A high density, mixed use building that is situated within the East City, Cape Town. The building is a component in an urban design strategy to develop the area as a cultural hub. It is located opposite the Fugard Theatre and accommodates a restaurant on ground floor, actors' rehearsal spaces on first floor and apartments for travelling actors on the upper floors.
URBAN STRATEGY | ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE | SPATIAL ORGANISATION | STRUCTURAL SYSTEM | FINAL PRESENTATION
KEY ELEMENTS OF MY URBAN STRATEGY
Cape Town is problematically underdensified. The Fringe area, east of the CBD is both under-developed and run down, but has many cultural and entrepreneurial activities. I propose to draw from its cultural potential and develop the area as a cultural hub that has a mutually beneficial relationship with the CBD and with the emerging residential precinct of District 6.
◦Develop strategic links with the formalised well-established CBD precinct as well as the emerging residential precinct of District 6. The Fringe could have the role as an ideas/creative incubator for the established CBD. It could link District 6 to the rest of the city in providing employment opportunities.
◦Develop a central core of quality public space that also supports cultural functions.
◦Develop CPUT (The Cape Peninsular University of Technology)’s facilities. Student presence in the area will increase.
DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS
1. Develop Harrington Street as pedestrianised and Harrington Square as a central public space.
2. New restaurants and studios.
3. New cultural centre to enclose Harrington Square.
4. Renovation of stretch of historically significant buildings.
5. New residential accommodation.
6. New student accommodation (to serve CPUT)
7. New science/tech campus for CPUT.
URBAN STRATEGY | ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE | SPATIAL ORGANISATION | STRUCTURAL SYSTEM | FINAL PRESENTATION
I developed the facade of my building as a series of layers that deal with different aspects of the prevailing environmental conditions. The facade is divided up vertically by structural CLT panels and further articulated with glulam columns and timber screening. A copper sheeting layer forms a solar energy collecting system and subsequent layers deal with temperature control as well as allow a flow of air for effective passive ventilation. The atrium and the roof are also key elements involved in the building’s passive systems.
CONCEPTUAL MODELS
Models to develop the layered facade system. The development allowed different layers of the facade to deal with different aspects of the climate and integrated the facade system with the CLT panel structural system.
LAYERED CLIMATIC CONTROL AT NORTH-EAST WINDOWS
1. User-controlled pivot windows to enable cross ventilation.
2. Double-glazed spectrally selective glass to allow light transmission but limit heat transmission.
3. User-controlled internal louvres to deflect light as desired.
PASSIVE VENTILATION
Diagram of a typical lower floor plan showing cross ventilation and atrium ventilation strategies.
URBAN STRATEGY | ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE | SPATIAL ORGANISATION | STRUCTURAL SYSTEM | FINAL PRESENTATION
APPROACH TO SPATIAL ORGANISATION
I developed the spatial organisation of my building through a series of conceptual models and diagrams. The plans and sections developed respond strongly to surrounding urban conditions as well as the direction of predominant natural light (falling on the north-east facade). I spatially prioritised the public areas, facing them towards Caledon St and Harrington Square and allowing them to receive ample natural light. The service space edges the back of the building but the narrow plot size enables it good natural light. My circulation spine and stairwell are open and generously sized, giving them a social function and allowing them to bring light and air into the building.
URBAN STRATEGY | ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE | SPATIAL ORGANISATION | STRUCTURAL SYSTEM | FINAL PRESENTATION
solar energy
O₂
CO₂
Saligna
SA Pine
Blackwood
raw logs
bidimensional stability
60 tonnes/m²
pressure applied
Concrete below grade.
CLT structural core.
CLT structural perimeter.
Embedded I-beam ledgers to secure structural perimeter to structural core.
CLT floors that rest on glulam beams.
Apartment level framing system.
SEQUENCE OF CONSTRUCTION
Eucalyptus Saligna
SA Pine
Blackwood
RECYCLABILITY
The CLT panels can either be reused when the building reaches the end of its useful life or broken down into chips to form lumber strand lumber (LSL) panels.
LOW OR NEGATIVE CARBON EMISSIONS
As demonstrated in the diagram to the left, CLT systems trap carbon to offset that which they generate in production.
LOWER LIFE CYCLE ENERGY
Life cycle analyses reveal that CLT systems have a lower life cycle energy than steel or concrete systems ̶ the typical tall construction alternative.
DRY CONSTRUCTION
Dry construction means more efficient building which means a building industry that can meet the demands of urbanisation. It also enables materials recycling.
PASSIVE DESIGN ENERGY EFFICIENCY
CLT panels are cut using CNC technology and thus have a high level of precision. This means a very low level of air infiltration into CLT buildings, and less energy wasted on heating/cooling. Their layer system also lends itself to a continuous insulatory layer applied to walls, so thermal bridges do not need to occur.
CROSS-LAMINATED TIMBER STRUCTURAL SYSTEM
I developed a structural system based on Michael Green’s CLT (cross-laminated timber) structural system. The key principle is that long panels of CLT (alternating grain pieces compressed together) form the building’s structural core and these are braced with embedded I-beams. I proposed a sustainable approach to harvesting and producing the required wood. Species with appropriate strength and workability qualities would be harvested. Plantations would consist mainly of controlled alien vegetation, that has a higher strength to water intake ratio to many indigenous plants. South Africa's existing plywood manufacturing abilities centred in Mpumalanga would be utilised in the local production of CLT panels.
ENVIRONMENTAL ADVANTAGES OF A CLT SYSTEM
URBAN STRATEGY | ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE | SPATIAL ORGANISATION | STRUCTURAL SYSTEM | FINAL PRESENTATION
