SML System house

SMLsystem: the modulation and architectonic integration

The proposal stops raising a house to begin to raise a system. The primitive concept in construction is about continent and content.

From an Engineering point of view an effort has been made to provide the SMLsystem with the most energy efficient and sustainable appliances with no decrease in comfort conditions.

It will be Madrid, in September 2012, a new opportunity to verify so much the reach of our intentions like the one of the rest of participant international universities in the contest with a same objective.

Architectonic integration

As before we counted are continuity elements that in the SMLsystem proposal acquire a fundamental character at the time of defining the architectonic project. The INTEGRATION of certain aspects pertaining to fields of the specific thing in the architecture passes to be the object of design over the module type and the generation of the possible houses from this one.

SMLsystem is a project that it tries from the beginning to integrate three technical areas in the configuration of his architecture; power criteria of sustainability, systems and engineering are in this material case of as main project as the program or the structure. The project will try therefore to be an answer to the specific thing, technically speaking, as much as to the generic thing, since it is continued reflecting on the fact to live.

In SML house the departure premises of this criterion of integration were opened and we could verify what supposed this in elements like the closing or the cover. But now in SMLsystem it is tried to do an all unitary one more than a reflection element to element. Thus, the present proposal proposes a different relation, where more than to conceive a conditional house by a considerable volume of facilities in its interior and, as well, a conditional volume of facilities by the little space that the house him reserve, now considers both organizations like independent elements.

This allows that as much house as facilities are developed in the form and constructive rates that each needs within a global relation. Therefore, the element where the facilities are lodged will be external to the volume of the house, integrated in the location, allowing that the development and assembly of both organizations can happen of simultaneous and independent way, securing therefore a greater proyectual and constructive efficiency.

As far as sustainability criteria, from the module type to the laws of his SMLsystem aggregation it gives replaced to many more elements of implicit passive architecture in his generation. Systems bio-climatic liabilities, use of ecological materials or tools of traditional vernacular architecture are object of analysis to establish their integration, innovation and development.

Being important these three stages of each element that we incorporate. The direct use of something other people’s to the generation of the type would not have sense in a house that it tries to be integrating. The innovation is the perfect excuse that the contest offers to be able to undergo on new fields or new ways to apply known elements, and leads us to the development to the improvement of what already we have verified.

Thus, ventilations, generation of natural air convections by temperature differential, humidifiers or materials of change of phase are used as it bases fundamental on each passage of the design of the project.

An attempt to obtain that each element of the proposal of answer to more than three variables simultaneously makes us deepen in each of the used materials and its possibilities expensive to a competition of this level.

And in this case the integration effort also assumes the economic category like a fundamental requirement at the time of selecting and developing the prototype. SMLsystem is a work purified on a line from houses to taste of the consumer in size, configuration and cost.

Concept in construction

Construction is placed in the origin of the SMLsystem, trying to improve the construction process used in the SDE2010 edition with SML house.

Based in the modular system, we try to bring to the concrete the abstract concepts of efficiency and sustainability at the same time that we project a system which is easy to assemble and expand in the 3 dimensions with guarantee of creating habitable spaces with many options of customize.

The primitive concept is about continent and content. We concibe the module as a continent of habitable space perfectly assembled, where you can introduce prefabricated boxes,  in order to be completely customizable. Those boxes contains the wet areas (kitchen, bathroom) chosen from a catalog.

The module is formed by a laminated pine wood structure, ventilated facade in larch wood with composed closure (wood + isulation + wood + air camera + double gypsum board), and a vertical lattice system where larch wood and ceramics are used in order to get different thermal inertia and be able to use them depending on the external conditions. This system is dynamic, and allows the owner to create transition spaces between exterior and interior, just expanding them into the longitudinal module axis, at the same time that provides solar protection to the opennings.

The foundations are a system of laminated pine wood beams, placed in the cross borders of each module, with stainless steel supports which transmit, across steel sheets of 1square meter, the loads to the terrain.

About facilities, they are splitted in 3 parts the engineering box where almost all the photovoltaic, HVAC, domotic and plumbing elements have been moved, the facilities space inside the house, and all the solar panels setted in a pack that will be placed on the top fo each module.

As we said, the solar packs are placed on the top of each module with an independent structure,  which properly joins with the roof structure of the module. That point is important because all the facilities which are complex, are setted up so the work is just execute joints between the module and facilities pack,that minimizes personal risks  implicits while working on the roof, and construction problems like damages on the waterproof layer.

STRUCTURE

In SMLsystem, we choose an assembled elements structure system in wood, mainly with 2 different elements, columns and CLT panels.

The main module is composed by 2 CLT panels of 7.200 x 3.600 mm, which are used as floor and roof structure, and 4 columns in L form with dimensions of 310 x 310mm and 100 mm of witness. The L form of the columns is the result of the aggregation process, trying to create, with the aggregation of 4 modules, decomposed columns with cross shape as a way to reduce the presence of the column in the space.

On the CLT panel, 2 wood beams are situated linking the head of the columns with a high resistance steel profile which is used to raise the module in the construction process. That beams set up 3 vessels which have a low slope to pick up the water in one of the short sides of the module.

Also those beams help us to fix the solar systems avoiding problems of ruptures on the waterproof layer.

CLOSURE

The clousure is executed as a ventilated facade. The exterior layer are larch wood pieces fixed to the main closure with an aluminiun substructure screwed to the wall.

That wall is composed by addition of Lignum pieces from Holtza. Lignum are long pieces made of pine wood in the perimeter (like a chest) and filled with thermal and acoustic isolation material (rockwool).

Next layer is an air camera with the aluminium profiles necessaries to support the double gypsum board that will be painted in white leading the interior facade.

So at the end the clousure will be a succession of  those layers:

Larch wood panels + ventilated camera + pine wood panel + rockwool + pine wood panel + air camera + double gupsum board.

LATTICE

The lattice is a complex system composed mainly by larch wood ribbons with section of  50 mm x 150 mm.

The single element of the lattice is composed by two ribbons, one horizontal and one vertical joined by stainless steel ironwork, which allows to turn the vertical ribbon. That vertical ribbon has one side covered with white ceramics pieces in order to get contrasted facades with different thermal properties depending on the external conditions.

Those elements are grouped in each module, setting a system, which is able to move in the longitudinal direction and let the vertical ribbons swing to generate 2 different facades (ceramic or wood aspect).

INTERIORS

The interiors are designed as a contemporary spaces, with light colours and continuous spaces, trying to avoid the topic vision of a wooden house.

The floor is projected as ceramic pavement because of their great thermal properties, and the high industrialization, quality and design of this material, at the same time that we promote the industry of our region. In some places mini fan coils will be integrated into the floor to guarantee confort conditions.

The walls are guypsum board painted, getting continuous white plans that gives more spaciality to the interior.

The ceiling is a continuous plan also, which is used for the cooling and heating system, running water with different temperatures depending on the conditions into the ceiling.

BOXES

Those boxes are prefabricated sub modules that contains full kitchen or bathroom which  can be introduced in the SMLsystem modules, setting the space of the house.

Those boxes are prefabricated by Porcelanosa and would be different sizes of each one addpated to the size and necesities of the house.

They are built with water-resistant gypsum board and aluminium profiles and covered with ceramic pieces.

All the facilities are prepared to connect with the house inspection hatch.

FACILITIES

Facilities are splitted in 3 parts the engineering box where almost all the photovoltaic, HVAC, domotic and plumbing elements have been moved, the facilities space inside the house, and all the solar panels setted in a pack that will be placed on the top fo each module.

As the SMLsystem has been designed for the most comfortable conditions, many facilities are needed, which represent a problem in terms of surface occupation and noise. For that reason an engineering box has been designed with an steel structure independent from the house, where almost all the photovoltaic, HVAC, domotic and plumbing elements have been moved.

The engineering box is a room of approximately 1×5 meters and 1.5 meters high. It will be placed next to the house and the shape and materials will be such that provide a proper integration within the environment of the house.

The engineering box frees up space from the house, providing more architectural flexibility. There is also more space available for the equipment which eases maintenance. As located outside the house, noise problems due to pumps or moving elements are eliminated.

The most important advantage of the engineering box is assembly as it has been divided in three independent departments attending to the function: HVAC, photovoltaic and plumbing. Each part can be assembled independent from the rest. This means that the parts can be assembled in different places and even at different time, no longer dependent on the house. Then the parts are put together and linked to the house by means of an undefloor connection.

As we said, the solar packs are placed on the top of each module with an independent structure,  which properly joins with the roof structure of the module. That point is important because all the facilities which are complex, are setted up so the work is just execute joints between the module and facilities pack,that minimizes personal risks  implicits while working on the roof, and construction problems like damages on the waterproof layer.

BUILDING PROCESS

The building process starts with the foundations, defining the position of the support on the terrain, and setting all the foundations beams system.

Once this step is ready, the first module will be raised with a crane, from the poins determined in the structure, and will be sitted on the beams in the correct position. This operation will be repited with the second and third module, getting the main space setted up.

After the modules are fixed in the final position, the lattice will be extended following the drawings, and generating the transition spaces betwen interior and exterior, the private and the public atmosphere.

While in the interior  are finishing all the details , on the top of the modules, the facilities pack will be placed and connected to the house, and also the engineering box situated on the exterior space will be connected to the house.

After details will be finished, furniture will enter in the house, giving to the space the habitability and finishing the construction process of SMLsystem.

SMLsystem is ready.

Sustainable in SMLsystem

The Sustainable Concept is very extensive and includes the intervention and the detailed work of various fields, such as, passive strategies, active strategies, material analysis, water management, waste management, etc… SMLsystem works towards a balance between these determined variables the sustainability of the building:

Bioclimatic

The bioclimatic paragraph is centralized in the definition of passive and semi-passive strategies applied to SMLsystem optimizing the available natural resources such as the sun, wind, vegetation etc. to minimize the environmental impact and reduce energy consumption. We have included the following passive strategies: Orientation, Thermal Mass, Solar protection and gain and natural ventilation.

Water

Our objective for the water management of SMLsystem is to reduce, reuse and recycle. We propose the initial use of reduction strategies of water consumed in the house. Once this is achieved, a treatment system is used (which includes the generation of a pond) that allows us to recycle and reuse all of the grey water.

Materials

SMLsystem comprises mostly of wood, which besides being a fully recyclable material, allows us to drastically reduce the weight of the building. We have analyzed each of the chosen materials, compared them with those used in traditional construction, and have always choosen the most sustainable option. So we’ve established some criteria that we consider environmental, economic and social sustainability.

Waste

The best waste is waste that is not produced. This is the spirit of the SMLsystem. We applied this idea in every phase of our project, manufacture of materials, designing, construction and demolition. An exhaustive control in the design and choice of materials optimizes the use of the same, and this, together with prefabrication, reduces the amount of waste to a minimum. This will almost entirely be recyclable and reusable.

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