MAJOR PROJECT: warehouse/office

SRT 251 FAUVE JACOBS 500 125 934

CONCRETE

• Concrete is a composite building material of mixed ‘aggregates’ (sand and crushed rock) and a ‘matrix’ (cement and water). It is a hard, dense material able to resist compressive stresses. Reinforced concrete utilises the compressive and fire-resisting capacity of concrete with the tensile strength of steel. Concrete is now one of the most widely used building materials available.

• Concrete is formed in the plastic state, and hardens upon the hydration of the cement. This glues the components together creating a stone-like material. Concrete gains strength as it hardens, the water-cement ratio is the key factor that determines the strength of concrete. Although concrete has a high compressive strength, it is low in tensile strength and therefore concrete must be reinforced under tensile stresses. This can be in the form of steel bars (rebar's) or mesh.

• Tilt-up concrete panels are usually poured on the floor slab. They are poured to their full height so there are no horizontal joints, and then lifted into position once cured.

Concrete tilt-up panels and retaining wall

Concrete slab and reinforcement

LE CORBUSIER

Le Corbusier, born in Switzerland in 1887, had no formal architectural education. Towards the start of his career, Le Corbusier worked with Auguste Perret, the French architect who pioneered the use of reinforced concrete, and Peter Behrens, who admired the engineer’s ethic of mass production and logical design. In 1915 Le Corbusier brought these two influences together in his ‘Maison Domino’ structural system. It was the design of a reinforced concrete column and slab system for mass production. It allowed for non-load bearing walls, so the interior could be rearranged as the occupant wished. It also allowed for a ‘free façade’, one of Le Corbusier’s five points of architecture. Le Corbusier is considered one of the greatest architect’s of the twentieth century.

Le Corbusier’s Maison Domino flooring system and his Pavillion Suisse both influenced my design.

Maison Domino system

Pavillion Suisse, Paris, 1930-32

DESIGN DRAWINGS

Site Plan

Warehouse and office areas in relation to the entire site, as well as the excavation of the site to allow for a flat construction area.

DESIGN DRAWINGS

Ground Floor Plan

Placement of racking systems in warehouse, and materials for the construction of the warehouse.

Location of amenities and office for warehouse.

Location of reception desk in showroom and stairs up to mezzanine offices.

DESIGN DRAWINGS

First Floor Plan

Layout of office partitions and amenities for office mezzanine.

Mezzanine lookout over warehouse area, accessed from the office level or stairs from the warehouse.

Location of Steel Portal Frame members in warehouse.

DESIGN DRAWINGS

North Elevation

Placement of windows for showroom and office areas.

Cladding materials for both the warehouse and office buildings.

3D MODEL

3D MODEL

3D MODEL

DESIGN DETAILS

Showroom/Office Roof

Plan of roof falls and gutters.

Detail of section of roof showing the layering of waterproofing materials on the concrete roof. As well as the slight fall of the roof into the box gutters, and columns which house the downpipes.

DESIGN DETAILS

Roof and Downpipe Details

Detail of concrete waterproofed roof. The bitumen membranes and pebbles waterproof the roof and allow for the fall into the box gutter.

The downpipe is located inside the concrete column, so as not to be seen from the exterior.

DESIGN DETAILS

Steel Portal Frame

Detail of section through external wall of warehouse. Showing the steel portal frame and exterior cladding materials.

DESIGN DETAILS

Concrete Slab and Column

Detail of section through exterior wall of showroom/office. Showing the concrete floor slabs and concrete column. Concrete Hollow Core was used for the suspended slab of the office mezzanine, to allow for services through the slab and eliminate the need for a suspended ceiling.

DESIGN DETAILS

Concrete Footings and Slab

Detail of construction of pad and strip footings, and the raft slab for the showroom.

Detail of concrete column showing the reinforcement and downpipe housed inside the column.

DESIGN DETAILS

Facade

Detail of façade, and the glazing around the showroom area. Showing the feature panels scattered throughout the glazing to the showroom.