Arch 172:
Building Construction 1

Fall 2024: Final Project

A Winter Oasis

THIS IS A FOUR PERSON PROJECT.

This is in place of a final exam. You are free to use all of the resources that have been provided during this term and to look things up to help with your detailing. The TAs are NOT assisting with this project.

The term’s knowledge will focus on a major design project that requires you to design and detail a small insulated retreat space. The retreat type has been chosen so that you can focus on the creation of a single architectonic "space or volume" and take time detailing the envelope. The building structure should be of wood frame construction with wood/brick and/or stone cladding. Concrete or concrete block foundation (but no basement). Do not detail the mechanical and electrical systems.

The building should present a wonderful space in which to spend some quality winter time -- think of the occupation of the space. There should be views out to the landscape, materials that make it feel warm, some innovation in the planning (not a dumb box but not something akin to an overwrought palace...).

You should be incorporating lessons learned in our Sustainability Week lectures with respect to solar orientation, shading, protection from the harsh winter wind.

The site is fictional, of your choice. The focus is on the detailing of the wall section for durability and energy efficiency as well as on the structural axonometric to indicate your knowledge of wood frame construction.

Submissions will consist of (minimum requirements):
~ a plan @ 1:20, labelled and including overall dimensions, wall materials hatched
~ and a structural axonometric @ 1:20 or whatever scale allows it to fit on your sheet (assuming 24 x 36 inch sheet) - and if you need to use a different sheet size, go ahead.

AND

~ a wall section @ FULL SCALE (FULLY LABELLED) that extends from the base of the foundations to the top of the roof without any section breaks. The wall section is to be drawn on a roll of 4 foot wide brown kraft paper (available at ACM). Lines should be varied in weight as to read from a distance. It is suggested that you lay out the drawing in pencil and bold out the lines using markers. Please include outlines of your own bodies on this drawing as scale references. They should be standing on the ground line. Keep the drawing within the width of the Kraft paper. Do not use strangely angled setups. This makes the rolls impossible to manage. This type of creativity will not be rewarded....

ALL PROJECTS MUST FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS OR THEY WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED! Please use 1 sheet of paper, horizontal format for the axo and 1 sheet for the plan drawing. Paperclip these to your large wall section. Make sure your group names are on all sheets. Submit the project IN A LOOSE ROLL. Submit original drawings. Comments will be given within the rubric on LEARN and not on the drawings.

The structural axonometric should emphasize the construction of the building, and include NO CLADDING - just the frame and a bit of subfloor to show where it sits below the wall plates. Your axonometric view should use the normal plan view, unaltered, placed at 30 or 60 degrees to your parallel rule, to create the projection. All vertical and plan dimensions should be "true". Be sure it shows your foundations and indicate where grade is located. Examples of this sort of framing axo were shown in the wood frame lecture.

Digital drawings will NOT be accepted. Please use Staedler Pigment Liners of varying widths on either mylar or vellum to prepare your plan and axo. Bear in mind that the drawings are a crossover between construction drawings, in that they must show detailed information, and design drawings, as they are meant to be skilfully laid out on the sheet and show your graphic talent.

Varying line widths should be used to differentiate between those elements that are being cut through, those elements seen in elevation, textures, dashed or dotted lines to show elements above or behind.

Grading breakdown: out of 100
Section - 60
Axonometric - 30
Plan - 10

Please refer to the rubric on LEARN for the complete breakdown of points.

If the drawings are not labelled, a high percentage of points will be docked. If a drawing is absent, a grade of 0 will be given for that element.

Details...

You are to have arranged yourselves in groups of 4 for this assignment. Please sign up in LEARN for these groups.

There are 3 drawings required. I anticipate that one person will take charge of the structural axonometric + plan view and the other three will do the FULL SCALE (i.e. 1:1) wall section.

The axo and plan should be done in ink on mylar or vellum. Vellum is cheaper, but much more difficult to erase when inking. You can use the Staedler pens that are sold in the store that come in varying widths. Varying line weights are important to make the drawing readable. Neatness and labelling are essential.

The large wall section is to be drawn on the 4 foot wide roll of brown Kraft paper that is stocked in the supply store. Purchase an adequate length so that your building can be drawn WITHOUT BREAKS. (If doing a pitched roof you may use a break line to be able to show a ridge detail.) Also be sure to pick up a sheet of millboard to place under the drawing. Slide this along as you go so that the markers do not stain the floor and to ensure a smoother surface to draw upon than the wood floor. They have really fat Sharpies in stock at the store. You must again be sure to vary your line weights. I would suggest mocking up the wall section on trace paper before you begin. To start the drawing you need to borrow the ONLY chalk line that we have in the shop and snap a reference line that goes from the top to bottom of the drawing. Use this blue chalk line to work from. Rough out the drawing in pencil on the Kraft paper before inking. This drawing must also be fully labelled.

For this project you are to design the wall and roof to accommodate excellent levels. The current environmental movement towards lowering carbon emissions from buildings will require that we drastically increase our insulation levels from basic code compliance. This will mean mininum RSI 3.5 in walls, and for roofs from RSI 4.4 to RSI 8.8. For the purposes of this exercise, please provide that value of insulation in the insulation material alone (ie. do not add in the benefit of your wall or roof materials).

List of Insulation Resistance to Heat Flow Values:
Glass Fibre (fibreglass batt): 0.0208 per mm
Cellulose Fibre: 0.0255 per mm
Expanded Polystyrene Type 4: 0.0357 per mm
Rigid Glass Fibre: 0.02577 per mm
Enviro Spray Foam Insulation: 0.0485 per mm
Icynene Spray Foam Insulation: 0.0256 per mm

If you need to extend your drawing out a wee bit to accommodate roof overhangs, bay windows, etc, just splice in a piece.

The TAs will be checking out the metal rulers. When you are finished with my metal rulers, check to see if another group needs them - if not, slide them under my office door, 3012. I bought them for use in this project and need them back.

DO NOT LEAVE YOUR DRAWINGS OUT ON THE FLOOR WHEN YOU ARE NOT WORKING ON THEM. If they get stepped on or damaged because you left them out, this will be your problem. There will be 20 or so drawings on the go. Once you get your initial chalk line snapped and rough out some construction lines, you don't actually need to have the entire drawing unrolled to work on it. Imagine it is an old fashioned scroll and work it from end to end. If you are using the corridors, etc, make sure that people have access to their doors/desks without jumping over your drawing.

Good luck.

DUE TUESDAY DECEMBER 17 @ 4PM TO THE FRONT OFFICE.

Projects arriving after the December 17 deadline will not be accepted.

Early projects are also welcome, but please be sure that if you plan to leave for the break early, that you leave adequate time to properly complete this project... Abandoning group mates is not tolerated.

MAKE SURE YOUR NAMES ARE ON THE DRAWINGS!!! NO NAME, NO MARK...

FAQ:

No bathroom. Just one nice space for sitting.

You can make the site more specific and add characteristics. It need not be flat.

When working through an R value, it is the sum of all of the R values of the components in the wall. You do not have to do this - just include all of the insulation.

Yes, you can use metal (like standing seam) for the roofing material or include a green roof. It is up to you to research the details as we are covering this material in detail next term.

The structural axonometric IS to include your foundation. Think practically about your ground floor construction. You do not install a wood floor with joists directly over a concrete floor (I have seen this mistake in the past). Either a concrete slab on gravel/etc OR a wood frame floor with enough space below for a crawl space or basement.

To store thermal mass you can use EITHER the concrete slab on grade, or 50mm of gypcrete (with radiant floor heating tubes), on your plywood subfloor and wood joists. On top of this put ceramic tile that is set on galvanized diamond metal lath with a coating of cement to set the tiles in. Both of these help to store free heat from the sun.