[technologies]

1
 Portfolio Contents.
1. Construction............................................................................3
Building [Sights] Part 1..................................................................4
Building [Sights] Part 2..................................................................5
2D Facade Design.........................................................................6
[Building] Envelopes......................................................................7

2. Environment............................................................................8
Brooklyn Botanical Gardens..........................................................9
Viborg Town Hall............................................................................12
Sanwell Headquarters...................................................................15
Makino Museum............................................................................18

3. Case Studies............................................................................19
Fallahogey Studio..........................................................................20
Piggots Hall...................................................................................21

Contents 2
1. Construction 3
building [sights] the steel frame trusses are
designed to distribute their
task 1: systems & assemblies own weight, with the com-
pression (red) being bal-
locating the site anced out by the tension
site: everton stadium, liverpool (blue).

roof trusses are pre-

fabricated off-site,
then delievered to
site and craned in
place.

cut and fill techniques were used

to fill and level off the pre-existing
docks.

Everton Stadium in Liverpool will be the new home of Ever-

ton Football Club and has a capacity of 52,000. The site
sits on what was previously Bramley Moore dock. Before
construction began, the dock (which was filled with water)
had to be filled in and prepared for construction. Almost
all of the stadium’s components are prefabricated, deliv-
ered to site and craned into place. When I visited the site,
I witnessed the roof cantilevers being craned in place, as
shown in the sketch.
4
building [sights]
task 1: systems & assemblies

site: notre dame cathedral, paris

While in Paris, I visited the magnificant Notre Dame cathedral. The

monument has stood as a symbol for the city since 1163. Devestat-
ingly, in 2019, it caught fire, causing damage to alot of the building.
Its reconstruction process involves using 3d scans of the building,
taken prior to the fire. These scans are accurate to the millimeter,
allowing the building to be restored to its previous state. Master
artisans and carpenters are now at work to reconstruct various el-
ements, which will be prefabricated and placed in their previous
positions on site.
5
facade design
task 2, part 1: concrete + masonry Measurements & Thicknesses:
cavity trays
transfer moisture
parapet coping
flashing lapped over from the cavity to Calculations were made using the following measurements:
waterproof membrane the external skin
through weep
holes. - 102.5mm facing brickwork
dpc supported retention trim
over cavity tray - 120mm full fill mineral wool insulation
filter fleece - 100mm blockwork
smooth gravel edge light vegetation - 6mm parge coat
channel min 300mm growing medium - 50mm plasterboard insulation
- 12.5mm plasterboard
cavity tray + weep hole
drainage element

* windows to be
placed between
How to Calculate U-Values:
ground and first
cavity tray + weep hole floor junctions and
above cavity closer vapour control layer between first and
roof junctions. λ = lambda value (thermal conductivity)
2 layers 140mm rigid
insulated cavity barrier insulation R-Value = material width (m) / λ
plasterboard ceiling
waterproof membrane
finish on battens U-Value (for one component) = 1 / R-Value

Total U-Value (whole wall) = 1 / R1 + R2 + R3....

blockwork internal leaf
6mm parge coat
wall ties 50x50mm battens Calculating U-Values:
40mm bonded
cavity insulation screed with Brickwork: Plasterboard Insulation:
floor finish above
λ = 0.7 w/mK λ = 0.021 w/mK
150mm concrete beams width = 0.1025m width = 0.05m
timber battens to form void
R-Value = 0.1025 / 0.7 = 0.146 R-Value = 0.05 / 0.021 = 2.381
102.5mm facing
U-Value = 1 / 0.146 = 6.849 w/m2 U-Value = 1 / 2.381 = 0.42 w/m2
brickwork
12.5mm plasterboard
Insulation: Plasterboard:
λ = 0.021 w/mK λ = 0.19 w/mK
* width = 0.1m width = 0.0125m
cavity insulation blockwork internal leaf R-Value = 0.0125 / 0.19 = 0.066
R-Value = 0.1 / 0.021 = 4.762
concrete floor slab cast in-situ U-Value = 1 / 0.066 = 15.152 w/m2
U-Value = 1 / 4.762 = 0.21 w/m2
vapour control layer
wall ties rigid insulation Blockwork: Total for Whole Wall:
λ = 0.7 w/mK U-Value = 1 / (6.849 + 0.21 +
DPC 150mm above width = 0.1m 6.993 + 142.857 + 0.42 + 15.152)
ground level R-Value = 0.1 / 0.7 = 0.143 = 0.006 w/m2
U-Value = 1 / 0.143 = 6.993 w/m2
foundation blocks DPM on sand blinding
Parge Coat:
λ = 0.91 w/mK
perimeter insulation to wall ties to be used to tie outer and width = 0.006m
prevent thermal bridging inner skins together, allowing them
to act as one harmonious unit. R-Value = 0.006 / 0.91 = 0.007
U-Value = 1 / 0.007 = 142.857 w/m2
reinforced concrete
footing

Details drawn at 1:20@A3

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[building] envelopes
task 2, part 2: skins + cladding

01 ground floor build-up 02 intermediate floor build-up 03 green roof build-up

04 wall buildup steel frame vs timber frame

strength & durability longevity
cheaper over
time
requires less
1 resistance to maintenance
warpage + over time
steel
shrinkage frame

fast construction
lower initial times
cost

timber locally sourced

frame
embodied carbon (quantity x carbon factor)

Wall: Green Roof:

Brick Cladding = 0.213 kgCO2e Plastic Drainage Tray = 3.31 kgCO2e renewable + low embodied
Breather Membrane = 3.43 kgCO2e DPM = 3.43 kgCO2e sustainable energy
Steel Frame Studwork = 2.17 kgCO2e Rigid Insulation = 3.31 kgCO2e
Insulation = 0.6 kgCO2e Vapour Control Layer = 2.54 kgCO2e
Vapour Protection Layer = 2.54 kgCO2e Screed = 0.103 kgCO2e This is the facade design for my Studio 2.1 project.
Plasterboard = 0.39 kgCO2e Concrete Deck = 0.103 kgCO2e The project is about providing luxury council houses
for the community of Stockport. Therefore, I needed to
Ground Floor: Intermediate Floor: design a strategy to create high quality at low costs.
Hardwood Flooring = 0.3 kgCO2e Hardwood Flooring = 0.3 kgCO2e This resulted in a design that spreads costs over the
Screed = 0.103 kgCO2e Insulation = 0.6 kgCO2e
Engineered Timber I-Joists = 0.483 kgCO2e project’s lifespan, by using high quality materials that
DPM = 3.43 kgCO2e
Insulation = 0.6 kgCO2e won’t require much maintenance. A steel frame was
Concrete Slab = 0.103 kgCO2e chosen as it is cheaper over time despite its upfront
costs, as supposed to timber which requires constant
maintenance.
7
2. Environment The following is groupwork between:
Connor McCarty, Travis Nolan, Christian Brooker, Pradeep Fernando,
Aayush Rathaur, and Austin Wright.
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01: brooklyn botanical gardens
contextual analysis

Built as a threshold be- site plan: structure:

tween the concrete city of
Brooklyn and the Botan-
ical Gardens, the 20,000 2
square foot Visitor Center
seamlessly blends con- 1
struction with nature,
using a green roof that
morphs into its surround- blast furnace
3 4 slag retaining architectural
ings. The use of the green
concrete wall concrete wall
roof not only acts as a 5
12
defining aesthetic archi-
tectural feature, but also
11 6
breathes new life into the 7
ecosystem. 9
8

10
key
1: entry plaza
2: rain garden
2
3: tickets
4: garden shop 13
recycled steel roof
5: orientation gallery
structure
6: office
7: exhibit gallery
8: cafe bar
9: kitchen
10: event atrium storm water
11: ginko terraces catchment pond
12: ginko allee
13: japanese garden

wider context: rhino model: plan view:

Its large glass curtain walls span the South elevation of the
building, allowing natural light to flood its interior, saving on en-
ergy costs in artificial lighting. Solar shading devices overhang
around the curtain walls, preventing the sun from entering the
building at harsher angles, where it may cause glare and get
into people’s eyes.

The building is also perfectly nestled into its surrounding con-

text, appearing as though it has risen from the surrounding
riba plan of work stage 00: landscape, creating the perfect juxtaposition of nature and con-
Understanding the brief and the overall requirements struction... just like the city of New York.
of the project.

Its roof not only acts as a defining feature, but also channels
rainwater into the nearby catchment pond....
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01: brooklyn botanical gardens
environmental design + performance

sunrise: noon: sunset:

....allowing a sustainable ecosystem to flourish. Its construct is built from nine layers, care-
fully designed to catch, filter and channel water runoff. The roof contains zones which are
home to different types of greenery, creating an impactful environment. However, due to the
10,000 square meters of green space, the upkeep of the roof may get out of hand. Therefore,
it is crucial to carefully select plants which require little maintainance.

The images on the left show solar radiation on the roof during differing times of day (red =
lots of sun, blue = not so much sun). As you can see the south facing curtain walls get flood-
ed with light during all times of the day... however very little light enters from the north. As a
result there would be a greater dependance on artifical lighting in north side interior spaces,
causing a further reliance on energy.

Green roofs need sun to survive. Fortunately, during most of the day the sun’s rays are able
to hit all of the roof. During hot months however, this could cause some greenry to scorch,
so once again a careful selection of plants would be required.

perennials
copper sawtooth
roof that will age
to the same color
as BBG’s 1917
grasses McKim, Mead &
White adminis-
tration building
nearby
The structure carefully uses solar shading devices to block out
glare from the low winter sun. As you can see from the section
above, the winter sun has a low altitude of 46.56o and will there- shrubs
fore get in people’s eyes and cause glare on screens. By placing
a solar shading device, you effectively cancel out this glare, how-
ever you do reduce natural lighting within the building.

The wind enters the site strongly from the north west (shown rain collector copper
by the wind rose on the right). However, the building is cleverly
moulded to guide the wind path in and out of the site, and also
uses ginko trees to block oncoming winds.
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01: brooklyn botanical gardens
analysis + conclusion
This space has a double ceil-
ing height in order to make
the room feel more spacious,
whilst increasing exposure to
lighting and improving ventila-
tion

Low-emitting fritted glass enve-

lope on south side of building
designed to minimize heat gain 2 ginko trees that were felled
while maximize illumination from furing construction process
sunlight. were harvested , milled and
reused as panels in the event
room. This space can be used
for educational purposes, and
therefore the panels act to fo-
cus attention on people speak-
ing rather than the people walk-
Twenty-eight geothermal wells
ing above.
will heat and cool the building
(supplemented by the utility grid
only as needed) The vegetation
and nature of the surrounding
landscape also helps to provide
building insulation. The boundary seperated by
the the wooden flooring &
polished concrete creates a
dedicated space in the centre
which can be used for talks,
lectures and general education
purposes.

for signs. This effect is most effective when the sun

is directly above the site, which occurs during midday;
this is also likely to be the busiest time period for the
centre and therefore the time where efficient circulation
is most crucial.

Conclusion: The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens Visitors

Center is an example of environmental architectural
design. It blends seamlessly into the natural area em-
The centre is roughly 385ft long, equal to the lengh of 2 city blocks. In order bodying sustainability with its LEED Gold award. It acts
to stop the centre from feeling too long, the architects cleverly split the centre as a community hub and sets the standard for future
into seperate structures, incorporting breezeways into the design. This cre- sustainable standard. However, the use of sustainable
ates an engrossing progression through indoor, outdoor and covered spaces materials can be more expensive initally, with a high-
as the public travels through the centre, hence making the journey through er construction cost. The green roof requires ongoing
feel shorter. maintainance, becoming costly and difficult to manage.
However, overall its function, appearance and integra-
The building canopy is designed to allow sunlight through, creating a path- tion into the community highly outweighs the negatives
way for people to follow. This creates efficient circulation without the need resulting in a postive impact both locally and globally.
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02: viborg town hall
contextual analysis

The Viborg Town Hall, located in site plan:

Viborg, Denmark, is an architec-
tural gem that seamlessly blends
contemporary design with its natu-
ral surroundings. Designed by Jorn
Utzon, known for the Sydney Op- 4
7
era House, the building is charac-
terised by its striking organic forms
and harmonious relationship with
the environment.

The building’s sweeping lines and

sharp angles mirror the contours
of the surrounding hills and Lake 2
Half, therefore intergrating the 6
building into the topography of the
landscape.
2 1 The large open plan interi- Tree coverage helps to protect
While the town hall is celebrated or spaces result in passive the building from the prevailing
for its design, it is not without its ventalation, resulting in less wind from the west (see fig 1.)
drawbacks. The unconvention- 2 of a need for energy consum-
al design of the building leads to The amount of green ing cooling systems. Howev-
limited functionality with irregularly 7 space encourages bi- er, these spaces may require
shaped rooms. The building also odiversity by creating more energy to heat during the
natural habitats. winter.
uses alot of organic materials with-
in its construction, which come with
the expensive of high maintanance [fig 1.] - prevailing wind
3 Wind response: The building’s sweeping and curvilinear shape direction
costs...
helps to reduce wind resistance through aero dynamic design.
The form helps to divert the western prevailing wind (see fig
1.), reducing potential damage and structural costs.

key Temperature response: The orientation of the building and win-

1: main entrance 5 dows is carefully considered to optimise passive solar heating.
2: green roof The glazed facade on the south west of building can help to
capture heat during the winter, however may get too hot during
3: car park the summer resulting in extra energy costs. (see fig 2.).
4: road access
5: residential area Rain response: The roof design helps to channel water runoff
6: skylight roof to prevent water from pooling ontop of the roof. The water run-
off is then funnelled into sustainable drainage systems, allow-
7: landscaped areas ing rainwater to be collected and reused.

Thermal Performance: While the building stays The fact that the building uses a glazed [fig 2.] - temperatures in
relatively cool during the day, the south west ele- facade may also amplify the heat, cre- Viborg
vation tends to get quite hot during sunrise, when ating an unpleasant internal temper-
the sun directly cast upon it. While in the winter this ature. However, the building’s large
may keep the building warm (reducing its energy open interior will help to dissipate the
expenses), it may get too hot during the summer, heat upwards, allowing the building to
resulting in large costs to keep the building cool. cool more efficiently.

thermal performance sunrise: noon: sunset:

6oC
12oC
[fig 3.] - precipitation in
18oC Viborg

24oC
30oC
36oC

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02: viborg town hall
environmental design and performance

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02: viborg town hall
analysis + conclusion

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03: sanwell headquarters
contextual analysis

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03: sanwell headquarters
environmental design + performance

riba plan of work stage 00:

Understanding the brief and the overall requirements
of the project.

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03: sanwell headquarters
analysis + conclusion

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04: makino museum
contextual analysis

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04: makino museum
environmental design + performance

Conservation of Laminer Flow:

Embracing a sinuous form, the structure gracefully winds

through the terrain, mirroring the organic flow of the landscape.
Situated low to the ground, the design is a deliberate choice
aimed at preserving laminar wind flow, minimizing any potential
disruption/ turbulent currents forming within/ around the build-
ing. Instead, the form can result in a gentle breeze forming
across the courtyard. The gently sloping form of the buildng
roof was aided by computer analysis; it underwent wind tunnel-
ling test simulating typhoon conditions, whereby the roof was
shown to be typhoon proof.

Thermal Gain: Heat from the sun is trapped by the building’s steel Passive Ventilation: The circularity of the building’s plan allows
roof cladding and curtain wall glazing, reducing the building’s depend- fresh air to flow passively around the building, lowering the build-
ancy on heating systems during colder months. During the hotter ing’s dependancy on mechanical ventilation.
months, heat is blocked by solar shading systems.

Trees Blocking Direct Wind

04
Water then supplied to roof
Makino Museum is located on Mount Godai in the outskirts of sprinklers/ ponds A-D when
Kochi City. It is surrounded by vegetation, & a further 500 trees required
were planted around the building to help the structure blend
into the landscape. Trees can act as windbreaks, slowing down
the speed of the wind as it passes through their branches and 02
leaves. This can create a sheltered zone on the leeward side
of the trees, reducing the direct impact of wind on the building.
High density of trees surrounding the museum can also chan-
nel wind above them reducing wind loads on building.

Aquatic plant display

also acts as a rainwa-
ter collector

03

01 Water drained to a storage

tank which has a filtration and
circulation pump

01 Shading of Air Conditioning Unit by 02 Ground water cooling and filtering: 03 Evapotranspiration: 04 Glulam Timber:
Trees
Groundwater cooling and filtering are vital for sus- This is the combined process of water evap- The use of a glulam timber frame within the build-
By planting trees around the external sup- tainable buildings, offering energy-efficient cooling oration from the Earth’s surface and transpi- ing’s structure allows for strength and structural per-
ply air conditioning unit, the air is naturally and responsible water management, tqhereby min- ration from plants. As water evaporates from formance. It is also a sustainable alternative to the
cooled due shading from the trees. This re- imizing environmental impact and promoting long- surfaces like soil and plant leaves, it draws likes of timber. However, as it is a natural material it
duces energy costs as less work is required term resource sustainability. heat energy from its surroundings, cooling will require maintenance to prevent decay. It can also
by the mechanical air cooling system. the surrounding environment. be senstive to moisture, so the building must be well
insulated.
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04: makino museum
analysis + conclusion

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3. Case Studies 21
01: fallahogey studio
environmental design
Climate Characteristics:

londonderry, northern ireland

Mild / Warm Temperatures Maritime Influence High Precipitation Windy Conditions

Corten Steel Cladding

Building Use: Fallahogey Studio is a studio space for the architect’s own practice, McGarry-Moon Archi-
tects, replacing the office space located on the same site in the director’s house. The building uses sustain-
able construction and is designed to Passivehaus standards, lowering the building’s carbon footprint. The
Plywood Glulam Portal space includes office spaces, meeting areas and a level access bedroom with a shower room for visiting
Frame relatives with mobility issues.

Birch Plywood Shelves

Insulated Tanked RC
Semi-Basement 140mm Rigid Insulation
within Stud Frame
Wind: Northern Ireland has a particularly windy climate ap-
proaching from the South West. Therefore, the building needs
A
to respond to this by taking into account wind loads and struc-
tural stability. The building’s shape and orientationneeds to be
carefully considered to maximise wind resistance and reduce
gusts. The building also needs to be adequately ventilated to Vapour Control Layer
prevent extreme pressure differentials. E B

D C

Structure + Envelope: The building’s structure uses a plywood glulam portal frame
designed to resemble small agricultural metal sheds seen in rural Ireland. This frame
is then cladded in corten steel, playing into the rustic agricultural theme. Its semi-base-
ment is then constructed out of insulated, tanked reinforced concrete, preventing cold
Temperature: Based on the Koppengeiger Climate Map,
air from entering from the cold Irish climate. A standard portal frame supports the struc-
Northern Ireland has a mild to warm climate. This is repre-
ture at three points (shown above) using rigid connections. The portal frame in Falla-
sented on the above graph, showing highs of 63OF and lows
hogey Studio, however, uses rigid connections at 5 points (A, B, C, D and E), allowing
of 37OF. As a result, the building will need adequetate insula-
for a more rigid and stable structure when opposed to the windy conditions. Triple Glazed Windows
tion, effective ventilation, and a use of building materials that
respond appropriately to the temperature. Although Northern
Ireland doesn’t have extreme temperatures, solar gain still
needs to be considered. By optimising solar gain, we can
maximise the building’s energy efficiency.

Plywood Corten Steel Reinforced Concrete

Material Response to the Climate: The building’s materials have been carefully select-
ed to work well with the local climate. Starting with plywood, it is extremely susceptible to
changes in moisture content, leading to expansion and contraction. In Northern Ireland,
Raft Foundation
where the temperatures are fairly mild, this may be less pronouced than somewhere with
Precipitation: Northern Ireland has quite high amounts of a more extreme climate. Plywood is also susceptible to rot & mold, therefore needs to be
precipitation throughout the year. As a result, the building ventilated and insulated properly. Next, corten steel is designed to undergo a weathering
must have an adequate roof design and drainage system process that forms a protective layer of rust on its surface. In a maritime climate, like that
to manage the rainfall. Materiality also needs to be careful- of Northern Ireland, where there is a moderate amount of precipitation, this weathering
ly considered, choosing water-resistant materials wherever process will occur gradually. Finally, reinforced concrete is relatively resistant to temper-
possible. The foundations should be waterproofed using a ature and corrosion, making it perfect for the Irish climate. The main consideration that
DPM in order to prevent water infiltration and damage to the needs to be thought about is freeze thaw. Northern Ireland experiences annual freeze
building’s structural integrity. thaw cycles during winter, therefore the reinforced concrete semi-basement needs to be
designed to resist this by adding air-entraining admixtures to the concrete mix.
22
02: piggots hall
retrofit strategy
Existing Wall: Retrofitted Wall:
softwood rafters

roof structure to be
filled with insulation
slate roofing

timber truss and purlin roof structure

roofing battens

Blockwork Internal Leaf: For

extra structural support and
thermal protection

PVC gutter
12mm parge coat

50x50mm battens to
softwood floorboards and
cement topping
create a service void
fully filled with insulation
full fill cavity insulaiton

timber facia board

brickwork external leaf

acoustic insulation to be added
in to the suspended floor

3mm skim to tape and jointed

insulated plasterboard

solid brick wall

wall ties at 450mm to centers to

secure retrofit to existing wall

ground floor slab to

ground bearing concrete slab
be lowerered and
insulated

Existing Wall U-Values: Existing Wall U-Values:

Brickwork at Thickest Point (Ground Floor): Brickwork at Thickest Point (Ground Floor): Blockwork: Plasterboard Insulation: Total for Whole Wall:
The structure at present has some major λ = 0.7 w/mK λ = 0.7 w/mK λ = 0.021 w/mK U-Value = 1 / (2.174 +
λ = 0.7 w/mK
width = 0.3225m problems, in that it does’t respond to the cli- width = 0.3225m width = 0.1m width = 0.05m 0.21 + 6.993 + 43.478 +
R-Value = 0.3225 / 0.7 = 0.46 mate. There is no thermal insulation, leading R-Value = 0.3225 / 0.7 = 0.46 R-Value = 0.1 / 0.7 = 0.143 R-Value = 0.05 / 0.021 = 2.381 0.42 + 15.152)
U-Value = 1 / 0.146 = 2.174 w/m2 to massive cold bridges throughout the ma- U-Value = 1 / 0.146 = 2.174 w/m2 U-Value = 1 / 0.143 = 6.993 w/m2 U-Value = 1 / 2.381 = 0.42 w/m2 = 0.0145 w/m2
jority of the building. As a result, the building Parge Coat: Plasterboard Passivhaus indicates that
Brickwork at Thinnest Point (First Floor): Insulation:
λ = 0.7 w/mK lacks the ability to efficiently retain heat, in- λ = 0.021 w/mK λ = 0.91 w/mK λ = 0.19 w/mK U-Values should be 0.15
width = 0.215m creasing its dependance on electrical heat- width = 0.1m width = 0.012m width = 0.0125m w/m2 or less. Therefore,
R-Value = 0.215 / 0.7 = 0.307 ing methods. R-Value = 0.1 / 0.0.21 = 4.762 R-Value = 0.021 / 0.91 = 0.023 R-Value = 0.0125 / 0.19 = 0.066 my retrofit operates
U-Value = 1 / 0.146 = 3.257 w/m2 U-Value = 1 / 4.762 = 0.21 w/m2 U-Value = 1 / 0.023 = 43.478 w/m2 U-Value = 1 / 0.066 = 15.152 w/m2 within passivhaus
standards.

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[technologies]

24