BERMONDSEY STREET
25
manufacturing process, says Hampson: “Where possible, we try to specify materials with low energy related to manufacture, and the energy that goes into producing aluminium, bricks and steel is comparatively enormous. The industry’s current focus on designing to reduce operational energy use is quite misleading as it accounts for fewer emissions in terms of the overall building lifecycle.” Achieving high air tightness and +/-1 mm tolerances required close design collaboration between the architect, main contractor, Cityline Construction, and Eurban, from an early stage.
Accuracy was made challenging due to the fact the site was not only tight but also very angular, and the timber would stand on an existing post-war structure, built to less demanding standards with various kinks and inconsistencies.
A digital survey of the existing building was initially completed then modifications made to the structure to create a 100 per cent level surface to found the CLT on.
“Early design was key to enable us to book a manufacturing slot with the Stora Enso factory in Europe,” says Hampson. “Eurban typically goes through a 10 to 12 week design process, developing a series of digital drawings before pressing the button to begin manufacture.”
According to project architect Chris Hampson, building in exposed CLT is less forgiving than brick and block construction, which is often covered with plasterboard, or skimmed and painted to conceal any blemishes. “We are familiar with CLT, having used it several times on past projects, including a school block in north London made almost entirely of timber and some housing for the homeless, built in brick with a CLT ‘lid’. We always like the way it fits together, the structural dynamics and thermal properties. For this project, on a tight inner city site, the speed and ease of construction was crucial,” he concludes.
All photographs © Agnese Sanvito
Building in exposed CLT is less forgiving than brick and block
PROJECT DETAILS
Client: Private Architect: Hampson Williams Architects
Main Contractor: Cityline Construction
Structural Engineer: Webb Yates Timber Engineer & Contractor: Eurban CLT Manufacturer: Stora Enso
ADF OCTOBER 2016
WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44