The Log Construction Method in the 21st Century

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The Log Construction Method in the 21st Century Precedent Study on the Garage and Vehicle Workshop in Andelfingen

Contents A. Precedent Explanation

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B. Precedent Declaration

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C. Precedent Exploration

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D. Reflective Summary

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E. Appendix

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F. List of Figures

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G. Bibliography

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A Precedent Explanation Wood has become an appealing material for architects for centuries because of its warm aesthetic and easy workability. 1 Moreover, as one of the oldest construction method in history, the log house principle has worked for thousands of years and become a part of the traditional agricultural construction in Switzerland. 2 3 Although the log construction method is mostly applied to dwellings, the garage and vehicle workshop built for the waterways engineering operations centre of Zurich shows its potential on a large scale. 4 However, the column-free hall, which can house six large vehicles with a clear headroom up to 7.6 meters 5 is not a structure with traditional log construction. It is a combination of the modern modular system and the conventional log house principle. The 36 glued laminated timber elements making up the workshop were all prefabricated and delivered to the site by semi-trailers. 6 The longest' log' of these spans up to 25 meters and have a total length of 32 meters, 7 1 2 3

4 5 6 7

Victoria B. Bell and Patrick Rand, Materials for Architectural Design 2 (London: Laurence King Publishing, 2001), p. 85. Ibid., p.87. Detail Structure, 'Garage and Vehicle Workshop in Andelfingen', Detail, 2016, p. 26 <https://inspiration.detail.de/Download/document-download/id/58e60b7e0ecbe> [accessed 12 April 2018]. Ibid., p. 26. Ibid., p. 26. Ibid., P. 26. Detail Structure, p. 28.

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which may be impossible for traditional log construction. However, the invention of the laminated wood, one of the greatest advancement in the timer construction industry during the last century, 8 enables architects to create longer spans like the one in this project. Definitely, the workshop is an architecture based on modern technique.

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Meanwhile, the design concept of this project is deeply rooted in the local log construction tradition as well. According to Bell and Rand, one of the characteristics of this old method is its interlocking corner joints. 9 In this case, all the components are also piled up to form the shape of the building and then interlock at the corners (Fig. 1). 10 Moreover, the design draws on the traditional log cabin is not only a decision based on aesthetic but also an attempt to a more efficient construction process. With all the elements prefabricated, the entire workshop was finished in just four working days with a pneumatic crane. 11 Another important nature of this architecture should be its emphasis on the restraint design. The architect underlined this characteristic to the public,

Victoria B. Bell and Patrick Rand, p.89. Ibid., p. 87. 10 Dan Howarth, 'Interlocking Timber Planks Form Workshop Andelfingen by Rossetti + Wyss Architekten', 2017 < https://www.dezeen.com/2017/03/20/interlocking-timberplanks-form-workshop-andelfingen-by-rossetti-wyss-architekten/> [accessed 12 April 2018]. 11 Detail Structure, p. 26. 8 9

The workshop is a statement of reduction of means, creating a sculptured body made of piled up loadbearing elements. Everything that is necessary is there, with nothing superfluous added. 12 As there is no need for any insulation, all the elements are visible both inside and outside. Each of them has a purpose. 13 The slightly off-set walls make the space wider with height; the beams crossing the short span cantilever over the forecourt and shelter people there, and the gaps between the roof and wall allow in abundant air and light (Fig.3). 1415 All the components were designed with relatively minimum materials. Last but not the least, the workshop is also eco-friendly. The timber used can regrow in 18 minutes in Swiss forest and makes the building AAA sustainable, according to the architect. 16

Dan. Ibid. 14 Ibid. 15 Detail Structure, p. 26. 16 Gooood. 'AWEL workshop / Rossetti + Wyss', 2017 < http://www.gooood.hk/awel-workshop-rossetti-wyss.htm> [accessed 12 April 2018]. 12 13

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Fig. 1 The interlocking corner joints

Fig. 2 The construction process

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Fig. 3 Gaps for light and ventilation

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B Precedent Declaration

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Fig. 4 Site plan

The workshop is located in the suburb of Andelfingen, near River Thur, surrounded by grassland and forest. The hall itself is east-oriented and connect to a narrow road. The building near it with car parking should be its owner, the local waterways engineering operations centre.

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Fig. 5 Plan

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Fig. 6 Section

The 'logs' get higher with height as well as get longer, expanding the space.

Fig. 7 Elevation 1

Fig. 8 Elevation 2

The longest structural element spans about 25 meters, supporting the opening for large vehicles.

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Fig. 9 Facade section - side wall

C Precedent Exploration

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Fig. 10 The model-making process

Closely resembling the construction of the precedent, the model does prove the advantage of the design. As all the components are prefabricated, it just took an hour to pile them up. Moreover, there was not any extra equipment to fix these elements in the model scale, while the architect only introduces some small steel pins for the actual workshop.

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Fig. 11 Model compared with Figure 3

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As it is east-oriented, the building is lighted by daylight rather than direct sunlight during most of the day. However, due to the latitude of Zurich, the gaps towards west could provide abundant light until late in the day in summer. The depth of the workshop is under the limit for enough daylight as well (Formula:

đ??żđ??ż

đ?‘Šđ?‘Š

đ??żđ??ż

+ ≤ ℎ

2

). 17

(1−đ?‘…đ?‘…đ?‘?đ?‘? )

Fig. 12 Model compared with Figure 1 17

đ?‘…đ?‘…đ?‘?đ?‘? ≈ 0.5. Neveen Hamza, ' The materiality of Light', 2018.

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Fig. 13 The model showing the tapered form

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D Reflective Summary Principally, the final output was successful.

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The most significant nature of this building, which is underlined in part A, the modular design drawing on traditional log construction, was captured in the making of the model. It not only gave me a clear and comprehensive concept of the project but also reduced the final workload, similar to the situation during the actual construction. This was based on the research on all the photographs and technical drawings accessible and detailed model design before the final model-making process. However, there were limitations to the model. One should be the choice of the material. Using cardboard rather than timber, the model cannot present the texture of the architecture well. The size of cardboards also limited the size of components – the beams are made up of two parts and fail to show the span of these 'logs'. The limitation of the lighting could not support detail research on the materiality of light while photographing as well. However, the project inspires me. It makes full use of the modular design and log construction method, and point out a new structure for long-span timber architecture apart from the truss system.

E Appendix Appendix 1. Limit to depth of the room 18

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Fig. 14

2 đ??żđ??ż đ??żđ??ż + ≤ đ?‘Šđ?‘Š â„Ž (1 − đ?‘…đ?‘…đ?‘?đ?‘? )

đ?‘…đ?‘…đ?‘?đ?‘? = Area weighted average reflectance in back half of room Approximately = 0.5

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Neveen

Newcastle University – School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape

F List of Figures Cover Accessed from: http://static.gooood.cn/2017/04/002Awel-workshop-finished-Rossetti-Wyss-2.jpg [accessed 12 April 2018]. Text Fig 1. Accessed from: http://static.gooood.cn/2017/04/ 008-Awel-workshop-finished-Rossetti-Wyss-8.jpg [accessed 12 April 2018].

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Fig 2. Accessed from: http://static.gooood.cn/2017/04/ 016-Awel-workshop-construction-8-RossettiWyss.jpg [accessed 12 April 2018]. Fig 3. Accessed from: http://static.gooood.cn/2017/04/ 003-Awel-workshop-finished-Rossetti-Wyss-3.jpg [accessed 12 April 2018]. Fig 4. Satellite map: adapt from Google Map. Site plan: by the author. Fig 5. By the author. Fig 6. By the author. Fig 7. By the author. Fig 8. By the author. Fig 9. By the author.

Fig 10. By the author. Fig 11. Left: by the author. Right: accessed from: http://static.gooood.cn/2017/04/003-Awel-workshopfinished-Rossetti-Wyss-3.jpg [accessed 12 April 2018]. Fig 12. Left: by the author. Right: accessed from: http://static.gooood.cn/2017/04/008-Awel-workshopfinished-Rossetti-Wyss-8.jpg [accessed 12 April 2018]. Fig 13. By the author. Fig 14. Neveen Hamza, ' The materiality of Light', 2018.

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G Bibliography Bell, Victoria B., and Patrick Rand, Materials for Architectural Design 2 (London: Laurence King Publishing, 2001). Detail Structure, 'Garage and Vehicle Workshop in Andelfingen', Detail, 2016, 26 <https://inspiration.detail.de/Download/document-download/id/58e60b7e0ecbe> [accessed 12 April 2018].

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Gooood. 'AWEL workshop / Rossetti + Wyss', 2017 < http://www.gooood.hk/awel-workshop-rossettiwyss.htm> [accessed 12 April 2018]. Neveen Hamza, ' The materiality of Light', 2018. Howarth, Dan, 'Interlocking Timber Planks Form Workshop Andelfingen by Rossetti + Wyss Architekten', 2017 < https://www.dezeen.com/2017/03/20/interlocking-timber-planks-form-workshop-andelfingenby-rossetti-wyss-architekten/> [accessed 12 April 2018].

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