Thermal Tectonics

<p><b>This thesis examines high performance architectural tectonics through theoretical studies, design experiments, and through the design of two case study houses in Christchurch, New Zealand. The thesis focused on formulating a theoretical framework for a practice-focused, environmentally sustainable architecture by studying three key themes, specifically Architectural Tectonics, Contemporary Residential Architecture Detailing, and Energy Efficient Envelope Design.</b></p> <p>The integration of these three fields was undertaken to address the role of architectural design as the construction industry transitions to a net- zero carbon emissions future.</p> <p>Thermal tectonics takes a critical position towards the contemporary approach to residential architectural detailing, which increasingly intensifies the divergence between the tectonic expression of architectural junctions and the performance considerations of energy efficient envelope construction. This divergence results from a number of factors, including the increasing complexity of construction methods, the growing specialisation of building trades, and the increasing specialisation of architectural design.</p> <p>The project aims to tilt the existing aesthetic traditions of New Zealand residential architecture towards a language that performs better thermally. The thermal tectonic approach to architectural design intends to re-integrate the tectonic and performance considerations of the external envelope through a system-based approach to architectural design.</p> <p>Two case-study homes are developed through a tectonic framework that highlights the expressive potential of high performance construction systems. ‘Four Peaks House’ seeks to align a prefabricated SIP system with the vernacular typology of the Bach, developing a detail language that connects the building to place without the need for extensive low-performing glazing. ‘Gallery House’ explores the novel material of Hempcrete, demonstrating how exposing insulative materials can produce rich interior spaces.</p> <p>The design research was conducted through a series of design-led experiments focused on the six key principles of the Thermal Tectonic framework; anatomy, tectonic-stereotomic, space, place, detail and intersection, representation and ornamentation.</p> <p>This approach creates an explicit relationship between building elements and their thermal function, by using thermal simulation software to generate tectonic diagrams that describe how building elements are configured to express the thermal performance of a building. This provides architects with a critical tool for understanding how their design decisions can impact energy efficiency, while also allowing them to make design judgments that prioritise other factors such as aesthetic or material concerns. In addition, the research outcomes provide a direction for sustainable future practice that will ensure architectural ideas are translated into the high-performing language of our future built environment.</p>

The Santacroce Houses along the Via in Publicolis in Rome : Law, Place and Residential Architecture in the Early Modern Period

This contribution explores the place-making mechanisms at work in the law system of early modern Italy, and their relation to the design of urban residential architecture. Particular attention is directed at punishments of exclusion, whereby an individual or family was physically displaced from the civitas and their property was sequestered, confiscated or destroyed. As argued here, the effectiveness of these punishments depended on and further strengthened the close relation between a given family and its place of residence. The place-making mechanisms of law are explored through the specific case of the Santacroce family, whose urban property was confiscated and destroyed following their conflict with the Della Valle in fifteenth-century Rome. By reconstructing the design of the Santacroce residences, before and after their sentenced destruction, this study demonstrates how the choice of site, typology and ornamentation in urban residential architecture acquire new meaning when viewed against legal practices of exclusion.

Craft, Detail & Quality

<p>Over the past decade and even currently within New Zealand there have been quality issues within timber construction. My research proposes to address what these quality issues are both functionally, and aesthetically and how we can create a dialogue between craft, detail and quality. In residential architecture in New Zealand, the most common practice is timber stud framing or otherwise known as traditional platform framing. This construction type results in little variety throughout NZ as the vast majority is dominated by NZS:3604. This common platform framing can also create architecture that barely resembles the timber material. This research creates a framework to what will be a possible solution in exposing the details of timber joints, which in turn may prevent quality issues along with creating a crafted timber design. As a starting point for this research, it seemed appropriate to draw on traditional Japanese, European and Pacific construction techniques. These cultures have mastered the art of craft, and we in New Zealand could learn from this and reflect in contemporary practices in NZ. This could in turn create a solution which highlights the quality issues in construction of New Zealand residential architecture. Typically, in New Zealand platform framing construction, timber joint details are concealed. These concealed details are more prone to failure and so by exposing these, it can lead to improving quality of construction. Quality is, however, an elusive concept and this will become clear through an analysis of interviews with numerous builders, project managers, architects and of course the everyday user. These interviews define what they believe is the most common area of defect, and where quality can be improved. This research will therefore look at what system can be designed between the connections of architectural elements to focus on exposed refined details and joints. As these connection details are explored the definition of “craft” will become more defined, where it currently begins as examples of exposed, visible and readable detail. Taking place in a rural New Zealand environment in Raglan Waikato, the portfolio proposes a boutique hotel, with a scheme that demonstrates this newly proposed construction system as an alternative to platform framing. The role of the hotel design is merely a vehicle to apply and test the research. There are many implications that may be a factor in the conclusion of this research proposal, for example CLT timber accessibility and costs. However further outcomes will result in celebration and awareness of detailing which leads to improving quality of New Zealand timber architecture. This research explores turning traditional methods of construction into contemporary architecture using the technologies and material practices of today.</p>

Craft, Detail & Quality

<p>Over the past decade and even currently within New Zealand there have been quality issues within timber construction. My research proposes to address what these quality issues are both functionally, and aesthetically and how we can create a dialogue between craft, detail and quality. In residential architecture in New Zealand, the most common practice is timber stud framing or otherwise known as traditional platform framing. This construction type results in little variety throughout NZ as the vast majority is dominated by NZS:3604. This common platform framing can also create architecture that barely resembles the timber material. This research creates a framework to what will be a possible solution in exposing the details of timber joints, which in turn may prevent quality issues along with creating a crafted timber design. As a starting point for this research, it seemed appropriate to draw on traditional Japanese, European and Pacific construction techniques. These cultures have mastered the art of craft, and we in New Zealand could learn from this and reflect in contemporary practices in NZ. This could in turn create a solution which highlights the quality issues in construction of New Zealand residential architecture. Typically, in New Zealand platform framing construction, timber joint details are concealed. These concealed details are more prone to failure and so by exposing these, it can lead to improving quality of construction. Quality is, however, an elusive concept and this will become clear through an analysis of interviews with numerous builders, project managers, architects and of course the everyday user. These interviews define what they believe is the most common area of defect, and where quality can be improved. This research will therefore look at what system can be designed between the connections of architectural elements to focus on exposed refined details and joints. As these connection details are explored the definition of “craft” will become more defined, where it currently begins as examples of exposed, visible and readable detail. Taking place in a rural New Zealand environment in Raglan Waikato, the portfolio proposes a boutique hotel, with a scheme that demonstrates this newly proposed construction system as an alternative to platform framing. The role of the hotel design is merely a vehicle to apply and test the research. There are many implications that may be a factor in the conclusion of this research proposal, for example CLT timber accessibility and costs. However further outcomes will result in celebration and awareness of detailing which leads to improving quality of New Zealand timber architecture. This research explores turning traditional methods of construction into contemporary architecture using the technologies and material practices of today.</p>

Climatic Conscience for Dwelling Design

<p>In New Zealand, our residential architecture is built off the pragmatic approach of the instinctive farmer, and the desire to dissolve the boundary between architecture and landscape. In the search to create the dream home, many have packed up their beach houses to setup camp in the alpine environment surrounding Queenstown, causing the population and construction demand in the area to rise rapidly. As a result the building’s thermal envelope is put under pressure to perform both pragmatically and poetically as it faces one of New Zealand’s most extreme environments to live in. However, when put into action a pragmatic approach, to create a warm, dry and healthy home, often confronts conflict with a poetic approach that priorities the building’s relationship with the landscape through high amounts of glazing to dissolve the boundary. In response, ‘Climate Conscience for Dwelling Design’ focused on the potential to exceed the minimum thermal envelope requirements, whilst actively engaging with the relationship between architecture and its environment. Quantitative and qualitative research methods were used to explore the dialectic between pragmatic and poetic approaches to design. The theoretical framework, background research and a systematic investigation into design precedents aided in sculpting a series of strategies and criteria that were refined throughout the design process. A series of cabins simulated and tested the strengths and weaknesses of the methodology and early design investigations to streamline the overall design investigation. The developed design proposal builds off the aesthetic of an external structure to integrate the building with in its landscape, whilst removing the load-bearing requirements from the building’s thermal envelope. As a result the predicted amount of heating energy was reduced. The process of resolving the design continued to constructively build off both poetic and pragmatic approaches to develop critical building elements to the appearance, experience and performance. As a speculative and simulated design, it hopes to become an example of how much potential there is for designers and architects to push boundaries with aesthetic and performance-based design decisions.</p>

Climatic Conscience for Dwelling Design

<p>In New Zealand, our residential architecture is built off the pragmatic approach of the instinctive farmer, and the desire to dissolve the boundary between architecture and landscape. In the search to create the dream home, many have packed up their beach houses to setup camp in the alpine environment surrounding Queenstown, causing the population and construction demand in the area to rise rapidly. As a result the building’s thermal envelope is put under pressure to perform both pragmatically and poetically as it faces one of New Zealand’s most extreme environments to live in. However, when put into action a pragmatic approach, to create a warm, dry and healthy home, often confronts conflict with a poetic approach that priorities the building’s relationship with the landscape through high amounts of glazing to dissolve the boundary. In response, ‘Climate Conscience for Dwelling Design’ focused on the potential to exceed the minimum thermal envelope requirements, whilst actively engaging with the relationship between architecture and its environment. Quantitative and qualitative research methods were used to explore the dialectic between pragmatic and poetic approaches to design. The theoretical framework, background research and a systematic investigation into design precedents aided in sculpting a series of strategies and criteria that were refined throughout the design process. A series of cabins simulated and tested the strengths and weaknesses of the methodology and early design investigations to streamline the overall design investigation. The developed design proposal builds off the aesthetic of an external structure to integrate the building with in its landscape, whilst removing the load-bearing requirements from the building’s thermal envelope. As a result the predicted amount of heating energy was reduced. The process of resolving the design continued to constructively build off both poetic and pragmatic approaches to develop critical building elements to the appearance, experience and performance. As a speculative and simulated design, it hopes to become an example of how much potential there is for designers and architects to push boundaries with aesthetic and performance-based design decisions.</p>

The Living Barrier: Residential architecture acting as a noise barrier near railway corridors

<p>As urban regions increase in population and density, the need for quietness and spaces of relative calm becomes important to inhabitants’ physiological and psychological health and wellbeing. Noises, and the sounds that create them, are treated as a by-product of urban densification and the advancement of technology. This led to uncontrolled and incidental acoustic environments around notable points of urban densification. Each sound adds together in the acoustic environment to create a composition that is labelled collectively as noise. Those in the professions of planning and designing these urban environments have a responsibility to become the composers of the grand aural experience that is the worldly soundscape. In response to this design problem, this portfolio explored how architecture can be designed to enable this sustainable densification of noisy urban environments. It proposed the incorporation of psychoacoustics and R. Murray Schafer’s soundscape philosophy (and ongoing related research) into acoustic design. By understanding the complex creation of the aural experience, this portfolio investigated whether the key to living healthily and sustainably in an inevitably sound-filled urban environment laid in the design of soundscape as a perceptual construct. The investigation translated relevant literature into broad explorations of soundscape design elements at a variety of architectural scales. Using soundscape principles in a design process produced a strong architectural proposition that could solve both densification and acoustic problems. This had widespread and profound implications on architectural design practices. The portfolio therefore prompts further explorations into soundscape design for other architectural problems and applications.</p>