Advanced Construction Case Study: Kunsthaus Graz Sebastian Lubczynski
Project 2: ARC 730
CONTENTS Synopsis Part A
Kunsthaus Graz
Project Conception Architects Part B
Material Components
Concrete Steel Glass Plastic Part C
Analysis
Sustainability Canadian Climate Conclusion
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SYNOPSIS
Expression of tectonic materiality within Architecture has continued to develop as new materials and construction methods keep emerging. As these systems of elements, techniques and technologies are introduced in the design of a building, they shape the future of the construction industry. New techniques arise from complex problems due to geographical locations, building type, and the complexity of the project itself. Digital technology and mass-customization is becoming the method of choice in the design process to lower the construction cost and speed of delivery for the project. This case study will focus on the Kunsthaus Graz in Austria and will focus on the topics mentioned above.
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Part A
Kunsthaus Graz
Project Conception Architects Project Details Design Intent
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PROJECT CONCEPTION
Competition Entry
Part A • Kunsthaus Graz
In 2003 the city Graz became the European Union’s official “cultural capital of Europe”. The conception of the project arose from a design competition initiated by the city of Graz in Austria. This meant that the city would have a good amount of funding to build an iconic building within their city. The goal of the project was the help trigger and improve the cultural infrastructure of the city and in turn raise the level of tourism. Two prior competitions were held before this project was finally awarded. However, none of the projects that won previously went beyond the conceptual stage. When the third competition came into play in 2000, Peter Cook and Colin Fournier won with their bold proposal for the museum design.
Competition Entry
Competition Entry
The museum site is embedded in the historic city scape of graz. The new building fills up an existing void and connects to an old department store that will also became part of the museum complex. The key feature of the scheme is an organic “monostructure” that encloses the exhibition spaces and other facilities. A multitude of organic-looking funnels (or “nozzles”) on the roof give it a characteristic outline . It also is an example for contemporary “blob” architecture, amongst other influences. The structure was intended to be made out of some kind of semi-transparent blue space-age material never to be heard of before.
Competition Entry
Competition Entry Kunsthaus Graz • 5
Part A • Kunsthaus Graz
ARCHITECTS Competition Background Winning Firm: Spacelab Cook-Fournier Principles: Peter Cook + Colin Fournier Client/Owner/Developer: Florence Griswold Museum
Design Features: Design Philosophy / Iconic Manifestation / Digital Media Facade Peter Cook
SpaceLab London based architects, Peter Cook and Colin Fournier formed a temporary collaborative firm, Spacelab, to enter and win the international competition for the landmark museum proposal for Graz, Austria. The Kunsthaus Graz is currently the firms only realized design proposal. Peter Cook and Colin Fournier are currently professors of the Bartlett School of Architecture at the University College in London, England.
Colin Fournier
Peter Cook , a principal of Archigram, comes from an avant-garde methodology, rethinking norms and manifesting projects of new imagery and technologies. Colin Fournier also designs within a avant-garde methodology approach. This common design approach allowed for the architects to corroboratively design the proposal for Graz, Austria.
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PROJECT DETAILS Project: Kunsthaus Graz Location: Graz, Austria Gross square footage: 141,007 sq. ft. Total construction cost: $50 Million Cost per square ft. : $355
Part A • Kunsthaus Graz
Kunsthaus Graz Overview The Kunsthaus Graz is an impressive synthesis which unites their innovative design language with the historic setting of the urban district along the Mur. The aesthetic dialogue between the new biomorphic structure on the bank of the Mur and the old clock tower on Graz’s famous Schloßberg (Castle Hill) is the trademark of a city aiming to create a productive tension between tradition and avantgarde. In content, as well as from an urbanistic point of view, the new Kunsthaus Graz acts as an dialogue between past and future. The Kunsthaus Graz is an exhibition hall designed for international exhibitions of multidisciplinary modern and contemporary art. The Kunsthaus will not collect art, it will not institute permanent exhibitions, nor will it have depots or research facilities. It will serve exclusively for the presentation and mediation of a wide range of contemporary artistic productions. The exhibition activities of the Kunsthaus will be determined in agreement and in cooperation with the Neue Galerie am Landesmuseum Joanneum, Styria’s museum for modern and contemporary art, with a long and rich tradition. Berlin based realities : united conceives, designed and realized a 900m2 large media installation made of light rings for the eastern facade of the Kunsthaus Graz. BIX – the title of the installation - will be mounted beneath the acrylic glass surface of the building facing the river and city centre. It can be seen as an urban screen: a new instrument and platform for artistic production. The Kunsthaus uses BIX to project its communicative aspect into public space.
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DESIGN INTENT
Part A • Kunsthaus Graz
A Space Age Material From the conceptual stages of the project, it was envisioned to generate
a uniform blob form in a “space like material”. The identification of this space like material was not resolved until the later stages of the design process. The design process generated an arbitrary form, responding to certain site and functional parameters, but never to the requirements of the potential cladding material nor to the structural system. Another defining element of the winning proposal was the idea of a media facade, which would require a translucency to the cladding material.
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Part B
Material Components
Concrete Steel Glass Plastic
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CONCRETE
Part B • Material Components
The Material With the majority of the free form design of the Kunsthaus Graz taking place
within the steel space frame, the assembly of the floor plates and building support within the building are constructed from poured in-place concrete. The benefit of using poured in-place concrete is that when it is wet, it can be moulded into any shape desirable. Its relatively low cost of construction also makes it a desirable material for producing buildings. Its raw material composition is readily available making it a more sustainable approach to construction. If properly assembled, concrete does not rot, deteriorate, or damage over time, leaving a lasting building in the urban context.
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Part B • Material Components
CONCRETE Primary Use: Floor Slab, Columns Construction Phase: First Phase Material Assembly: Poured in-place Concrete
In the Kunsthaus Graz, levels 1 through 4 use a more conventional piloti and beam system. This concrete system was chosen specifically for the reason that it allows for the columns to be placed in a less rigid grid system. The floor plate of the Kunsthaus Graz suggests that the proper structural system for this type of building geometry could only be built from concrete. The key element to point out here, is that the concrete structure is the foundation for the free-form space frame systems. Having this rigid floor system, it not only resists the thrust from the above structure, but also acts as the bracing element linking the columns at the ground floor.
Level 4 - Art Exhibition Space
Level 3 - Exhibition Space
Level 2 - Exhibition Space
Level 1 - Public Reading Area Building Cross Section
Level 3 - Public Reading Area Kunsthaus Graz • 11
Part B • Material Components
STEEL The Material
Steel as a structural material as proven over time to be reliable and strong material that allows for unique structural configurations. In comparison to concrete, steel is extremely strong in tension and in compression. In the Kunsthaus Graz, steel is utilizing a steel space frame structure. A space frame structure is essentially a truss-like configuration, composed of a lightweight rigid structure formed by interlocking struts in a geometric pattern. Certain space frame structures utilize a multidirectional span to accommodate longs spans with very few intermediate support. Their inherit strength comes from the triangular configuration of the frame, stiffing the structure in all directions.
Steel Space Frame Example Kunsthaus Graz • 12
Part B • Material Components
STEEL Primary Use: Structral Frame Construction Phase: Second Phase Material: Steel Space Frame
The Design Being a free form building design, the Architects needed to develop a system that could accommodate the large spans and open free plan on the upper level of the Kunsthaus Graz. As mentioned previously, Kunsthaus Graz utilizes a steel space frame structure. This allows for the space to remain unobstructed by columns, giving absolute freedom the to the space planning for specific exhibitions. The largest span within the building is as much as 60m. Using steel in this application allowed the architects not only to span the 60m, but also allowed them to have the facade of the building to curve in more then one direction. The steel structure initially was secondary in the design of the building. The building form was the driving force in designing the steel structure instead of the steel structure dictating the arbitrary form.
Steel Space Frame
Steel Space Frame
Kunsthaus Graz Steel Space Frame Kunsthaus Graz • 13
Part B • Material Components
STEEL Primary Use: Structral Frame Construction Phase: Second Phase Material: Steel Space Frame
Design Methodologies/Techniques Certain principles were taken into consideration in the design of the steel space frame. The digital platform became the essential tool to resolve the complex arbitrary form of the building. The complex mathematical curves could only be figured out and designed in the digital platform. By using this process, the design team was capable of designing a efficient structure, simplifying the amount of components needed and maximizing the potential that steel has to offer.
The triangular layout provides for the required shearing stiffness. The triangular mesh is derived from the longitudinal and transversal divisions
Early design stage of the structural framing. This design turned out too complicated because the number of elements grew too large.
The refined structural space-frame has been fully developed. The refined triangulation layout provided the required shearing stiffness for this type free form shape.
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Part B • Material Components
GLASS The Material
Glass is an essential element in building design. It provides views from the interior to the exterior, and vice versa. Glass as a material is a non-crystalline solid element. Even though glass is quite heavy, it can easily be broken if enough force is applied to it, due in part to its inherit brittle properties. Glass has been around for thousands of years and been constantly improved to better suit its purpose.
Glass Facade Below the “Blob”
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Part B • Material Components
GLASS Primary Use: Visual Transparency Construction Phase: Third Phase Material: Vision Glass
The Design The glass portion of the building is mostly situated at the base of the building where the free flowing public space is located. This thin wall of glass gives the space a perception of transparency, a continuation of the exterior into the interior. By having this portion of the building glazed in glass, the architects were able to achieve a notion that the upper floors were hovering overtop of the public space, due to its formal gestures. Since the emphases was primarily in the upper portion of the building, the glass curtain wall system resulted into a typical stick frame glazing system. This system is typically assembled on site, erecting the vertical mullions and horizontal rails, inserting the glazing, and finishing off my installing the pressure plate.
Interior of Kunsthaus Graz
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Part B • Material Components
PLASTIC The Material
Plastic is a generic term used to describe several chemical compounds. The most common are polyethylene, polyurethane, polystyrene, poly-carbonate, polyvinyl, and polypropylene. As a group, these share many common characteristics, such as their ability to achieve different levels of transparency and color. Plastics are lightweight, resilient, generally resistant to corrosion and moisture, and can be molded and formed into complex shapes. The material is relatively new to the construction industry, although recently there has been extraordinary growth in their use in building construction. Plastics typically have a high coefficient of thermal expansion, so construction details must allow for a substantial amount of expansion and contraction due to temperature changes. Plastics are easily cut, formed and bent and some are fireresistant or classified as slow burning. The building and construction industry is the second largest consumer of plastics, and play an integral role due to their durability, high performance, easy handling and low cost. One of the biggest advantages of plastics is their ability to be shaped to limitless forms. Plastics are generally lower density than other building materials, while their strength-to-weight ratio is typically higher. They can be joined with heat, mechanically with screws or bolts, or by snapping interlocking pieces together with no fasteners. The largest disadvantage to plastics in building applications is that they can be destroyed by fire and may give off toxic gasses. Given the wide range of plastics, all perform differently when subjected to fire. Some plastics burn and create a toxic smoke, while others produce combustible vapors, and still others melt. Fire ratings depend on the type of plastic, its thickness and its coating.
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Part B • Material Components
PLASTIC Primary Use: Exterior Cladding Construction Phase: Fourth Phase Material: Plexiglas
The Design
The design and layout of the Plexiglas had taken several stages to develop. Using Rhino, a digital free form software, the design team was capable of creating a close enough module in order to customize each panel. Plastic became the choice material for not only its moulding capabilities, but also the cost effectiveness of manufacturing it. The Plexiglas required specially design moulds that would allow for the bending in two directions. Its transparent properties were also the key in material choice. Since the façade was to become this multimedia screen, there became this requirement of allowing the transmission of light, which ruled out any other materials on the market.
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Part B • Material Components
PLASTIC Primary Use: Exterior Cladding
The Plexiglas Manufacturing Process
Construction Phase: Fourth Phase
The Plexiglas panel manufacturing process can be broken down into three main stages:
Material: Plexiglas
Stage 1: The Mold A large rectangular block of Styrofoam approximately the size of a king size bed, is cut through computer aided presets to the desired dimensions by a five axis milling cutter. Stage 2: Firing A standardized 4 x 3 meters flat panel is heated to the point of elasticity, and is then placed upon the Styrofoam mold and gravity begin to take their effect. Stage 3 : Cooling The Plexiglas panel takes its final form as it, cools slowly on the Styrofoam mold to avoid any tensions and deformations. Accepting Change The Plexiglas panels were not considered when determining the initial form. As the design process continued to develop and the Plexiglas material was finalized, the form had to adjust to accommodate to the panels. The Plexiglas panels where molded from two basic rectangular templates 4 x 3 M and 3 x 2 M and therefore adjusted the arbitrary structure of the panelization layout.
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Part B • Material Components
MATERIAL COMPONENTS
4 8 2
1
6
7
5 4 1
2
3
3
Axonometric: Major Building Material Analysis
Axonometric: Major Wall Material Analysis
1 2 3 4
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Concrete Steel Glass Plastic
Open-jointed acrylic panels Under-facade BIX lighting Support for panels Synthetic Membrane (Bitumen compatible waterproofing sheet) FOAMGLAS Insulation Synthetic Membrane Closed cell steel decking Steel space frame
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Part B • Material Components
MATERIAL COMPONENTS
Façade structure
8
7
5 6 1
1
Synthetic membrane (bitumen compatible waterproofing sheet)
2
Supporting framework, primary steel truss
3
Closed cell steel decking
4
FOAMGLAS insulation
5
Under-façade BIX lightning
6
Sprinkler nozzle
7
Support for panels
8
Open-jointed acrylic panels
4 3
2
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MATERIAL COMPONENTS
Part B • Material Components
BIX Facade The BIX facade is a matrix of 930 fluorescent lamps integrated into the eastern Plexiglas facade of the Kunsthaus. This effectively translated the intent of the facade becoming a multimedia screen.
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Part C
Analysis
Sustainability Canadian Climate Conclusion
Part C • Analysis
SUSTAINABILITY Sustainability The concept if a building is to be considered sustainable takes on many parameters. All materials and production process need to be taken into consideration. The Kunsthaus Graz ultimately uses 4 main construction materials; concrete, steel, plastic, and glass. Each in its own right have issues with sustainability as materials. The use of plastic on the exterior facade do have to come into question because the material itself isn’t designed to withstand certain types of climates and UV radiation. Plastic also becomes weaker when under freeze - thaw cycles occur. The panels become more prone to breaking off from the buildings facade and falling down on the pedestrians below. This is all due to the inherit material properties that plastic has. Even with additives there are the chances that the plastic panels will not last over a longer period of time. If there ever becomes the need to sell the building, it has great potential to explore other type of occupancies because the open plans allow for walls to freely move, creating endless possibilities for interior configurations. The change in occupancy prolongs the life span and multiuse of the building in the long run. When looking at how the building was assembled, it can be stated that the top portion of the building, which is the free form, there is a relative ease of disassembly. Once the plastic, metal decking, and space frame is removed, the concrete structure only remains. This then can be used for another type of possible construction.
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Part C • Analysis
Canadian Climate Canadian Climate The application of all the materials, except for plastic, as a construction material is completely viable, since the techniques that were used in Graz are used here in Canada as well. Also the building form can also be designed in Canada. The only modification that would need to be made is changing the material composition of the exterior facade. Plastic would not be a viable material in Canada. The reason why plastic as a material choice for the exterior cladding system cannot be chosen as a building block for the design of the exterior facade is because Graz, Austira has a much more milder temperature range then in Canada. A possible location though for constructing this type of building with this palate is in British Vancouver. Since Graz is positioned southeast of the Alps, Graz becomes shielded from the prevailing westerly winds that bring weather fronts in from the North Atlantic. As a result, Graz weather is more Mediterranean influenced. In comparison, depending where you are in Canada, temperatures can reach down to -30 degrees. This would eventually make the choice in material plastic not suitable.
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Part C • Analysis
CONCLUSION Conclusion The materials that were used in the construction of the building are relatively simplistic, but yet present the building in a very futuristic manner. The changing form of the exterior allows for the building to stand out from its surrounding context, and become the iconic building. This iconic image is achieved by the way the material palate all work together as the final assembly.
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REFERENCES References Website: Bellis, By Mary. “The History of Plastic.” Inventors. Fri. 12 Nov. 2010. <http://inventors.about.com/od/pstartinventions/a/plastics.htm>. LeFaivre, By Liane. “Architectural Record Building Types Study | Kunsthaus Graz.” Architecture Design for Architects | Architectural Record. Web. 12 Nov. 2010. <http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/bts/archives/museums/0401_kunsthaus/overview.asp> “Kunsthaus Graz.” Gernot Stangl @ Xarch. Web. 12 Nov. 2010. <http://gernot. xarch.at/kunsthaus_graz/>. “Spacelab Cook-Fournier - Kunsthaus Graz :: Arcspace.com.” Architecture Online - Arcspace Is an Architecture and Design Magazine That Features Today’s Most Creative Projects as Well as the Most Influential of the Past. Web. 12 Nov. 2010. <http://www.arcspace.com/architects/cook/>. “Bubble - FRANKENARCHITEKTEN.” Überblick Projekte - FRANKENARCHITEKTEN. Web. 12 Nov. 2010. <http://www.franken-architekten.de/index.php?pagety pe=projectdetail=en&cat=-1&param=overview&param2=21&param3=0&> PDF’s: _ Lowel, UMASS. “History of Plastics Ppt Presentation.” AuthorSTREAM Online PowerPoint Presentations and Slideshow Sharing. Fri. 12 Nov. 2010. <http:// www.authorstream.com/Presentation/Charlie-64853-History-Plastics-of-plas-Education-ppt-powerpoint/> ”Thermal Insulation Systems for the Entire Building Envelope.” FOAMGLAS® Cellular Glass Insulation, for Building and Industry. Foamglass. Web. <http:// www.foamglas.co.uk/__/frontend/handler/document.php?id=873&type=42>.
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REFERENCES
“Insulation System for Façades.” FOAMGLAS® Cellular Glass Insulation, for Building and Industry. FoamGlas. Web. <http://www.foamglas.ae/__/frontend/ handler/document.php?id=892&type=42> “Project Building info.” FOAMGLAS® Cellular Glass Insulation, for Building and Industry. FoamGlas. Web. <http://www.foamglas.se/__/frontend/handler/document.php?id=284&type=42> Bullivant, Lucy. “Title BIX Matrix, Kunsthaus Graz, Austria: Realities:united.” BIX Matrix 75.1 (2005): 82-85. Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals. Web Books: Ballard, Victoria. Materials for Design. New York: Princeton Architectural, 2006. Print. Schittich, Christian. Building Skins. Berlin: Birkhauser, 2006. Print. Auch-Schwelk Hegger and Fuchs Rosenkranz. Construction Materials Manual. Berlin: Birkhauser, 2006.
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