Pattern Buildings 20200612

Pattern buildings
An Industrial Building System
for Mass-Customizable Buildings
Version: Beta
12.06.2020
Estonian Academy of Arts, Faculty of Architecture
June 2020, Tallinn
Authors
August 2019 - June 2020
Renee Puusepp
Lauri Läänelaid
Marianna Zvereva
Egle Vogt
Kristo Kalbe
Eero Tuhkanen
Estonian Academy of Arts
Estonian Academy of Arts
Estonian Academy of Arts
Harmet OÜ
TalTech
TalTech
License
Pattern Buildings by Renee Puusepp, Egle Vogt, Lauri Läänelaid, Marianna Zvereva, Eero Tuhkanen, Kristo Kalbe is licensed under CC BY 4.0. To view a copy of
this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Pattern Buildings
Table of Contents
Authors4
License4
Table of Contents
6
Concept8
Core design requirements
9
Design10
The Parts of Pattern Building
12
Room Module
13
Body15
Skeleton19
Skin21
Base22
Circulation23
Utility systems
24
Production and transport
29
Assembly and construction
31
Operation of the Building
33
Pattern Buildings
Concept
Pattern Building is an industrial construction system based on modular design
for creating up to 7-storey buildings of different typology and appearance.
Every Pattern Building is
•
•
•
•
•
mass-customizable;
environmentally friendly;
made primarily of wood;
modular;
ready to be produced, assembled, and transported in most European countries.
Pattern Building is flexible and
adjustable to plots of various shapes
and in different spatial contexts. The
design is suitable for construction in
the climatic conditions of Northern
and Central Europe. Pattern Buildings
alternate in function, size and outline,
facade solutions as well as utility
systems. Pattern Building is designed
to adjust to the varying construction
regulations and standards set in
different countries and regions.
Pattern Building “Quadrant.” Architect Taavi Lõoke
Pattern Buildings
Core design requirements
Informative
Universal
Environment-friendly
Re-configurable
Durable
Adaptable
Using a limited number of components the Pattern Building enables to achieve a
large number of varied design outcomes.
Pattern Buildings
Open
Autonomous
The Pattern Building architecture must be informative.
Its constructive and technical structure must be easily
readable by the builder, the user and the maintainer of the
building.
The Pattern Building must be simple enough for it to be
produced at different factories and assembled by different
builders. The transport of modules must be legally and
technically possible without special permits or escort to
all regions of Europe by road, rail and water.
The Pattern Building needs a minimal amount of energy
for production, transport and operation.
The components of Pattern Building are easily accessible
for disassembling and upgrading.
Given the growth cycle of wood used in construction, the
main structures of the building must last for at least 100
years.
The modular system should not constrain design freedom
and can be adapted to different typologies, providing only
the technical means for achieving the design goals.
The Pattern Building concept remains available without
restrictions (see License) to anyone who wishes to
develop it further.
Functional units of the building (for example, apartments
in the case of an apartment building) should be independent of each other both in terms of access and in terms of
utility systems.
Design
The design process is a significant
hindrance in the overall off-site
construction process as it seizes up to
three quarters of the total production
time. Predesigned modules help to
significantly reduce the design time.
The Pattern Building system provides
architects with tools to design
various functional layouts and spatial
aesthetics, while having the overall
structure and technical junctions
already standardised and resolved.
scenarios and assess their suitability
from a functional, financial and
aesthetical perspective.
By using pre-designed modules, it is
also possible to accurately calculate
ahead the quantity of materials, costs
and other quantitative data necessary
for the production and construction
of the building. The Pattern Building
system provides an opportunity
to easily try out different spatial
The Pattern Building system has been
passed on to architects and planners
by this report, its annexes and CAD
and BIM files. Documents with an
open usage license are available at
www.patternbuildings.com
In addition to standardised modules,
Pattern Building can feature custom
designed parts such as basement,
entrances, atriums, etc. Pattern
Building is a customised solution
by its nature, allowing sensitivity to
context and flexibility in the creation
of buildings with varied character.
The Pattern Building is a combination of pre-designed modules and custom
designed parts.
Pattern Buildings
The Parts of Pattern Building
Pattern Building can be divided into
following components:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
room module
body made up from the modules
skeleton
skin
base
circulation
utility systems
2
4
1
The following chapters will further
introduce the components.
6
3
7
5
Pattern Buildings
End frame formed from
posts and beams
Ceiling element
Room Module
Metal corner fittings join the LVL
elements into a rigid frame
The module is composed of four
corner columns, a ceiling element and
a floor element made of laminated
veneer lumber or LVL, and metal
corner fittings that provide the structural stability.
Floor element
Module post
Pattern Building Module M6
Pattern Buildings
The key part of the building is the
factory-produced room module. The
module is designed for up to seven
floor buildings and withstands the
dynamic loads applied on transport
and installation.
Interior walls, finishing layers and
equipment for utility systems are
all added to the room module at
the factory. If transport restrictions
permit, facade elements are also
added to the perimeter modules.
Module M3, 2967×2969×3444 mm
(L×W×H)
The modules are produced in three nominal sizes: 3×3
m (M3), 3×6 m (M6) and 3×9 m (M9), and two heights:
3.45 m and 3.13 m. It is important to distinguish the
nominal dimensions from the actual dimensions of the
modules, which are somewhat smaller.
The minimum internal dimensions of the modules are
shown on the drawing. The thickness of the finishing
layers is further added to these dimensions.
Module M6, 5967×2969×3444 mm
2717
Module M9, 8967×2969×3444 mm
2947
2645
5645*
Module M6 minimum internal dimensions
Pattern Buildings
Body
The body of Pattern Building is the architectural
volume of the building, made up of room modules
complete with internal finishes. The body is
designed for a 3×3m grid and consists of modules of
different sizes denoted as M3, M6 and M9.
The body of the building is covered with facade and
roof elements, here referred to as the skin.
Module’s corner posts made of LVL can be an indoors
decorative element.
Pattern Buildings
31 mm
31 mm between modules in each direction
Setting out
Since the actual size of the modules is unyieldingly
accurate in terms of designing volumes, a planar
grid with dimensions of 3m by 3m should be used.
All modules have 31 mm space in every direction to
fit fastenings and insulation materials.
3m
3m
Module design is based on 3m by 3m grid
Pattern Buildings
Console positioning of modules should
be avoided. Balconies are, as a rule,
constructed as separate elements which
are fastened to the skeleton.
Offsetting modules on different floors
should be avoided.
It is most preferable to place the modules
in line with each other on different floors.
Modules may be placed perpendicular to
each other on different floors, but in this
case, posts at lower floors must support
the corners.
Placement of modules
When placing modules in the building’s skeleton, the general rule is that
all modules follow the layout grid.
Pattern Buildings
Skeleton
The structural components of room modules once
connected together, form the skeleton. The skeleton
supports the body and the skin of Pattern Building.
The skeleton also includes shear walls and other
constructive elements external to the standard room
modules, e.g. vertical stair cores and elevator shafts.
Skeletti tugevdavad jäikusseinad,
mis on valmistatud näiteks ristkihtliimpuidust
Pattern Buildings
Room modules are connected to one another on-site.
The ceiling elements are connected with a steel plate
forming a diaphragm, through which the horizontal
loads are applied to the share walls. The share walls
are enclosed in spaces between the modules and
should be placed in accordance with the following
requirements:
• There must be at least four share walls, two in
each grid axis of the building;
• Rigid walls running on parallel axles do not need
to be side-by-side;
• The distance between parallel rigid walls must
not exceed 9 m
• The minimum thickness of the share wall is 100
mm and the length in plan is 3 m
The modules are connected horizontally
with metal plates attached to ISO corner
fittings.
The modules are connected vertically with
twist-lock details meant for ISO fitting
corners.
The corner posts of the modules are
connected to each other with the LVL
boards.
The floor- and ceiling panels of the
modules are tied together with additional
LVL boards.
Pattern Buildings
A finished wall part of the
external structure
Facade element
Skin
The skin is the layer protecting the body of the
Pattern Building from outside, consisting of
facade and roof elements.
The skin is the most obvious tool for mass customisation of the Pattern Building as it allows the same
body to have very different appearances.
The facade and the roof of the building can be
installed on site and therefore it is important to
consider their transport already in the early design
phase.
The skin of the building is attached to the body of the building in the form of panelised elements; in the
case of external structures, the facade elements and the factory-produced wall with interior finishing are
joined together.
Pattern Buildings
ISO PROFIIL
VS01
KL01
160
Base
IW01
SS01
VS01
EW01
60
3
17
Floor
PL01
200
30
EW01
VS01
8
10
The base can be a foundation, a landing, a basement
or a ground floor, for example. The base of the
building is designed according to the shape of the
building, the plot and the purpose of the building.
The base must wear the weight of the building’s
body and support the corners of the first floor’s
room modules.
PLEKK
Sheet metal
PLEKK
Sheet metal
Base
JALAM
15
The base of the building is the lowest part of the
building in contact with the ground. It supports the
body of wooden modules built on top.
405
The exact shape and type of the base depends on the specific project.
Pattern Buildings
Circulation
Circulation is a functional part of the Pattern
Building, which includes the building’s stairways,
lifts, corridors and other access points. Circulation
is a system that makes all parts of the Pattern
Building accessible for the user.
Stairwells and corridors can, as a rule, be placed
in 3 by 3 grid and solved as standard modules. Lift
shafts are parts of circulation but are not modular as
a rule and can be used as rigid elements to support
the skeleton.
Stairs positioned inside M9 and M6. In the case of M6, the width of the stairs tread is not more than 1250
mm; in the case of M9, it may be wider.
Pattern Buildings
Generally, all parts of the circulation have been
designed separately from other parts of the body
to improve sound insulation and ensure that the
solution complies with the core design requirement
of Autonomy (see page 9)
Utility systems
The Pattern Building’s utility systems
ensure the day-to-day operation
of the building. The utility systems
are divided as follows: ventilation,
heating and cooling, water and
sewerage, electricity, automation.
The indoor climate quality of the
building is achieved with an energy
efficient ventilation system combined
with heat recovery. The rate of heat
recovery depends on the specific type
of building and its location. The heat
recovery rate should generally not
be less than 80% and the specific fan
power (SFP) should ideally be around
1.5 kW m ³/s.
In order to reduce the pressure loss in
the pipes and the resulting additional
energy consumption, the layout of
the rooms should favour the use of
relatively short and straight pipes. In
the case of apartments, the minimum
diameter of the pipes under the ceiling
of the room module would be 125 mm
(with a silencer 160 mm), in public
buildings up to 600 mm.
All utility systems can be connected vertically in the cavity between the modules.
Pattern Buildings
In the Element system, ventilation is installed as integrated
panels of the dropped ceiling.
Ventilation
The Pattern Building concept does not directly require the use of
specific ventilation units, but there are three possible design solutions:
Pattern Buildings
Autonomous system
The ventilation system is serviced by the exhaust air
heat pump, which also solves heating and domestic
water. The diameter of the pipes is 125 mm. The
inlet and outlet pipes are isolated.
Element system
Ventilation is placed in pre-manufactured modular
elements with water and electricity channels (e.g.
Silotek) and is located above a dropped ceiling. The
diameter of the pipes is 200, 160 and 125 mm.
Open system
In the case of an open system, the pipes are visible
beneath the ceiling. Pipe dimensions are 315, 200,
160 and 125 mm. The channels are painted.
Heating and cooling
There are two basic options for heating the house:
water heating and electric heating.
Water heating uses convectors on the walls or below
the ceiling. The water heating is either part of the
central heating or works on an autonomous boiler.
Heating panels are integrated
into the dropped ceiling
Floor heating works with electricity.
Cooling should be passive and achieved by
design, orientation, placement and shielding of the
building’s openings. In case of water heating, it is
also possible to use the ceiling panels as cooling
elements.
Electric floor heating
Convectors beside the
module wall
Pattern Buildings
Water and sewerage
All horizontal pipes run into
the wall and are connected
to vertical pipes
It is possible to move the
wall with the horizontal
pipes anywhere within
the module, except for in
between the shorter end
posts of the module.
Pattern Buildings
All toilet seats have wallmounted frames
Since the beams on the longer side of the module
are moved towards the centre of the module, there is
a dedicated space for drain stacks between the two
modules with a width of 350 mm.
In the case of sewerage and water systems, pipes
should be as short as possible. In the case of
sewerage, it is very important not to design the toilet
in such a way that a large diameter pipe should
move through the corners of the modules in order
to reach the soil stack. In other words, large sewage
pipes must remain within the limits of one module.
Electricity
The electricity cabling runs along the bottom edge
of the walls in the in-wall cable channel, allowing
to change the position of the plugs and switches
according to the layout of the rooms.
The horizontal lines are hidden in the cable trays
installed behind the floor plates and between the
floor beams.
The vertical lines are behind the finishing board or,
if necessary, vertically installed in the adjustable
cable box. The lighting switches are wireless.
Vertical connection
between floors. Installed
behind the finishing board
Plugs can be placed
anywhere along the wall
Pattern Buildings
Production and transport
The Pattern Building modules are
made up of standard details, making
their production and handling feasible
for most factories. This in turn
makes it possible to take assembly
of the modules to the logistically
most suitable location (e.g. transport
hubs and near ports). The factories
producing the module elements must
be high-tech to today’s standards,
have corresponding quality certificates
and test capability.
The metal corner fittings are produced according to ISO standard, allowing the module to
be easily lifted with all common lifting systems.
Pattern Buildings
The end wall frame of the module is
constructed on a horizontal worktop,
with the use of a harness for achieving
the required accuracy. The walls
are installed at the assembly of
the module’s frame. Floor, ceiling
and wall elements are produced on
automatic and semi-automatic production lines and on butterfly turning
tables. The module assembly deploys
three-dimensional jigs and tension
straps. The module is assembled
from the finished parts and after the
assembly, only the final finishing
repairs and sealing of the joints will
take place.
The modules are transported on 0.9 m
high trailer platforms and always with
heavy-duty vehicles. The total load
height is 4.5 m.
The modules are lifted from the ISO
corner fittings at the top corners
of the module with a lifting frame.
These fittings provide an opportunity
for automatic digitalised lifting and
proper fixing during transport. During
transport, support posts and diagonal
cargo straps are used to strengthen the
structure of the module. It is important
to ensure that the ISO corner covers
are always installed according to the
instructions. Modules are transported
by trucks, ships and trains.
Pattern Buildings
Assembly and construction
Before starting the installation of the
modules, it is mandatory to check the
existence and validity of documentation, approvals and quality and safety
certificates.
tion site, one must consider the lifting
height of the modules, the surface of
the access, cable lines and vegetation.
Access roads must have sufficient
turning and lifting radiuses.
The design and construction of the
foundation requires the provision
and installation of module anchorage
elements according to the project.
A tolerance of +/-7 mm is allowed
for the difference in the height of
anchoring points. When the foundation is set up, all junctions will be
installed for utility water, sewerage
and electricity according to the
project. When installing modules, it is
necessary to check that all junctions
are accessible and that the utility
systems of each module are connected
to the following one before the new
module is installed.
Modules must be lifted according
to the lifting schemes and safety
instructions. Lifting schemes are
module-based. Before starting lifting
operations, the persons carrying out
these works must be instructed and
equipped with type-specific lifting
schemes. The speed and safety of
the installation depends strictly on
the location of the crane as well as
on the planning of the vehicle access
sequence, so it is recommended
to make simulations with different
scenarios before the final plan is
carried out.
When planning access to the construcPattern Buildings
The site work plan must take into
account the different weights of the
different modules between 6 and 25 t.
The module weight must be reflected
in its name and on its packaging (for
example, M6-3_4, 8T_S).
The protective packaging of the
modules is environmentally friendly
and reusable. When removing the
protective packaging, it is made sure
that the module is in good condition;
that the seals and insulation material
on the side of the module are intact
and properly installed. The packaging
is sent back to the factory with the
pallets.
The accuracy of the installation of the
modules shall be ensured by conical
twist-lock connectors. No lifting work
shall be carried out during the fixing
works and other interconnection
works between the floors. During the
assembly of the modules, all lifting
and connecting metal components
shall be insulated with temperature,
water and fire resistant materials
according to the instructions. During
the installation, control measurements
shall be carried out after each floor
installation and, if necessary, specific
levelling plates for height adjustment
shall be used.
The installation of facade elements
shall be carried out according to the
unique design of each object. In order
to save time on the site, the facade
elements may be partially installed in
the factory. In this case, the modules
have indications about the facade
element and extra caution is needed
when lifting as not to damage the
facade cover materials or openings.
When installing roof elements, the
rainwater drainage project must be
followed and it must be ensured
that the internal drainage pipes are
installed in the right order according
to the plan. The humidity control
manual must be followed during the
installation of the modules and the
modules must be protected against
precipitation during working breaks.
All external structures of the modular
system are added after installation
of the modules and delivery of the
installation works.
Pattern Buildings
Operation of the Building
Energy efficiency
One of the main principles of
the Pattern Building is environment-friendly approach, which means,
among other things, that the active
energy consumption of the building
is (very) low (at a minimum level
of nearly zero-energy building) and
that the building’s structures are
long-lasting. This can be achieved by
ensuring good insulation appropriate
to the local climate and long-term
air-insulating building envelope.
The envelope of the building is made
up of the skin and the skeleton.
The vapour and air-insulating layer
must be continuous along the whole
building envelope. While the skin of
the building is airtight, the skeleton
Pattern Buildings
of the Pattern Building seals the
gap between modules. This solution
makes the Pattern Building mass-adjustable because the air-tight layer is
uninterrupted regardless of the shape
or appearance of the building.
The Pattern Building is adaptable to
different climate zones. Depending
on the climate zone, the thickness of
the insulation layer required to ensure
good thermal insulation varies. The
thickness of the insulation layer of
the building can be adjusted with the
thickness of the skin. This means that
the Pattern Building with the same
body can theoretically be built in all
regions in Europe, with changes only
in facade elements.
Fire safety
Acoustics
Life Cycle
In accordance with the manual
“Standard solutions for building up
to eight-storey wooden buildings” by
A. Just et al, the Pattern Building’s
Portable Structure classifies as the
post-beam system. Load bearing
posts and beams made of laminated
timber or LVL are protected from fire.
Exposed LVL elements are designed
with a cross-section that allows them
to stay in the fire for a considerable
period of time without requiring
additional fire protection. The fire
safety of the facade is ensured by a
building-specific project. Automatic
fire fighting system must be designed
in five-storey and higher buildings.
Automatic fire extinguishing system
must be installed in the stairway that
has reaction to fire of D-s2,d2, in case
there are more than two floors in the
building.
To reduce the spread of noise from
one functional unit of the Pattern
Building (e.g. an apartment) to
another, it is recommended not to
design different units in the same
module. In other words, each unit
should consist only of separate room
modules.
The eco-friendliness of the house
is ensured by modern methods of
construction and factory-based
production that make the Pattern
Building energy efficient.
The spread of airborne sound noise
between functional units is prevented
by double partitions and dropped
ceilings. To prevent impact sound
noise, the floor board is separated
from the end frame by an elastic noise
barrier profile, preventing the sound
from being transferred to the module’s
frame posts. As an additional measure,
a noise-cancelling interlayer is
installed on the ceiling of the module,
preventing the transmission of sound
from the floor of the upper module.
The load bearing structures and main
structures of the house are largely
made of wood. As trees grow, the
carbon contained in the atmosphere
is captured and sequestered in the
wooden building for a long period of
time. If the construction of wood is to
be sustainable, the life expectancy of
the main structures of wood buildings
in northern Europe should be expected
to be at least 80 years, in other words
at least as long as the wood used in
the construction would be growing in
nature.
Buildings shall be at least 100 years.
The essential conditions for achieving
this are the insulation of wooden
elements from the ground, proper
melting snow water and rainwater
treatment; flexibility in changing the
spatial layout and straightforward
approach to repairing or changing
building components. Each Pattern
Building should come with a manual
which sets out the principles for the
maintenance.
Thus, the designed life span of Pattern
Pattern Buildings