pod publication

Contents 1.0 - Proposal 1.1 - The Brief 1.2 - Facilities Page 1 1.3 - Appearance Page 1 1.4 - Space Page 1 1.5 - Cost Page 1 1.6 - Buildability Page 1 2.0 - Sustainability Page 2 2.1 - Design Page 2 2.2 - Materials Page 2 2.3 - Construction Page 2 2.4 - Renewable Technology Page 2 2.4.1 - Page 3 2.4.2 - Page 3 2.4.3 - Page 3 2.4.4 - Page 3 3.0 - Biophilic Design Page 3 4.0 - Case Studies Page 4 4.1 - HiveHaus Page 5 4.2 - WeeHouse Page 6 4.3 - Diogene Micro Home Page 7 5.0 - Design and Development 5.1 - Mood Boards Page 8-9 5.2 - Material Palette Page 10 5.3 - Fixtures and Fittings Page 11 ` 5.4 - Concept Ideas Page 12 6.0 - Final Design - Images Page 13-15 6.1 - Structure - SIPs Page 16 6.2 - Services Page 16 7.0 - Technical Drawings Page 17

BE1341 Pod Project 11024075

Project Brief 01

1.0 - Proposal

1.1 - The Brief

The brief has been structured around the design of a ’pod’. This is to be a flexible system that can be used within the city; with focus on utilising the forgotten and un-used flat roofs within urban spaces. The live work ‘pod’ must have a floor area of 3m x 3m and an internal height of 2.5m

Key Design Philosophy

Economic for both the client and user. Designed for newly graduated student and

are to offer an inspiring location to live and work.

Biophilic design that creates a strong connection with the environment.

The use of natural materials and a low carbon footprint.

A high quality design that can still be offered at an affordable price.

1.2 - Facilities

The pod is to provide all the facilities needed for a comfortable living and working environment. This includes a sleeping area, WC and wash area, cooking/eating area and a work area (desk space).

1.3 - Appearance

A natural appearance is desirable for this design. Although the pod is designed for flat roofs in an urban environment, the aesthetics of the building should work equally well in a natural environment such as woodland, moorland or a beach. Internally the pod should feel contemporary while maintaining strong connections with the built and natural environment. Strong emphasis is being placed on a the theory of Biophilic design.

1.4 - Space

The space of the project is dictated by the project brief of a floor area of 3m x 3m and an internal height of 2.5m, though the design may allow for external extrusions outside of this fixed space.

1.5 - Cost

An affordable unit is key to the success of this project. If the client wishes to rent the final product, returns should be achievable within 5 years of initial investment. At present, the average cost of student accommodation in Newcastle is £4,500 per annum and therefore, using 5 years as the maximum time to gain returns, the project should cost a maximum of £22,500, including all fixtures and fittings.

1.6 - Buildability

The project must be highly buildable. Consideration must be taken into the location of the pod (been on a rooftop) and therefore all building components should take no more than 2 people to carry and have to be manoeuvrable through a standard single sized door. There is no legal

Case Studies Design And Development Final Design Technical Drawings

2.0 - Sustainability

2.1 - Design

The design of the project should try to maximise natural ventilation and passive cooling. Similarly, the energy consumption for artificial lighting will be minimised by maximising the availability of natural light. Whilst adopting passive solutions can create higher capital cost for the building fabric, the lifecycle costs will be lower due to less HVAC plant, and less energy consumption costs and maintenance costs for HVAC plant and artificial lighting. Orientation of the pod will be equally as important to the design of the project. Although the site location is non-specific it will be vital to consider the sun path and wind direction as it is likely the pod will be exposed to the elements.

2.2 - Materials

The empathises on biophilic design should be seen in the building fabric of the pod; the use of natural materials is preferred for this. An obvious material choice is timber, this can be used both structurally and aesthetically for the project and should be a material that suits the brief. Timber also has a low embodied energy so, if sourced correctly, will have a low, (if not negative) carbon footprint.

If a render is applied to the pod, it should not contain plastics such as PVA or acrylic, cement or PFA or any other materials containing toxins or which reduce breathability. Lime based renders are relatively sustainable and environmentally friendly. The transportation of all materials should also be considered as this can sometimes greatly effect the carbon footprint of a material. Locally sourced materials would be preferred but a comparison of sustainable materials should be done before final selection. Although timber appears to be the most suitable material choice for the design at this stage, it may be possible to source other materials that can achieve all elements of the design criteria that have better or equal sustainable credentials.

2.3 - Construction

Consideration of how the project will be constructed will be important from the design stage onwards. To maintain a sustainable project, site waste should be reduced wherever possible, this may be done by using prefabricated elements, by using designing using standard building sizes and by clever design. Not toxic bonding methods such as glues should also be avoided during construction of the project.

2.4 - Renewable Technologies

The use of renewable technologies should be explored for this project. Not only does this help with the low carbon philosophy of the build, but also means the building is less reliant on support from the grid. Although renewable technologies have obviously advantages for “off the grid” living and for sustainability, due to location and size constrains, it may not be possible to use some technologies.

Project Brief 02 Case Studies Design And Development Final Design Technical Drawings

2.4.1 - Solar Panels (PV)

Photovoltaic solar panels are a way of using the suns natural energy to generate electricity. This is done by using photovoltaic cells (which are usually made from silicon), these cells convert sunlight into electricity which can be used to run household appliances and lighting.

Although solar panels are an obvious gain for the sustainability, the area in which the panels will occupy may be limit by such a small building footprint (roof space) and the angle at which panels need to be placed may not be achievable.

It is recommended that photovoltaic panels be placed at 30 degrees to gain the maximum efficiency, however, to achieve this on a flat roof is sometimes difficult as support brackets then need to be used which add extra weight and also can prove problematic in areas of strong wind.

2.4.2 - Wind Turbine

Small scale wind turbines can also be used to generate electricity to power household appliances and lighting. Wind turbines work by using the wind to turn a turbine which in then generates electricity. A wind turbine may be suitable for this project as the rooftop location means that it is likely to be exposed to a good amount of wind, however, due to the inference of surrounding buildings, ‘funnelling’ and air turbulence it may be that the wind is inconsistent in flow which may mean the wind turbine does not generate sufficient or any electricity. This would be dependant on the specific site of the pod.

2.4.3 - Wood-Fuelled Heating

Wood-fuelled heating is simply burning wood to create heat in an environment. Stoves can also be fitted with a back boiler that heats water.

If the wood is sourced locally (to reduce the carbon footprint of transportation), a wood-fuelled heating system could be a highly sustainable source of heat and hot water. As this project has a small volume, it may not take a considerable amount of wood to heat the space, this is an obvious advantage for this specific project. Consideration must be taken into the risk of fire spread from a wood-fuelled heating system.

2.4.4 - Grey Water Collection

Grey water collection may also be used as a way of reducing the need for grid supply and to increase the sustainability of the project. Grey water can be used to flush toilets and water any plants or green walls that may be included in the pod design.

3.0 - Biophilic Design

The literal definition of biophilia is “love of life of living systems” and the theory behind it is to connect humans with nature and natural environments. Biophilic design refers not only to the sustainability of a building but also to its connection with the natural world. “We need nature in a deep and fundamental fashion, but we have often designed our cities and suburbs in ways that both degrade the environment and alienate us from nature. The recent trend in green architecture has decreased the environmental impact of the built environment, but it has accomplished little in the way of reconnecting us to the natural world, the missing piece in the puzzle of sustainable development.” [biophilicdesign.net, No Date] This may be a challenging concept to introduce to this project as the location is very urban. However, it could prove to be very successful in making the pods a desirable place to live by softening up the hard environment.


4.0 - Case Studies Case studies are a type of research that looks at past examples of a particular area or field. In this project, case studies will be used to look at existing examples of compact spaces and pod design to acquire a greater knowledge on what is already currently available and the techniques/technologies used to make these small living/work areas achievable. Before looking at examples of existing ‘pod’ designs I thought it would be equally as useful to consider other compact spaces such as camper vans, caravans and boats. These spaces may not always be designed to provide a permanent living/working area but do optimize space and functionality by the use of clever and sometimes innovative design. I found that although it was useful to see examples of camper vans, caravans and boat design, most (especially in the case of camper vans and caravans) were not very contemporary in there design which did not suit this brief. Following my research into this area it was decided to complete a more in depth analysis of existing ‘pods’. By conducting a quick search for pod or small scale living designs it was apparent that there is a vast amount of designs and media dedicated to this area. Despite this, time constraints are imposed upon this project and therefore only four full case studies will be conducted, though other designs and pods have been looked at and analysed. The three ‘pods’ the case studies will focus around are HiveHaus, Weehouse, and Diogene Micro Home.


4.1 - HiveHaus HiveHaus is a project by Barry Jackson which is said to be “inspired by nature—influenced by modernism and constructed using unconventional building techniques” [HiveHaus, No Date] The form of the building is hexagonal (inspired by cells in a bee hive) which, because of there shape, can be expanded upon depending on the needs and finances of the user. Hivehaus is constructed using standard, uniform building components but can be created to a bespoke specification by introducing individual components. This project is particularly interesting as it using a natural concept to create the form and is highly sustainable by using standard components and elements such as a wood burner. On top of this, the flexibility of expansion adds to the sustainability of the project. The building elements of Hivehaus are constructed offsite and then assembled onsite. Hivehaus also has a contemporary look which is something strived for in the ‘pod’.



4.2 - WeeHouse Weehouse is a project by Alchemy Architects. This prefabricated housing system is designed offsite for clients and then delivered as a full construction to the site. The pod can be clad in a range of materials and is an example of a completely off the grid project. By using a prefabricated method, Alchemy claim that “increased accuracy, building envelope tightness, less waste material, time efficiencies and numerous other factors that make modular construction both economical and ecologically sound.”

Although this example is not made from a natural material (the exterior is clad in cementitious siding painted with an oxidizing paint which provides a rustic look), the pod looks to fit in with the environment it is placed in. This may be due to the fully glazed facade on the north and south elevation but may change depending on the location of the building, for example, if this pod was situation in an urban idea it may look quite industrial.


4.3 - Diogene Micro Home

Diogene Micro Home is a project by Renzo Piano. The pod is 7.5 sq meters and takes a simplistic approach to living. This project has been included in the case studies not only for its small scale design and innovation but because of the ability to be completely independent of grid power. As the BE1341 project will be located on a rooftop it may be difficult to receive mains supply and therefore an off the grid project is something that should be considered. Diogene Micro Home is also makes use of a simplistic timber finish and large window areas to allow the pod to, in my opinion, be connected with its surroundings and nature.


5.1 - Mood Board - 01

This mood board shows existing pods and small spaces, the majority of which are made from wood or natural ma-terials. In the case that the pod is not made of a natural material, small spaces have been selected that fit in with there environment, weather that be an urban environ-ment or natural environment. All the pods featured on this mood board seem to have contemporary interior which is desirable for the BE1341 Pod project. This mood board will hopefully help during the design process to inspire and create a high quality living/work pod.


5.1 - Mood Board - 02

This mood board shows ‘green’ spaces that seem to reflex the biophilic principles well. Although most are considera-bly larger than the pod that will be designed, it is possible to draw ideas and technologies away from these larger scale projects. On top of this, the ‘green’ spaces shown on the majority of images are an inspiration of what can be created in terms of biophilic design. Many of the spaces would likely in-crease the biodiversity of the area or reduce the impact of ‘hardscape’ on the environment.


5.2 - Material Palette


5.3 - Fixtures and Fittings

This board shows some examples of the fixtures and fit-tings that could be used in the fitting out of this project. As space is a limited factor it is important to chose fixtures and fitting that are economical in the space they occupy. This may be done by performing two or more functions or by occupying space that would not normally be used.


5.4 - Concept Ideas

The first stage I took in my pod creation was to map out the spaces that would be needed in the design. This would help me visualise the areas that are needed. One problem I could see from the start was that the WC area was located next to both the living area

To overcome this problem I moved the WC area into an extruded space. This space could then be separated by either a fixed or moveable wall.

‘After decided on this spatial arrange-ment I sketched out my initial pod de-sign. This design was to include verti-cal wooden cladding to mimic the trees in a forest and bring a natural feel to the pod and the extrusion was to be a green wall.

A discussion with David Morton made me change the scaled of the building to account for the addition extrusion space that was added.

The extrusion space was also brought to ground level as it was apparent at this stage that forming a cantilever structure would be difficult without add-ing any read benefit to the space.

‘A window was placed opposite the door so that a natural venti-lation could be achieved. This may be important as the pod is such a small space and may get uncomfortably warm in sum-mer/when appliances such as the cooker is been used.

Project Brief 13 Case Studies Design and Development Final Design Technical Drawings

6.0 - Final Design - Images

North West

South East



Cupboard space.

Wardrobe built in with bonbon

poppi system.

Cupboard space built in with

bonbon poppi system.

Bed built in with bonbon poppi

system.

Area for storage of foldable

desk chair.

Bonbon poppi system.

Cupboard space

WC

Wet room

Wet room

Shower

Door

Fridge/Freezer

Oven with 4 electric hobs

Sink


6.1 - Structure - SIPs

After some consideration I have decided to use structurally insulated panels (SIPs) for the structure of this project. Structurally insulated panels have many advantages that will help to aid the construction, sustainability and buildability of the pod. As they are constructed off site a higher level of quality can be achieved and at roughly 19kg/sqm for a 125mm depth panel they are a lightweight element that would be able to be manoeuvred relatively easily. As they are pre-engineered in a factory there is also minimal waste

The services for this project are all located in the same region of the pod. This was intentional from the outset of the design to minimize the amount of pipe work, plumbing and wire needed and also to give a single exit point for all services which will minimize and penetration to the external envelope. With the current design it will be necessary to connect to the buildings services which the pod is located on, however, if further developments were to take place on the design it may be possible to create a self reliant pod by using technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines and wood burners.

6.2 - Services


Technical Drawings

pod publication

Documents

brief page

space page

cost page

appearance page

facilities page

biophilic design page

materials page

sustainability page