TIA1240 Technology 2: Integrated Technology
BA (Hons) Architecture
Year 2

Technology Coursework
Report 2012/2013

Antonia Gorgos

Introduction
The architectural technology is defined in the academic circles as:’’ The technical design and expertise used in the application and integration of construction technologies in the building design process.’’ It is an important part of the designing process because it refers to the design, the plans and the range of materials used in the design process in relation with the structural and environmental factors which leads to the creation of sustainable and effective buildings. Nowadays, the environmental issues have also become very important .
In this coursework I chose to study three different buildings from three different parts of the world:
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The Firstsite Colchester Arts Centre Building
The Heart of School
The Gippsland Water Factory Vortex Centre

First building will be further analysed from the point of view of the materials used ,the second one from structural point of view while the last one has a very good approach regarding the environmental strategy.

Construction:
Firstsite Colchester Arts Centre
Building
Architect: Rafael Vinoly Architects
Structure: Malishev Wilson Engineers
Year:2010
The Firstsite Building is a spectacular construction due to its unusual design of the roof,which is made of copper.The main façade is
11 m high and 24 m width,and even if the roof structure was created by the engineers the Uvalue factor is in accordance to the architect decided value.
Picture 1- the detail of the roof:
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bitumen layer foam glass insulation bitumen layer foamglass insulation insulation membrane spiked clips
Tecu Gold/ copper alloy

9- steel liner trays

Picture 2- Main façade structure:
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250x80mm steel mullions wood beams
2.3x3.5 m double glazed windows
Steel liner trays
Glass vestibul entrance with slinding doors

Structure:
The “Heart of School”, Indonesia
Architect: PT Bambu
Location: Abiansemal, Badung, Indonesia

Year: 2009

The Heart of School is probably the largest bamboo building in the world.The main material used is bamboo soaked in borax to make it sustainable. The building is entirely green, and even if it is
18 m high, it is guaranteed to resist over 50 years , because the critical structural points were used bolts and concrete injected joints and the sails of the building have both resistance and cooling roles. It evolved from a single helix structure to a 2 helixes one, and it is all built only with lightweight equipment by 50 people.

In the upper picture ,it can be observed the way that the main column which is taking the load of the highest roof is made of twisted bamboo stalks to increase its load bearing potential.

This picture shows the skeleton of the building, it can be seen how three main bamboo columns sustain the 3 roofs loads and they also they partially support the floors as well. The floors’ loads will be also sustained by the circular oriented piles as well.

In this aerial view of he
Heart of School building, can be noticed the thatched roofs, which will have to be changed every
12 years. Thatched roofs also are very heavy so the skeletal structure of the building must sustain a very heavy load.

This picture shows the roof load sustaining bamboo stalk systems which concentrate the load from different points to only one on the ground, and can also be noticed that the main structure piles are transferring to the ground both the floors’

loads and some of the thatched roof’s load.

Environment:
The Gippsland Water Factory Vortex
Centre, Australia
Architect: DesignInc
Location: Maryvale, Australia
Year: 2011
The Gippsland Water Factory is an innovative plant because it mixes the green approach of the water recycling and the passive design of the Vortex Centre into its