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MARCEL BREUER’S PRECAST FAÇADE COMPONENTS: A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY DESIGN APPROACH
The precast facades designed by Marcel Breuer are exemplary cases where architecture, structural design, building physics, and technology are effectively reconciled. The work focuses on the systematic analysis of diverse facade examples and the interpretation of this holistic design approach.
The design of building envelopes requires the skills and expertise of many different professionals. Although sequential design approaches offer a pragmatic answer to the solution of such a complex design problem, they also foster the idea that the overall process is just a simple sum of the single parts. Especially in the early design stage, the ability to integrate different technical and architectural aspects of the design is a crucial factor that ultimately allows for a more conscious and responsible use of the available resources. The design of building envelopes is an exemplary case where aspects belonging to diverse fields – architecture, structural design, building physics, and construction technology – can be effectively reconciled. The goal of this study is to analyse and compare prominent examples of building envelopes and façade systems designed according to the holistic design principles described above. The work of the modernist architect Marcel Breuer represents the starting point for this investigation. With his modular façade components, he advocated a multi-disciplinary use of precast concrete elements for architectural, structural, and sun shading applications. After the definition of a set of appropriate metrics, selected examples of façade modules designed by Breuer will be analysed in order to assess their performance as a structural element as well as the interface between indoors and outdoors environmental conditions. The work can either focus on this systematic analysis of diverse examples or further develop towards the design of a new modular façade system. Such system will be essentially based on the holistic design principles investigated in the first part of the work.
The design of building envelopes requires the skills and expertise of many different professionals. Although sequential design approaches offer a pragmatic answer to the solution of such a complex design problem, they also foster the idea that the overall process is just a simple sum of the single parts. Especially in the early design stage, the ability to integrate different technical and architectural aspects of the design is a crucial factor that ultimately allows for a more conscious and responsible use of the available resources. The design of building envelopes is an exemplary case where aspects belonging to diverse fields – architecture, structural design, building physics, and construction technology – can be effectively reconciled. The goal of this study is to analyse and compare prominent examples of building envelopes and façade systems designed according to the holistic design principles described above. The work of the modernist architect Marcel Breuer represents the starting point for this investigation. With his modular façade components, he advocated a multi-disciplinary use of precast concrete elements for architectural, structural, and sun shading applications. After the definition of a set of appropriate metrics, selected examples of façade modules designed by Breuer will be analysed in order to assess their performance as a structural element as well as the interface between indoors and outdoors environmental conditions. The work can either focus on this systematic analysis of diverse examples or further develop towards the design of a new modular façade system. Such system will be essentially based on the holistic design principles investigated in the first part of the work.
Ideally, the study is conducted in two steps. Step 1 consists of a multi-disciplinary analysis of a case study. The following objectives are proposed:
• to provide a thorough description of the analyzed facade system in terms of structure and construction, building physics and architecture;
• to quantify advantages and disadvantages using numerical and qualitative performance indicators;
• to suggest/give an interpretation of Breuer’s design principles and methods for the design of facades, highlighting potentials and shortcomings.
The following research questions are formulated with regard to three main disciplines: structure and construction, building physics, and architecture.
• How are the modules produced and how are they put together? What is the global structural behaviour of the building?
• What is the utilization of the structural material? How is it compared to a standard RC frame building?
• How does the geometry of the modules affect the amount of incident solar radiation on the facade?
• What is daylight availability inside the building?
• What is the impact of solar gains and heat transfer on the thermal performance of the module?
• How does the system influence the internal space?
• What possibilities does the system offer for expressing the architectural intention?
Step 2 is a design application. Starting from the same design principles and methods used by Breuer (step 1) and taking advantage of the capabilities of today’s computational tools, this sec
Ideally, the study is conducted in two steps. Step 1 consists of a multi-disciplinary analysis of a case study. The following objectives are proposed:
• to provide a thorough description of the analyzed facade system in terms of structure and construction, building physics and architecture; • to quantify advantages and disadvantages using numerical and qualitative performance indicators; • to suggest/give an interpretation of Breuer’s design principles and methods for the design of facades, highlighting potentials and shortcomings.
The following research questions are formulated with regard to three main disciplines: structure and construction, building physics, and architecture.
• How are the modules produced and how are they put together? What is the global structural behaviour of the building? • What is the utilization of the structural material? How is it compared to a standard RC frame building? • How does the geometry of the modules affect the amount of incident solar radiation on the facade? • What is daylight availability inside the building? • What is the impact of solar gains and heat transfer on the thermal performance of the module? • How does the system influence the internal space? • What possibilities does the system offer for expressing the architectural intention?
Step 2 is a design application. Starting from the same design principles and methods used by Breuer (step 1) and taking advantage of the capabilities of today’s computational tools, this sec