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Structural and Engineering Concepts For Architecture

The document discusses key concepts for understanding structures in architecture, including: 1) Structures should be viewed as whole space systems with major subsystems considered from the beginning of design. 2) Structural components derive meaning from their relationships within the overall system hierarchy. 3) Integrating structural thinking and building systems like HVAC, plumbing, and lighting at early design stages allows for harmonious form creation. 4) Guidelines for achieving overall structural integrity include considering how horizontal and vertical subsystems transfer and distribute loads.

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Jeriza Aquino
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78 views

Structural and Engineering Concepts For Architecture

The document discusses key concepts for understanding structures in architecture, including: 1) Structures should be viewed as whole space systems with major subsystems considered from the beginning of design. 2) Structural components derive meaning from their relationships within the overall system hierarchy. 3) Integrating structural thinking and building systems like HVAC, plumbing, and lighting at early design stages allows for harmonious form creation. 4) Guidelines for achieving overall structural integrity include considering how horizontal and vertical subsystems transfer and distribute loads.

Uploaded by

Jeriza Aquino
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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STRUCTURAL AND ENGINEERING

CONCEPTS FOR ARCHITECTURE


A LECTURE FOR THEORY 2
UNDERSTANDING STRUCTURES

• An introduction to structures considers the


schematic implications of buildings viewed as a
whole space with consideration to the major
structural subsystems and discrimination of key
elements .
• The spatial organization and articulation of the
various properties of activity spaces calls for control
of the external and internal adjacency and
interface potentials.
UNDERSTANDING STRUCTURES

• Horizontal and
vertical surfaces in
the form of floors,
walls, roofs and
openings through
these surfaces must
be provided to
establish varying
degrees of
• spatial
differentiation
• enclosure,
• access, and
• geometric
definition.
UNDERSTANDING STRUCTURES

• If components of
spatial organization
were organized from
the beginning with
overall structural
implications of the
schematic space-
form system in mind,
the probabilities for
major revisions would
be minimized and
the symbolic and
physical integration
of the structure with
the overall
architectural scheme
would be insured.
WHAT IS STRUCTURE?

• Structure comes from the Latin word struere which


means “to put together, to assemble, to build”.
• It takes its value, function, and meaning from the
relationship between whole and parts within the
system.
• A hierarchy of interdependence, established
between and within the parts by arranging and
configuring the structural components, determines
how the force is transferred throughout the form in
whole or in part.
WHAT IS STRUCTURE?

• The structural component as a unit of meaning, and


its behavior, cannot be understood in its entity as a
unit but in its relationship to the architectonic whole
which is in turn an interplay of formal
interdependence between the components.
• Architectonics is the art of reason specific to how
material is arranged and how building systems and
components are assembled.
EXAMPLE – POST AND LINTEL
CULTIVATE STRUCTURAL THINKING

• It is important to have the attitude to practice


structural thinking at the earliest stages of the
design process.
• This would also address the need to provide
buildings with mechanical and other environmental
service subsystems that support horizontal and
vertical movement of men and materials as well as
provide for heating, ventilation, air-conditioning,
power, water, and waste disposal.
• In addition, provision for acoustical and lighting
needs is often influenced by structural design.
CULTIVATE STRUCTURAL THINKING

• According to Carl Bovill – associate professor of architecture


at the University of Maryland – winner of AIA Education Honors
Award and Medal for Excellence:
• “It is while the building is first forming out of the architectural
program that there is the greatest opportunity to integrate the
structural and environmental control systems into the
architectural design. These systems need to be considered at
the same rough sketch abstracted level as the architectural
design…
• Technical integration can be conceived as a cooperative
game played between the technical systems, interlinked with
a cooperative game played between the designer’s logical
and intuitive mind. It is the combination of rule systems
explored with logic and chance provided by the intuitive
leaps of a well-prepared mind that is responsible for creation
of harmonious form.”
CULTIVATE STRUCTURAL THINKING

Building
Structural system
Code
Acoustic
System
HVAC
System The Architectural
Puzzle

Vertical
Electrical system Transportation
System
SYSTEMS AND FORMS

• Vertical
Transportation
Systems
• (Elevator)

• Vertical movement
through a building
requires large shafts
and overall thinking
can result in the use
of these service
components as
major structural
subsystems.
SYSTEMS AND FORMS

• HVAC Systems
• (Heating, ventilation,
air-conditioning)
Plumbing Systems
Electrical Systems

• These services usually


originate at a
centralized location
and must trace their
way horizontally and
vertically throughout
the structure in order
to serve the activity
spaces.
SYSTEMS AND FORMS

• Acoustic Systems

• The shape of a space


can directly influence
acoustical properties.
• If a spatial organization
calls for heavy
equipment to be
located such that it
impinges on a flexiible
structure vibration,
acoustical disturbances
can be transmitted
throughout the space
because of an
incompatible interface
between machines and
structure.
SYSTEMS AND FORMS

• Lighting Systems

• The requirement for artificial


and natural light brings up
additional considerations.
• Artificial lighting calls for
integrating consideration of
structural subsystems with
considerations of the spatial
qualities of light and of the
spatial requirements for
housing the lighting fixtures.
• Natural lighting has structural
implications to let the sunshine
in. It is usually through skylights
and large windows.
BUILDING GUIDELINES FOR SPACE
STRUCTURES
• Thin vertical planes can be joined to
the top but if they are too thin, they
will buckle and the form will collapse.
• Tube action can be achieved for a
variety of sectional shapes and by
means of structural core designs.
• Balanced frame action require that
interior columns be about two times
stiffer than exterior columns.
• The overall stiffness and efficiency of
a basic frame is improved by a
combination of more columns and
connectors.
BUILDING GUIDELINES FOR SPACE
STRUCTURES
• Vertical and horizontal
subsystems may be
combined in many ways
to provide overall
structural integrity.
• Exterior shear wall
• Interior shear wall
• Core tube
• Tube in a tube
• Braced tube
• Clustered tube
• Macro Frame
• Core and suspension
BUILDING GUIDELINES FOR SPACE
STRUCTURES
• At conceptual stages, the designer need to
keep in mind the four basic subsystem
interactions that must be provided to achieve
overall integrity in the structural action of a
building form:
• 1. Horizontal subsystems must pick up and
transfer vertical loads in the vertical subsystems.
• 2. Horizontal subsystems must also pick up
horizontal loads accumulated along the height
of a building and distribute them to the vertical
shear resisting subsystems.
• 3. All of the vertical subsystems must carry the
accumulated dead load and live loads and
some must be capable of transferring shear
from the upper portions of a building to the
foundation.
• 4. Key vertical subsystems that can resist
bending and or axial forces due to overturning
moments must be provided. Where possible,
they should be interacted by horizontal
subsystems.
WHAT SHOULD WE REMEMBER?

• May we construct buildings with structural integrity


and consideration of the various systems that makes
the whole experience of staying in them pleasant
and worthwhile.

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