate owners would choose a façade package with a number of integrated technologies (Figure 5), a bank or financier would pre-finance the façade for them (just as in the case of a leased car or a mobile phone plan), and a façade builder would then fabricate, install, and maintain the façade for as many years as the contract specified. At the end of the contract period the façade builder would remove the façade and either lease it out to the next client or reprocess its materials to build a new facade.

Figure 4. Value-engineered technical packages for Façade Leasing, based on the strategic needs of the client, MSc thesis.

2016

GearCraft is founded by Juan and another fellow BT graduate

BT Academic

51

RuMoer 70 | XXV

”

52

Can you actually remove the façade and reuse it elsewhere? Can you finance a façade which is installed on someone else’s property? Can you even still legally own a façade which is installed on someone else’s property?

Figure 5. Façade Leasing pilot project at TU Delft.

The thesis was quite successful and we decided to apply for funding from EIT Climate-KIC, an EU-funded programme for innovation and entrepreneurship, to follow-up the research. The funding was granted and for the next three years I worked on all the aspects of the façade supply chain and the real estate management industry which would have to be reorganized in order to have “Facades-as-a-Service” become a feasible reality. If facades could be leased then the initial cost of building them wouldn’t be so much of a problem. Just like with cars or phones, clients would be able to make

a quicker decision regarding deep energy improvement of their buildings. The benefits from energy savings and user comfort could be balanced against a relatively small ongoing monthly or yearly service fee (Figure 4).

The more we worked on the topic the more challenges emerged: Can you actually remove the façade and reuse it elsewhere? Can you finance a façade which is installed on someone else’s property? Can you even still legally own a façade which is installed on someone else’s property?

Do clients want to lease a façade? Do they have the right knowledge to determine whether it makes sense to them or not?

Life as a PhD researcher I have come to learn that no two PhD careers are alike, and what it means to be “writing a PhD” varies greatly from one person to another. I have always enjoyed my research topic due to its practical nature, and to the fact that it brings together people from so many different disciplines, who speak entirely different languages, and who would normally have very little reason to discuss the way things have “always been done” and look for new paths. I would like to prove through my work that, although technological innovation is great, new technologies are often under- or mis-applied because of demand barriers or managerial processes. My audience is therefore not only academics, but practitioners in the fields of façade engineering, real estate management, and building renovation. The sustainable future so many of us are working towards needs a parallel attention to both the push and pull mechanisms I mentioned before.

It seems like funding organisations increasingly reward scientists with entrepreneurial wishes, which I believe is a good way of pushing scientific innovation into the market. In 2016 I started, together with a classmate from the BT programme, a small company – Gearcraft BV – also exploring the demand-pull and supply-push aspects of the construction industry. By focusing on providing integral real estate services, from property investment and management to design, engineering, energy consultancy,

and construction management we aim to ensure that we can apply the technologies we have learnt of by taking up an active client role in the decision-making process. We redevelop chronically vacant properties in the Rotterdam area and turn them into energy-efficient housing and retail through the application of state-of-the-art building envelope and building services technologies, as well as renewable energy strategies (Figure 6).

Some PhD researchers get the chance to focus for many years on a certain specific detail of a technology which they find interesting. In my case my interest lies in the complexity of the system, and I enjoy speaking to façade engineers in the morning, lawyers and bankers at lunch-time, and real estate developers and

managers in the afternoon. I believe over-specialisation has created a vacuum of people who are not experts in a narrow field, but who rather have enough basic understanding across fields to push forward systemic innovation. Systemic innovation is unlikely to happen if we all keep looking at our specific piece of the puzzle.

I believe the main strength of the Building Technology programme is that it produces people who are capable of understanding both the small detail and the big picture.

It’s easy to see a great future for this developing field. With energy and material challenges blooming ever greater and ever closer I believe we, as building technologies experts, will have a great role to play in both creating and leading a transition to a more environmentally sustainable future.

Figure 6. Residential redevelopment and energy renovation at Aelbrechtskade, Rotterdam.

2018

Juan starts his PhD, “Façades-as-a-Service”

BT Academic

53

RuMoer 70 | XXV

54

By Tim Jonathan

Building Innovation for a sustainable future

“Creating a sustainable future means (correcting the issues we created in the past by) identifying and solving the challenges that prevent scale-up of current innovations into future products or services.�

Figure 1. Aerial view of the Green Village in the TU Delft Campus

2016

Tim graduates from the Building Technology master at TU Delft

BT Company

55

Figure 2: The four ingredients for scale-up at the Green Village

Figure 3: Visualisation of the Green Village buildings and projects

The condition for a successful scale-up is to put four pieces of the puzzle into place: the technological system, the business model, societal embracement and legislation and regulation. The Green Village is the living lab that offers the necessary conditions to work on these sustainable innovations in a real-life setting; a small village at the TU Delft campus where people live and work and where regulations are partly switched off.

Researchers, companies, governments and the general public can work together on real and visible sustainable innovations.

minor in Archineering, which combines architecture with engineering. During this minor, I learned to design, taking into account local climatological aspects, whilst making use of different properties of materials and structural engineering principles. This is why, for a long time, I was hesitating between the Architecture and Building Technology (BT) master. I did, however, choose to do the BT master, which took the Archineering minor to the next level for me.

As Project Manager Buildings at The Green Village, I support several building related research- and innovation projects. Besides that, I am working on the design and modifications of several building- and infrastructuretestbeds and I am responsible for technical information management of all facilities and projects at The Green Village. RuMoer asked me to tell a little bit about the process of the study- and extracurricular projects that brought me here.

After doing my bachelor in Architecture at the TU Delft, I was not sure which master I would like to do. As a child, I wanted to be an architect and during my bachelor I found out that I really liked (and still like) to design and do the work of an architect. However, during the third year of my bachelor, I got the opportunity to do a

My Building Technology master What I like about the Building Technology master is that you will not become a specialist. You cannot just specialise in one subject, but are forced to become a generalist; having to deal with all aspects of Building Technology like structural design, faรงade design and climate design.

These aspects will typically teach you to be a designer who can understand both architects and engineers, while at the same time having a strong focus on sustainability, comfort and environment.

My first year of the Building Technology studio consisted mainly of two design projects: Bucky Lab (MSc1), and Building Design & Engineering (MSc2), as well as some courses related to those projects. In Bucky Lab you have to design a building element, and produce it using CAD techniques. Actually having to produce my design, has not only taught me a lot about production techniques and

56 RuMoer 70 | XXV

machines, but has also changed the way I would design later on. Having to construct something will force you to think about the making process (production methods, materials, building order, how to mount things), while also taking into account the overall design and proper functioning of the building element. In the Building Design & Engineering project we would work on a design of a new building in groups of three people. The interesting element for me in this design project was the fact that both Architecture (BT) students and CiTG students could participate. This taught me to understand stakeholders in a design process with a more technical approach and to take into account their input in the overall design, while at the same time trying to stick to the design concept.

Figure 4: Detail of 1:1 prototype for Tim’s Bucky Lab project

Figure 5: Maquette of Tim’s Building Design and Engineering project

Prêt-à-Loger The two design studios were not the only projects I was working on that year. Already during the first weeks of the master (while doing Bucky Lab), I joined the Delft Solar Decathlon team, which was initiated by some of my fellow Bucky Lab students. The Solar Decathlon competition is an international competition for teams from universities from all over the world, to design, build and operate the most sustainable solar powered house. The competition originated in the USA, but since 2010 it is also held in Europe, and at the moment, competitions are held all over the world, including Africa, Latin America & the Caribbean, China and the Middle East.

The 2014 team was called Prêt-à-Loger and was the first team from the Netherlands to compete. Within the team, I started out as part of the design team, but was soon asked to be Partner- and Sponsorship Manager, which made me (and my team of four other students) responsible for getting on board all the necessary (industry) partners for sponsoring of products, materials or a financial contribution. Part of this role would be to contact many different companies, pitch the project, answer questions about the project and try to get them on board as partner/sponsor of the team. Luckily, we could also use the network of our faculty advisors Prof. Andy van den Dobbelsteen (AE+T) and Prof. Hans Wamelink

2014 Tim joins the Prêt-à-Loger team for SDE 2014

BT Company

57

Figure 6: Prêt-à-Loger constructed by TU Delft Team for Solar Decathlon Europe 2014

(MBE) in this process, to show a professional student team to potential partners and sponsors. Besides a (usually inkind) contribution, some of the partners would also provide input on the design of the house. Being their contact person meant I had to be quite involved in the design process of the house as well; a part of the project I really enjoyed.

During the final part of the project -because of the contact with the different partners / suppliers of the project- I combined the role of Partnership Manager with the role of Construction Manager. Part of why I was able to do so, was because the funding was almost secured, and the rest of my partnership team would keep on working for

the last part of the sponsoring. As Construction Manager, I was responsible for planning, logistics and health & safety during the realisation phases of Prêt-à-Loger. This was yet another challenge I did not have any experience in, and which I could only do thanks to the expertise of others, like Prof. Hans Wamelink, the students in my team from CME (Construction Management and Engineering) and an external construction manager who was appointed to us by one of the partners/sponsors.

The main tasks and challenges for the construction management team were to make a construction planning for the test-building period in the Netherlands, for the competition period in Versailles where we had to construct

RuMoer 70 | XXV

58

Figure 7: Hardt Hyperloop project, live at the Green Village

Figure 8: Blue Battery project, live at the Green Village

the house within ten days, and for the rebuilding period at The Green Village in Delft after the competition. Also, the planning and design for logistics (how to load the trailers, taking into account the order of construction), and making sure everything would happen safely (imagine a building site where two shifts of around 20 inexperienced students are working under time pressure…) were part of the job.

Although I had no (study) experience, we managed to construct and deconstruct the house 3 and 2 times respectively, all within planning. We won second price for construction management during the competition and most importantly, we finished the project without any injuries (okay, almost; one broken finger while moving a building fence after the building period in Delft).

renovations. I did that as internship, as part of my graduation, in which I focused on the financial value of energy refurbishments. This theme is not really a typical BT topic, but I chose it because we noticed that especially the financial aspects of the Prêt-à-Loger concept and energy refurbishments in general were creating a barrier for large scale implementation.

After the Solar Decathlon competition and the rebuilding of the house at The Green Village in Delft, I continued my graduation (which I postponed for 1 year) with SWAT studio. At the same time, I was still involved in the Prêt-àLoger project as a student assistant for arranging tours, events and maintenance of the house and attempting to start a company with some fellow students, selling the Prêt-à-Loger concept. The company did not exist for long, but it resulted in a collaboration with Reimarkt, a renovation store, where a colleague and I would start working as product developers, working on energy

Looking back, the Solar Decathlon, working as student assistant for Prêt-à-Loger after the competition, the internship at Reimarkt, and the start-up, were all extracurricular projects that resulted in a delay of my graduation. However, those were also the projects where I gained experience in project management, fund raising, construction management, working in a large interdisciplinary team, leadership and much more, but not less important, where I have made a lot of friends and (business) contacts, all of which I still use and benefit from in my work as project manager at The Green Village.

About the Green Village Some examples of projects that make use of the Green Village in their development process are Hardt Hyperloop, Blue Battery or Double Face 2.0. Hardt Hyperloop is the company developing a new sustainable, high speed and high capacity transportation system based on traveling

2016 Tim is Project Manager Buildings at the Green Village

BT Company

59

Figure 9: Double Face 2.0 to be tested soon at the Green Village

Figure 10: DreamHûs project under construction at the Green Village

with vehicles through a vacuum tube, also known as hyperloop. Their aim for the project at The Green Village is to work on both technical development of the tube system and the vehicle, on the business model of the hyperloop as well as on rules and regulations and societal embracement of the technology. This makes it a project that clearly demonstrates the challenges that radical innovations can face and the support that The Green Village wants to offer in these development processes.

adaptable trombe-wall system is developed. The rotating, 3D printed façade elements are optimized for passive climate design; making use of PCM’s to capture heat from the sun in winter for heating and capturing internal heat during summer for cooling. At The Green Village, the actual effect of the façade elements on the climate in the building is being monitored as proof of concept.

The Blue Battery is an electrical storage system based on salt- and fresh water, developed by Aqua Battery.

The technology is offered as an alternative to traditional battery systems that are still making use of toxic and rare earth materials like acids and certain metals. The working principle of their technology is already proven at a small scale, which makes the project at The Green Village focus on the integration of the technology in the bigger system.

The Blue Battery development is an exemplary project showing the added value of testing in a real-life setting with real producers and consumers, while facing the situations and hurdles you want to tackle before scaling up towards the market.

Double Face 2.0 is a research project from the faculty of Architecture, AE+T department in which a translucent,

Other building related projects at The Green Village are the MOR project that you may have been reading about in RuMoer 68, and the DreamHûs, a project initiated by social housing association WoonFriesland, together with the contractor Dijkstra Draisma, residents council Bewonersraad Friesland, Incubator Yes!Delft and The Green Village, with the goal to provide a testlocation for parties that want to test and demonstrate innovations related to improvement or renovation of the existing building stock.

Would you like to know more about these and other projects?

Visit: www.thegreenvillage.org.

RuMoer 70 | XXV

60 BT Alumni: Design Informatics

Parametric design

By Jamal van Kastel

for performance-driven design processes

“I am convinced that integrated, performance-driven design processes help us design ‘better’ buildings. In my opinion, integral use of parametric design is essential herein.”

Introduction Throughout my studies, I have always been intrigued by architectural designs where building shapes are based on building performances such as structural, acoustic and sustainable qualities. This was one of the main reasons I chose to follow the Building Technology Master’s track. Correspondingly, I have large interest in the field of parametric design and its ability to improve building performances. With this article I aim to share my enthusiasm for and experience with performance-driven and parametric design – and to highlight how the Building Technology Master’s track has made me familiar with this novel design methodologies.

Integrated design The Building Technology track sets itself apart from other Master tracks by integrating architectural design with multiple engineering disciplines, creating a bridge between architecture and engineering.

The track emphasizes making integrated designs, in which the architectural design of a building is developed in close conjunction with (amongst others) its structural, façade and climate design.

Integrated design is one of the study goals of the Master’s course ‘Delft Seminars on Building Technology’. For this course, I made a new design for the high-rise building of TU Delft’s Faculty of EEMCS

2018

Jamal graduates from the Building Technology master at TU Delft

Figure 1: Visualization of the redesign for the faculty of EEMCS.

(Figure 1). For this design I explored how structural, façade and climate design can influence architectural design, and how architectural design may contribute to the performances of these disciplines.

Because of some clever design decisions, the current EEMCS building seems relatively slender and “lightweight” for its substantial building volume. For the redesign, I wanted to take this ‘weightlessness’ one step further, by using a tensegrity-like cable structure as the building’s main load-bearing structure. Instead of columns, cables are used to suspend all floors from a central reinforced concrete core. Stiffness is achieved through the building’s

concave shape, in conjunction with tension rings in the floor and a cable net façade (Figure 2).

The use of a cable structure has advantages besides its light and levitating appearance. The spatial impact of cables on the interior space is considerably smaller than the impact of columns. This results in more flexible and adaptive office floor plan layouts. As most students are aware of, the existing EEMCS building’s shape causes very strong winds around the building. Hovering the building a couple of meters in the air contributes to better wind flow on ground level and helps preventing these gusts.

This project’s result is a design in which the building’s structure and architectural design are inextricably linked through a kind of “mutualism” between the architectural and structural design. Architectural design choices benefit the performance of the building’s structure, and vice versa.

Performance-driven design The design decisions made during the ‘Delft Seminars on Building Technology’ project were largely based on assumptions and some rough calculations. Better insight in the structural performances of the building would have naturally contributed to better-informed design decisions, which may have resulted in a different design.

The surge of computational design methodologies has made it possible to gain a large amount of insight in building performances in relatively short amount of time. Developments in simulation software have made it possible to quickly and accurately determine designs performances. The use of parametric design enables architects to rapidly explore design alternatives and to quickly process changes in the design. Combining these technologies enables a performance-driven design process, where design decisions are based on measured performances, rather than intuition and assumptions.

In Technoledge course ‘Design Informatics’ (in our year combined with ‘Technoledge Structural Design’), we

Figure 2: Structural concept model of the redesign for the faculty of EEMCS.

BT Academic

61

RuMoer 70 | XXV

62 developed an integrated design proposal of a laboratory for the Department of Building Technology in front of the main entrance of the Faculty of Architecture, TU Delft. One of the starting points for the design was that the building should be fully made of self-supporting structural glass panels.

In juxtaposition with the Faculty of Architecture, we proposed two non-orthogonal building volumes – one on either side of the faculty’s main entrance (Figure 3). The volumes are connected by an underground passageway that has lab functions on either side. The volumes are completely built from glass and contain all the workshop

Figure 3: Visualization of the design of a laboratory for the Department of Building Technology, TU Delft.

Figure 4: A parametric model provides instant feedback on the influence of the building shape on the feasibility and efficiency of façade panel sizes.

functions of the laboratory, including a modelling area, 3D printers and robots for manufacturing.

Like the other extensions of the Faculty of Architecture, the laboratory is fully glazed. Float glass sheet sizes are limited to maximum factory dimensions of 6 x 3.21 m. We created a parametric model of the main building volume in Grasshopper, in which the façades’ glass panels were automatically generated from the building’s shape (Figure 4). For each panel, the script evaluated whether they fell within the bounds of the maximum dimensions.

This way, we were able to minimize the amount of glass panels needed by optimizing the building’s shape.

Because of the non-orthogonal building shape, each structural element in the design has different loads. We envisioned a form-finding process to find optimal load-distribution shapes of each structural element. The form-finding process would be executed using a generative design workflow. This workflow comprises form generation through parametric models, performance evaluation through finite element analysis and optimization through evolutionary solvers. The result is a very organic architecture, which one usually doesn’t relate to float glass (Figure 5).

Figure 5: Prototype of part of the glass structure.

BT Academic

63

RuMoer 70 | XXV

64 Parametric design simulations for rapid performance evaluation The design methodology I used in the SWAT studio was comparable. The SWAT studio, a sustainable urban design intervention project, is the last Building Technology project before graduation. In this course, we collaboratively developed a plan for the sustainable development of Mahón, Menorca, during a three-week visit on site. We introduced the concept of a ‘traveling pavilion’, a highly adaptive pavilion that can be erected in different ways on Mahón’s various squares, with varying sustainable and socio-cultural functions. My goal was to design a pavilion that is easily transformable and easy to translocate.

The main performance objective was to minimize the weight of the pavilion, whilst ensuring its structural rigidity under high water loads (when used as a water collector) and under high wind loads (when erected as an 8m high solar chimney). To optimize these performance objectives, I set up a design workflow using Grasshopper with its parametric structural engineering tool Karamba.

The design workflow uses a parametric model to be able to rapidly generate design alternatives and automatically apply materials and loads to their structural

elements, which are streamed to Karamba components to automatically run structural analyses (Figure 6).

Simulation results of each design alternative provide valuable feedback for design improvements. This design process enabled me to iterate through a large amount of design options in very short time, providing insight in how to optimize the design during each iteration. The result is a very lightweight and highly adaptive design solution (Figure 7).

Figure 7: Impression of the pavilion employed as a solar chimney (l.) and as a water collector (r.).

Figure 6: Design workflow using Rhino, Grasshopper and Karamba to get insight in structural performances.

BT Academic

65

Figure 8: Computational design workflow used for the performance-driven design of a zero-Energy sports hall.

Automated design generation and data analysis for a performance-driven design process The aforementioned Building Technology courses have inspired me to graduate in the field of computational design, focussing on the use of parametric design to improve design performances. I explored the use of a computational design system alongside the design process of a Zero-Energy sports hall in Overhoeks, Amsterdam. Computational design systems use parametric modeling, building performance simulations and evolutionary algorithms to find optimal design solutions (Figure 8). Using this workflow, each design alternative created in the design process is automatically evaluated using building performance simulations – in my case performed by Grasshopper plug-ins Ladybug, Honeybee and DIVA. Design results are stored to a data set and compared to all other designs that have been made throughout the design process. In conjunction

with ‘manually’ modelling or configuring designs, I used evolutionary solver Octopus as an ‘engine’ to automatically generate a data set of design alternatives.

The resulting data set of design solutions can be analyzed through means of data analytics to inform an architect’s design process. For this I developed a visual analytics tool that combines multiple data analytics techniques in a game-like environment, using the Unreal Engine (Figure 9). The tool shows building geometries alongside their performances by integrating various kinds of data analytics techniques in a single viewport (Figure 10).

Users can fly through the environment to review buildings from different angles. A high degree of interactivity enables users of the tool to compare design options and to explore the design space in an intuitive manner. By doing so, a large amount of performance information is gained, giving insight in possible improvements of a design.

RuMoer 70 | XXV

66

BT Alumni: Climate Design

By Eve Farrugia

Thermal morphologies for energy storage in the building envelope

“One of the benefits of the BT programme is that it is a multi-faceted course. Innovative design and sustainability were crucial in all of our projects. “

2018

During my Architecture and Civil Engineering studies at the University of Malta, I developed a passion for integrated sustainable design. I was determined to focus my projects on buildings which are designed to adapt to the environment. In my final year I experimented with Climate Adaptive Facades through my dissertation, with the aim to determine their impact within a Mediterranean climate.

After briefly exploring climate and facade design principles, I became fascinated with these topics.

I searched for opportunities which could equip me with the right expertise to address and respond to the current and future climate and buildings using innovative methods. The Building Technology Track at TU Delft was therefore the perfect choice for me.

played a central role in my Bachelor studies. One of the benefits of the BT programme is that it is a multi-faceted course. It is targeted towards the integration of several fields of study that concern the technical aspects of a building. Innovative design and sustainability were crucial in all of our projects.

Students can involve themselves in the research projects of the Architectural Engineering and Technology department, which are all on the frontline of innovation. Projects such as glass construction and 3D printing with unconventional materials are amongst the existing research projects attempting to push the boundaries of construction. This drive for innovation also served as a motivation for my design work, continuously being exciting and rewarding.

What is BT? The BT track is the product of merging the architecture and engineering fields. Throughout the two years of education, students are directed to find solutions to problems in a creative way, keeping in mind several demands. The course is predominantly technical, and the projects do not follow the conventional architectural design process. They are focused on detailing and components rather than aesthetic quality and space planning which previously

Apart from the graduation project, almost all of the courses included teamwork. Even though this was definitely challenging at times, when working with a limited time frame, in group situations we could attempt tasks which would have otherwise not been possible to complete individually. The added benefit of idea sharing with fellow students also greatly improved the quality of our projects. We had plenty of opportunities to take BT outside of the faculty through organised BouT trips within the country and

Eve graduates from the Building Technology master at TU Delft

BT Academic

67

Figure 1. Wall design for Seville climate from Eve’s master thesis

Figure 2. Wall design for Amsterdam climate from Eve’s master thesis

RuMoer 70 | XXV

68 abroad, the two-week SWAT project in Seville, and the design informatics project which took place in Alicante.

There was certainly never a dull moment throughout the entire two years of study. Even though there was a great deal of knowledge in the BT department, the significance and impact of the programme largely depends on the student’s input and use of available resources. It is up to the individual student to delve into the topic, and explore the knowledge field revolving around the topic. There is also a large amount of freedom provided when searching for the project aim. Throughout my projects in BT, I took the initiative to try several computational simulation and parametric tools. As a result, I became familiar with many diverse computational simulation and parametric tools which I currently use in the professional field.

Track Focus Each student could either focus on a specialisation by choosing related courses or investigate unfamiliar disciplines relating to all aspects of BT. The three main topics of BT are structural, façade and climate design.

In addition to the specialization topics, the way the

Figure 3. Overview of design strategies for the thermal wall

programme was set up helped us gain an understanding of the general principles of technical design such as structural design, material science, sustainability and building physics. We were also given the opportunity to study the main topics at different design scales, ranging from the component level within the hands-on Bucky Lab course up to the urban scale in the SWAT course.

Personally, I directed my specialisation on courses related to climate and façade design as I have always been interested in the effect that facades have on the interior building climate. I also explored the computational design discipline through the collaborative MEGA course. I was very enthusiastic about this, particularly its influence on climate and facade design. We had several opportunities throughout the programme to tackle building design from various angles and investigate the relationship between two or more disciplines. This was also the case for the graduation project.

Graduation Project The graduation project is a combination of two or three

Figure 4. Micro-surface analysis

fields with tutors from different departments and the research question should be approached through the two (or three) fields. My graduation project,‘Thermal Morphology’, focused on merging the climate and computational design disciplines in the context of thermal energy storage within the building envelope. The topic emerged from research efforts which were aimed at optimizing the building performance using computational tools.

I was inspired by the recent advancements in simulation and digital manufacturing techniques which have brought about the possibility to create complex geometries and to manipulate materials to produce geometry at different scales. I also came across literature which suggested that different geometrical configurations have a considerable effect on how thermal energy is managed within the building envelope. I combined the two approaches and explored the following question; How can we optimize the geometry of a thermal wall to improve its performance by solely changing its geometry whilst keeping the same material volume?

The main challenge was to identify intricately-linked geometrical and thermal parameters through many heat transfer simulations which guided the morphological process of a flat block of thermal mass into an optimized mass. The COMSOL Multiphysics software was used to perform heat transfer and airflow simulations, whilst Rhinoceros, Grasshopper and Ladybug were used for the parametric design of the walls. By analysing the differences in room air temperature, I determined if geometrical morphology is beneficial in terms of a comfortable air temperature in an office.

The methodology resulted in two distinct optimized thermal walls for two different climate conditions. A sinusoidal wall with pin-hole openings was found to be the ideal wall for a hot climate whilst the ideal wall for a temperate climate which resulted in a lower energy demand included horizontal protrusions and a high surface area. This research proved that by optimizing the material distribution - thereby controlling heat transfer solely by geometry - it is possible to achieve material efficiency whilst simultaneously lowering the energy demand.

Figure 5. Parametric Design Process for thermal wall in Seville climate

BT Academic

69

RuMoer 70 | XXV

70 Current Status Shortly after completing my graduation thesis, I started working as a Building Engineer at ABT, an engineering consultancy firm in the Netherlands. I am currently involved in a large-scale residential project in Amsterdam for which ABT is advising on the construction, installations, building physics and the sustainability aspects. The task primarily includes taking a project at its design stage and transforming it into the technical stage within a team of architects and building technologists. This involves translating conceptual designs into technical realisation through the use of rationalization, details and a BIM Model. We work with various expert engineers, the architects, the contractors and the client to collaborate on one design.

The collaborative courses throughout the BT programme proved to be extremely beneficial considering my current work. The team ensures that every little part of the building can be built whilst addressing the structural, installations and building physics requirements. Even though each team of specialists deals with their own discipline, as a result of the wide range of knowledge explored in BT,

I am able to anticipate and integrate elements in my design which work for all fields. Additionally, due to the fact that I have worked with energy simulation software and building physics throughout the BT programme, I also occasionally work with energy simulation modelling, performing thermal and daylight simulations. I can therefore also explore both my interests in my work.

The multi-faceted aspect of BT is also continuously reflected in my tasks. This is perhaps the main difference between working as a building engineer and my previous work as an architect. As an architect, I primarily focused on the aesthetics and the function. As a building engineer, I integrate more fields into one and focus more on the problem-solving aspects of a building. Every element is tackled from all angles and in great detail.

The future The BT programme has undeniably broadened my career horizons and I can now work on a large variety of projects through different disciplines. It is definitely exciting to be given opportunities to apply the same drive for innovation from my student life in the professional world.

Figure 6. Parametric Design Process for thermal wall in Amsterdam climate

BT Academic

71

Figure 7. Thermal wall design for Seville climate with resulting performance

Figure 8. Thermal wall design for Amsterdam climate with resulting performance

RuMoer 70 | XXV

72

Figure 1. 30 St Mary Axe, London © Nigel Young / Foster+Partners

Interview

73

Conversations with Paul Kalkhoven

The process of Innovation

By Valeria Piccioni and Tania Cortes Vargas

“If you think about combining the potential of digital technologies and combine it with the need for more sustainable ways of living you get an idea what can and should be done.�

What inspired you to study architecture?

I first decided to study town planning, which is what I came to Delft for. After 3 years of studying town planning, I wanted to concentrate more on spatial urban design, combining urban space with building design and I then did 2 years of the architecture training before I graduated in both. My final project was a scheme that started at an urban scale, but went all the way into the details of a housing development on one particular urban site. Design can apply to the large scale when you design what is open, what is green, and what is building, and then when you get to buildings, how rooms are arranged and when you get into the details working out how it can be built.

That range is usually covered by various professions, but I see that as an artificial separation as people experience the built and natural environment as one continuous space, containing both large and small.

How was your time here?

In the early years I just soaked everything up as the topics were very wide ranging, and you try to

Paul Kalkhoven becomes visiting professor at TU Delft

2018

make sense of it. As with most things in life, when you hear and read what people say about design there are many points of design but you ultimately have to reach your own conclusions; the technical topics were much more factual. As design is a process of analysis and decision-making you have to clearly understand the problem you are trying to solve. If there were standard solutions for every problem, then you would just look it up in a book, no architect needed. But new problems and new opportunities arise all the time, which make design necessary and design decisions complex. It took me a while to get that clear in my head. It is only after you have gone through that learning that I began to see the bigger picture and what I could combine that into my final project.

During your studies it is great to have the opportunity to develop your own thinking, taking in what comes to you and find your own voice.

Did you start working in the Netherlands after you graduated? What were the challenges?

After my graduation I thought it would be useful to get some experience abroad. I had done some summer work in Brussels, which was not easy as it was all in French, but as I was more comfortable with English, I decided that England (although I really meant London) would be best. There was also some interesting new architecture emerging there. I thought I would do that for six months or a year. As with most plans, things can change and I was lucky and found interesting jobs so did not come back.

Only much later I realised how lucky I had been, but if you don’t try you won’t get what you want.

How did you end up at Foster + Partners?

My first job in London was with another architectural company: MacCormac, Jamieson and Prichard (MJP).

They were a small firm, well known in Britain though not internationally, but with a clear design philosophy. I learnt a lot there. As soon as I started working I realised that there was much more to know and learn, not just about design, but also about how to get good projects and what it takes to get them built.

1995 Paul Kalkhoven joins Foster+Partners

I had to do the RIBA Part 3 course, even though in Holland I was already fully qualified as an architect. In Britain I needed to pass that exam to be registered as an architect.

It was a bit hard to go back to school in the evening and learn about contract law. At university you don’t need to worry about liability and contractual clauses but they are some of the realities of practice. When you are studying, you can concentrate on learning how to design. Once you are familiar with that and know how to solve problems you are ready to be exposed to the greater complexities of practice.

”

RuMoer 70 | XXV

74

“ As design is a process of analysis and decision-making you have to clearly understand the problem you are trying to solve.”

After 5 years at MJP, I thought it would be a long time before I could move up the ladder. When Foster + Partners (then called Foster Associates) advertised for architects I applied and got a job. I was hired because I had some construction experience, but I was also keen to learn more from them.

So when you went to Foster + Partners, what was the main difference between what you studied in Delft and what you ended up doing?

In practice, projects go through stages from concept to schematic to detailed design and then to construction drawings. For small projects that can be a year, but for large projects that takes much longer. Stansted Airport was one of the early projects I worked on. It was a big team, 30 people, and there were sub-teams working on parts of the project. For my work at the terminal building I worked a lot with the engineers, especially for building services and the baggage handling. You have your own responsibility, but you also have to consider how it relates

Interview

75

Figure 2. Shop for Katharine Hamnett

to the other parts of the building. Problems needs to be solved at every scale level and many drawings need to be drawn to design all the details.

I also worked on the Katharine Hamnett shop project, which was a conversion of a garage to a fashion shop in Brompton Road, in London. The existing building needed quite a bit of repair and the concept was to rip everything out to create a simple industrial space. The design and

construction programme was tight and very intensive. You have to take it as it comes when you are working with old buildings as you don’t always know what you are going to find, but decisions need to be made. My experience from the previous five years was useful, and I had learnt how to tackle problems. At Foster + Partners I learned how to go through design options in a systematic manner whilst not losing sight of the big idea; the best solutions are often not the ones you start with.

RuMoer 70 | XXV

76

Figure 3. Stansted Airport Š Dennis Gilbert / VIEW

You work as Head of Technical Design. Was it a big shift from Architecture? What is the job about?

In my view Technical Design is an essential part of architectural design, as architecture is not just about form, layout and material, it is also designing how materials are joined and how a building can perform. At Foster + Partners there has always been much attention to detail.

In the details, you see how the parts come together. It is

also about calming spaces down; it is hard work to make it look simple. Well-detailed construction is critical for performance and should not need to be covered up. I started here in 1986, and up to 2007 I had my own projects as part of a bigger team that I was responsible for. In that period the office grew significantly. We had many talented young architects but on the technical side they lacked experience of construction. There was a need to

in other industries such as the car and aircraft industry, new generations of stronger and lighter materials, for instance, carbon fibre reinforced polymers have already been use for some time, although there are not many building construction applications. It is not necessarily cheaper than other materials but can have benefits elsewhere that more traditional materials cannot achieve.

Construction speed, prefabricated quality, accuracy can be critical for project performance.

Figure 4. Paul Kalkhoven showing students around at Foster+Partners office in London

support the project teams in the office and to spread the experience of what the practice had learned wider. I was then asked to set up the Construction Review team, to do just that. The role is part quality control, part education, and part knowledge management. We focus on the Technical Design work stages which start after Scheme design, and includes Detailed Design and Construction drawings, depending on the contract and scope of what we need to provide. We see all the projects during these stages in all parts of the world, and we help our teams to solve or avoid problems, as well as to improve what we do.

Can you tell us about a project where innovation was a big part of it, and it played an important role?

In every project you need to work with consultants who have specialised knowledge and together a design is realised, often also involving the knowledge and experience of specialised contractors. Technology and industry are changing all the time and for innovation you need to be aware or find out what can be done. Sometimes,

Our work around the world on a range of Apple stores are good examples of ongoing innovation in the facades, stairs and roofs. For instance, the Istanbul Zorlu store has a 10 x 10 x 3 m lantern over the store which consist of 4 large pieces of laminated glass which also support a lightweight carbon fibre reinforced roof. It combines the specialist knowledge of consultant EOC with the facade contractor for the glass and the roof manufacturer. It is beautiful simple looking transparent box where all materials are high performing. It sits in a shallow reflecting pool which makes it look even more weightless. The beauty is also the apparent simplicity which comes from what you don’t see or what has been eliminated: these are frameless assemblies which are bonded together which requires high precision.

Modern production technology enables us to develop special components for larger projects; you are not just limited to catalogue products. Projects take three to five years and at the end of it the world has moved on. You got to keep an eye on what can and needs to be done and innovate. Even a small step for each project adds up to quite a shift over a period of time. Sustainability, and now also circularity, are major challenges which require substantial change and innovation. We know where we need to be in 2030 or 2050. That is an enormous challenge.

What are the biggest differences in Building Technology since you started working to now?

I started my first job drawing in pen and ink. Drawings were printed and then sent by mail to a building site.

Now everything is digital; you issue a PDF of your CAD

Interview

77

78 RuMoer 70 | XXV

drawing around the world in no time. It still takes time to draw but you can make changes faster and with a smaller team which is one of the biggest benefits. And now with BIM the whole design team is drawing in 3D, creating a shared virtual model of the building together. It is a major step forward as you look at the building from all angles whilst you are designing it. And it is not just what you see, it is also what can be calculated and simulated to give confidence that it works and to optimise performance.

The second big change is the need for sustainable buildings which is impacting more and more how we do projects. It concentrates on carbon and minimising energy consumption, passive systems versus active systems, it is about transport and density, and increasingly also about material selection. The good thing is that there are already examples of buildings which need a minimum amount of energy or which produce more energy than they consume.

Much of the technology needed already exists but can be developed further.

How do you think Building Technology will affect architecture in the future?

If you think about combining the potential of digital technologies and combine it with the need for more sustainable ways of living you get an idea what can and should be done. More with less. That will also impact how we design and build; off-site, prefabricated construction and assembly on site will give you better performance quality. Everyone will need to change behaviour, which is very hard but as an architect you can help make changes for the better by design, not just for new buildings but also how we adapt existing buildings.

Figure 5. Apple Store, Zorlu, Istanbul

2004

Paul Kalkhoven becomes a senior partner at the office

What has changed recently is the role between architects and engineers. At the beginning it was more or less the same person. It then came to a moment in which the two figures are completely separate but then it looks like now there’s this need to reconcile the two.

There is a greater need for more integration but there is also more specialisation. The relationship between building services and architecture in particular will need

to be more complementary. Ventilation, heating, cooling and lighting are the big energy consumers in buildings and that is why architects will need a better understanding of building services and a consider was to minimise energy use, whilst still creating a comfortable environment for the users.

What are your views on circularity?

I think that a target of a fully circular economy is very ambitious but necessary. It goes beyond the global warming targets of the Paris agreement. Modern buildings have many parts and materials, often factorybonded together in thin layers. To peel it all apart and then

to recycle it, or to find alternatives is the big challenge.

It is worth doing and it will be a major change how the construction industry works.

Your generation sees the impact of what has (and has not) happened in the last 40 years. The causes are now clearer, but the time left to resolve them is getting shorter.

So maybe sustainability will be the driving force for the next innovation...

Definitely. Sitting around and waiting for the magic solution is not possible. You have got to help make it happen wherever you can.

Figure 6. Apple Store, Huangzhou, China

Interview

79

RuMoer 70 | XXV 80

81 BouT

RoBouwtics

Robotics in architecture symposium

By Sofia Mori

On the afternoon

of February 28th, BouT

presented a symposium on the topic Robotics in Architecture, with focus on the usage of robots for fabrication, assembly, optimization and interactive design in the built environment.

The goal of RoBouwtics was to bring the latest research and design on this key topic into one event, with contributions from different universities’ research groups as well as international design firms.

BouT Symposium RoBouwtics is held in the Orange Hall

2019

RuMoer 70 | XXV

82

1

Symposium This year, the BouT symposium aimed to raise awareness and equip young professionals with new insights and a head start when they tackle challenges of the future.

Technology continues to advance at a rapid pace.

Unfortunately, the construction industry is usually lagging behind. The use of robots in architecture is still small but aiming to grow in research and implementation.

Although the potential is quite well-known allowing architects to design more complex 3d shapes, optimize the structure, and improve the efficiency and precision on building site, the automated design still carries the unknown and brings the excitement for exploring and experimenting. The name RoBouwtics comes from for “Robotics” and “Bouw” (=construction), which in a simple, direct way, describes the topic.

83 BouT

The first ideas came up before summer but the organization began in September 2018. With a draft proposal we went to Henriette Bier, the head of Robotic Building, who agreed to be moderator for the event. A group of professors and experts from the Faculty of Architecture and the built environment of TU Delft was also gathered together to be panelists and offer their perspective on the day of the event. These were Dr. Michela Turrin, Sina Mostafavi, Ir. Paul de Ruiter, and Serdar Asut. With the support of the moderator and the panelists from the very beginning of the organization, an interesting line up of speaker was set, among which professionals, researchers and professors from universities and offices from all around Europe.

2

During the whole duration of the event the Orange Hall was filled by around 200 passionate people, willing to learn more about this emerging topic. The overall interest was very positive and promising. An overview of each lecturer is presented below.

Architecture in the Age of Automation by Gilles Retsin Gilles Retsin is a London based architect and designer whose work is interested in the impact of computation on the core principles of architecture – the bones rather than the skin. He is Program Director of the B.Pro Architectural Design (AD) M.Arch course at the Bartlett School of Architecture in London and co-founder of the Design Computation Lab at UCL. His lecture presents a body of work and thinking that is based on a computational understanding of the discrete part or bit – pieces that are as scalable, accessible and versatile as digital data.

3

Left page: 1. Alexander Walzer and Joris Burger presenting their research at ETH Zurich Right page: 2. Robotic drawing demonstration by Amey Thakur 3. Gilles Retsin 4. Tallin Architecture Biennale Pavilion | G. Retsin, Gilles Retsin Architecture, Nous Engineering, UCL the Bartlett

ŠNAARO

4

84 RuMoer 70 | XXV

Robotic fabrication in practice by Lèon Spikker Léon Spikker is co-founder at Studio RAP (Robotics Architecture Production). This innovative Rotterdambased architecture firm develops and applies cuttingedge design and production technologies to develop a new and expressive architectural language based on the notion of Digital Craftsmanship. The presentation focuses on Studio RAP vision and workflow in relation to some of their latest projects and processes e.g. topological optimization, reuse of materials and 3D ceramic- and concrete printing. ©Studio RAP

5

The impact of automated processes and digital craftsmanship on project development by Jan Dierckx Jan Dierckx joined Foster + Partners in 2013 after studying Civil Engineering and Architecture in Belgium and Germany and a postgraduate degree at the Bartlett UCL. He is now part of the Specialist Modelling Group.

The presentation explains how he combines this role with several research initiatives in the practice and with collaborators, which range from a speculative design for a Martian habitat to software and workflow development for large-scale 3D printing.

6

7

©Foster + Partners

8

85 BouT

Robotic fabrication with concrete: insights into past and future developments of Mesh Mould and Smart Dynamic Casting

by Alexander Nikolas Walzer & Joris Burger Alexander Nikolas Walzer got his Master of Science Degree from TU Vienna. From 2016 to 2018 he has worked at the Chair of Architecture and Digital Fabrication (Gramazio Kohler Research) and the NCCR Digital Fabrication at ETH Zurich where he is currently a doctoral candidate. Joris Burger completed his Master of Science in Building Technology at Delft University of Technology.

He completed his MSc thesis in collaboration with the chair of Architecture and Digital Fabrication (Prof. Fabio Gramazio, Prof. Matthias Kohler) before starting as a PhD Researcher within the NCCR Digital Fabrication.

9

Two research projects are discussed that both aim to reduce the environmental impact of concrete formwork, as well as the material efficiency of concrete construction. In Mesh Mould a spatial mesh is robotically fabricated that acts as formwork for the fresh concrete and as reinforcement in the hardened state. Smart Dynamic Casting (SDC) is a robotic fabrication process for the production of non-standard concrete columns.

Both projects presented past and future developments and including full-scale and real-world application in the DFAB House at the EMPA premises in Dübendorf, Switzerland.

Left page: 5. Concrete 3D printing for Abri Watertaxi Stop project 6. Léon Spikker 7. Jan Dierkx 8. 3D printed optimised lattice for shell structure Right page: 9. Alexander Nikolas Walzer 10. Concrete column created with 3D printed thin shell formwork

©Catherine Leutenegger

10

RuMoer 70 | XXV

86 BUGA Wood Pavilion & BUGA Fiber Pavilion

by Hans Jakob Wagner & Niccolò Dambrosio Niccolò Dambrosio is a Research Associate at the institute for Computational Design and Construction at the University of Stuttgart. He holds a Master’s degree from the Polytechnic University of Bari and the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. Hans Jakob Wagner is a Research Associate at the same institute as Niccolò. He completed received his Master at the University of Stuttgart. The talk presented those two projects to be built in 2019. Jakob’s project focuses on advanced computational timber architecture and associated production processes. Niccolò’s research focuses on the development and implementation of robotic fabrication setup and its relevant hardware, the design and realization of a component-based long-span structure integrating aesthetic, fabrication and structural requirements.

The symposium represented a good occasion for our faculty of Architecture and the Built environment to get in touch with other Universities and pave the way for future academic collaborations. TU Delft’s future oriented vision and research-based study methods are for sure a fertile soil in which innovation in the field can grow.

11

Left page: 11. Niccolò Dambrosio & Hans Jakob Wagner 12. Robotic fabrication BUGA Wood Pavilion 13. Robotic fabrication BUGA Fiber Pavilion Right page: 14. Panel discussion with Gilles Retsin 15. BouT Events Commitee 16. Supporting students team

©University of Stuttgart

12

©University of Stuttgart

13

87

Henriette Bier / Moderator Michela Turrin / Panelist Sina Mostafavi / Panelist Serdar Asut / Panelist Paul de Ruiter / Panelist Harwin Hidding / PhD researcher Gilles Retsin / Speaker Léon Spikker / Speaker Jan Dierckx / Speaker Alexander N. Walzer / Speaker Joris Burger / Speaker Hans Jakob Wagner / Speaker Niccolò Dambrosio / Speaker Sofia Mori / Director Agata Mintus / Ops Commander Ginevra Nazzarri / Speaker Manager Alex Falcon / Speaker Manager Ujjwal Dawar / Mission 1 Capt Erron Estrado / Mission 2 Capt Ekta Kapoor / Mission3 Capt Rahul Grover / Sponsor Ambassador Divyae Mittal / Sponsor Duty Manager Jasper Sauer / Video maker Josè Galan / Photographer Amey Thakur / Robot programmer Roelof van Hoorn / Bk Linda van Keeken / Bk

BouT

Many thanks to all those who helped make the symposium possible:

14

15

FSB / Sponsor Building Heroes / Sponsor STUD / Sponsor University funds / Sponsor X TU Delft / Sponsor Lama / Sponsor Robotic Building / Sponsor And the whole team of Building Technology students who helped with the organization, as well as Argus study association who supported us.

16

RuMoer 70 | XXV

88 Company visit to FSB, Brakel (Germany)

Company visit to Octatube, ABT & Cepezed, Delft

BouT went to Germany for a company visit to FSB, one of the biggest door and window hardware producers worldwide. The trip also included a series of seminars on material and surfaces.

BouT is organising a company visit to Delftbased companies Octatube, ABT and Cepezed.

The plan is to reach the offices by bike and finish the day with a social event at the lake.

Technoledge Design Informatics trip to Prague (Czech Republic)

BouT Board Transfer 2019-2020, Bouwpub, BK City

Debut.event 2019 - the company case day, BK City

The students of Technoledge Design Informatics took part in a trip to Prague to prototype their project focusing on robotic fabrication.

The 2019 BouT board will be announced to all BT students with a borrel, also celebrating the 25th anniversary of BouT.

The 4th edition of the career day specifically aimed at BT students. A great opportunity to expand your network!

01-06 | 04 | 2019

26 | 04 | 2019

11-12 | 04 | 2019

05 | 06 | 2019

01-06 | 04 | 2019

BOUT CONNECTS! Platinum Sponsors:

Gold Sponsors:

Silver Sponsors:

Bronze Sponsors: