Architectonic, Spatial, and Environmental Design

VOLUME 8 ISSUE 1

The International Journal of

Architectonic, Spatial, and Environmental Design __________________________________________________________________________

Creating the UNLV Solar Decathlon House Processes and Lessons

ERIC WEBER

designprinciplesandpractices.com

THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARCHITECTONIC, SPATIAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN www.designprinciplesandpractices.com First published in 2014 in Champaign, Illinois, USA by Common Ground Publishing LLC www.commongroundpublishing.com ISSN: 2325-1662 © 2014 (individual papers), the author(s) © 2014 (selection and editorial matter) Common Ground All rights reserved. Apart from fair dealing for the purposes of study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the applicable copyright legislation, no part of this work may be reproduced by any process without written permission from the publisher. For permissions and other inquiries, please contact [email protected]. The International Journal of the Architectonic, Spatial, and Environmental Design is peer-reviewed, supported by rigorous processes of criterion-referenced article ranking and qualitative commentary, ensuring that only intellectual work of the greatest substance and highest significance is published.

Creating the UNLV Solar Decathlon House: Processes and Lessons Eric Weber, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, USA Abstract: In Fall 2011, the University of Nevada-Las Vegas School of Architecture’s David G. Howryla Design–Build Studio began development of the university’s entry into the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013—an international, university-based competition to design solar-powered housing prototypes. The design team’s primary goal was not the creation of a workable engineering model; instead, the team explored how technology can be a tool that assists people to reconnect with materiality, texture, light, and time, creating opportunities for memorable experiences. Students who have participated in design-build programs across the United States have cited them as critical formative experiences in their development as design professionals. Additionally, as a competition that requires collaboration among engineering, architecture, interior design, marketing, and communications, the Solar Decathlon is an effective tool for simulating teamwork on real projects. As the only university located in the Mojave Desert—one of the most extreme environments in North America—UNLV’s inclusion in this competition offers a unique opportunity to demonstrate leadership in developing innovative responses to arid climates, and finishing in 2nd-place underscored the team’s abilities. The Design–Build Studio’s process of creating the Solar Decathlon House is instructive in understanding this success. Keywords: Design-build, Teaching, Research, Architecture

Introduction

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ith the advent of computer modeling and animation, architects today are able to develop new ways of thinking about how to conceive of and deliver buildings of evergreater complexity, responding to the challenges of speed, flexibility, and cost in ways that seemed unimaginable a generation ago. One of the unintended side effects of the embracing of the virtual has been the tendency among many students towards a lack of rigor in considering the actual materials from which their buildings are to be constructed. Yet these are the notes that, strung together, become the symphonic whole of any great architectural work. Architecture is always concrete matter. Architecture is not abstract, but concrete. A plan, a project drawn on paper is not architecture but merely a more or less inadequate representation of architecture, comparable to sheet music. Music needs to be performed. Architecture needs to be executed. Then its body can come into being. And this body is always sensuous. All design work starts from the premise of this physical, objective sensuousness of architecture, of its materials. To experience architecture in a concrete way means to touch, see, hear, and smell it. To discover and consciously work with these qualities-these are the themes of our teaching. (Zumthor, 2006 p. 66)

This observation is not limited to architects; philosophers and sociologists have been exploring this disconnect and its implications, as well. Heidegger famously noted that the way we come to know a hammer is not by staring at it, but by grabbing hold of it and using it. For him, this was a deep point about our apprehension of the world in general. The preoccupation with knowing things ‘as they are in themselves’ he found to be wrongheaded, tied to a dichotomy between subject and object that isn’t true in our experience. The way things actually ‘show up’ for us is not as mere objects without context, but as equipment for action… within some worldly situation. One of the central questions of cognitive science, rooted in the prevailing

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THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARCHITECTONIC, SPATIAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN

epistemology, has been to figure out how the mind ‘represents’ the world, since mind and world are conceived to be entirely distinct. For Heidegger, there is no problem of re-presenting the world, because the world presents itself originally as something we are already in and of. (Crawford, 2009, p.164) Skill is a trained practice; modern technology is abused when it deprives its users precisely of that repetitive, concrete, hands-on training. When the head and the hand are separated, the result is mental impairment… (Sennett, 2008, p.52) The University of Nevada—Las Vegas School of Architecture initiated its David G. Howryla Design–Build Studio to establish a hands-on, situated learning environment, and to instigate awareness of the poetic potential of materials as carriers of architectural meaning. When the Studio decided to participate in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013, an international, university-based competition to design solar-powered housing prototypes, we developed our own approach to the competition before design commenced. The primary goal was not the creation of a workable engineering model; instead, we explored how technology can be a tool that assists people in reconnecting with materiality, texture, light, and time, creating opportunities for memorable experiences. Students who have participated in design-build programs across the country have cited their participation in these programs as critical formative experiences in their development as design professionals. By being subjected to the challenges of constructing their designs, students learn to fully consider how building professionals do their jobs, thus making them better designers. The professions recognize the value of this education, as evidenced by the Department of Energy’s statistics regarding employment of previous Solar Decathlon participants; 76% of former Decathletes found work in clean-energy fields. In addition, 92% reported that the Solar Decathlon helped them in some way to find a job in the clean-energy workforce, and 20% said it was the main factor in obtaining employment in the clean-energy field. For those not gaining employment in clean energy, 77% still stated that their experience in the Solar Decathlon assisted them in gaining employment. (Barnes, et. al., 2012, p.66-68) Solar Decathlon 2013 represents only the second time schools from the Southwest have been invited to participate in this competition; the University of Arizona participated in the 2009 event, and did not fare well in the overall ranking, finishing 18th of 20 teams; in the 2013 event, a team from Arizona State University and the University of New Mexico was invited, but again, their results were disappointing, finishing 17th of 19 teams. As the only university located in the Mojave Desert, one of the most extreme environments in North America, UNLV’s inclusion in this event offered the school a unique opportunity to demonstrate its leadership in developing innovative responses to arid climates, and finishing in 2nd-place underscored our team’s abilities. The Design-Build Studio’s process of creating the Solar Decathlon House is instructive in understanding this success.

UNLV Design-Build Studio’s Approach to the Solar Decathlon We determined that our operative principle was that DesertSol, Team Las Vegas’ Solar Decathlon entry, isn’t a solar project first; it is a house first. This was a critical determination, as it strongly informed all following decisions. While it was essential to the success of the project that all of the engineering systems be innovative, the engineering systems should support this mission, rather than the other way round. We determined that it was imperative that Team Las Vegas design a credible, serious project that celebrated the uniqueness of our location, climate, and culture, without resorting to clichés or predictable, ‘safe’ responses. The following passage from Juhani Pallasmaa’s The Eyes of the Skin had a particularly profound impact on the design team:

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WEBER: CREATING THE UNLV SOLAR DECATHLON HOUSE

In recent decades, a new architectural imagery has emerged, which employs reflection, gradations of transparency, overlay and juxtaposition to create a sense of spatial thickness, as well as subtle and changing sensations of movement and light. This new sensibility promises an architecture that can turn the relative immateriality and weightlessness of recent technological construction into a positive experience of space, place and meaning. (Pallasmaa, 2005, p. 32) Good architecture creates a sense of place and inspires memorable experiences. Thoughtful consideration of comfort, scale, light, and sensory experience distinguish a home from a simple shelter – these are the qualities people look for in a well-designed custom home. Phenomenological considerations like these are as relevant now as ever – perhaps more so, with society’s preoccupation with the virtual environment; people need a release from the stresses of contemporary life. DesertSol aims to offer such an experience – an experience that is of the desert, while incorporating high-tech features into everyday living.

The Springs of Las Vegas One of the critical components of the Design-Build Studio’s process was to explore the history of Las Vegas and Southern Nevada. Creating a positive experience of space, place and meaning, as Pallasmaa writes, necessitates a careful reading of the particular qualities that have brought a place into being. Our community began as an oasis, due to the existence of the Las Vegas Springs, the only significant water source within a day’s ride by horse from the Colorado River. The first Spanish settlers called this place “Las Vegas,” or “The Meadows”, after the grassy fields fed by this vital resource. The springs, located in the heart of today’s Las Vegas Valley, were the reason why Native Americans, the Mormon pioneers, and the railroad depot all decided to settle in this desert. This resource disappeared in merely 50 years due to the falling water table, caused by overdrawing from the aquifer. Las Vegas is now overdrawing its water reserve in Lake Mead, and is in danger of repeating this history. It is one of Team Las Vegas’ primary goals to demonstrate water conservation strategies and to underscore how essential these techniques are to the survival of our community. In recognition of the importance of this vital resource to our community identity, DesertSol is organized as two modules, separated by a narrow entry space. The entry looks northward through the space between the modules, framing the sky above, and a shallow pool of water below. The house becomes an analog for the stones between which water bubbles to the surface, forming a desert spring. This pool is designed to be a catch basin for occasional desert downpours, collecting the precious four inches of precipitation each year and storing it in a cistern. The storm runoff from both roofs travels via gutters to the roof of the foyer and pours into the pond like a waterfall. The water then trickles over the edge of the pool, and is captured in a small trough at the entry court; its form is a reference to watering troughs for thirsty horses, while also creating the essential sound that provides psychological comfort in our dry land. In addition, this fountain creates evaporative cooling and passes cooled, re-humidified air through a low window in the kitchen into the living spaces. The rainwater is also used in landscape irrigation, although little water is required to supply the native plants the team incorporated into the design. In time, as they establish roots into the surrounding soil, the desert foliage will thrive solely on the water provided by this resource.

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Figure 1: DesertSol Floor Plan Source(s): Eric Weber/UNLV Design Build 2013

Figure 2: Rainwater Catchment During SD 2013 Source(s): Alexia Hsin Chen/UNLV Design Build 2013

A Study in Materials The harsh environment, exceptional dryness, intense contrast of sunlight and deep shadows have a profound impact on how the desert is perceived and inhabited. The passage of time has different effects on materials relative to other places, and recognizing these differences is essential to responding to this environment on its terms. The desert is particularly unforgiving to synthetic materials and coatings. Team Las Vegas made material selections that reflect these

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challenges by choosing natural, durable materials that age well in the desert, while allowing the passage of time to be recorded in their surfaces through the action of the environment and the building’s use. The building’s materials record these processes as positive contributors to its character. DesertSol’s material palette is marked by the contrast of aged, rugged exterior and polished, finely detailed interior finishes. The primary components are wood and steel – some of the first mass-produced building materials originally available in Nevada. Metal roofing came west with the railroads, and with the advent of sawmills in the Mount Charleston area and elsewhere across the state harvesting Ponderosa Pine, sawn lumber became a ubiquitous building material by the early 20th century in Las Vegas. Many of the silver mining towns built with these materials later became the ghost towns of western lore; their weathered silver-gray wood and rusted/weathered steel inspired the exterior appearance of DesertSol. The intensity of the sun requires a careful analysis and equally thoughtful response. Trapping the heat generated by this abundant energy source is a major challenge, one which the architecture should respond to on its terms. Materials that cool rapidly, and compositions that avoid trapping solar radiation, are essential to effectively responding to the sun. By creating perforated metal shades, overhangs (created from both perforated and solar panels) that allow free passage of heat through gaps in the covering, roof surfaces that rapidly shed their heat, a reclaimed “shadescreen” wall system, and other strategies, one can respond to the pragmatic need for comfort and the urban heat island, as well as the poetic possibilities of life under a comforting shade canopy – a reference to our ancient tree-dwelling forebears, deeply rooted in our collective unconscious. The interior features wood reclaimed from shipping crates that has been repurposed into polished, tongue-and-groove flooring. Steel fabrications appear inside the house, but will not rust like the exterior steel; they will age as the house is occupied and will be polished by human touch.

Figure 3-4: DesertSol Exterior Source(s): UNLV Staff Photographer/Kevin Duffy 2013.

Conceptual Design Studio The first stage in the process of creating the Solar Decathlon House began in Fall 2011, when the Design-Build studio was tasked with developing the Conceptual Design. The class began with 12 students, and each student was tasked with creating a preliminary idea for the project, with three alternate schemes that explored implementation of this idea, during the first week of the semester. The process of elimination outlined below was used to narrow the studio’s design ideas down toward consensus on the essential characteristics the house should embody; a conscious decision was made not to describe the methodology at the beginning of the project, as it was important that this process not influence the initial explorations. The second round elimination

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method was also not explained beforehand, for the same reasons; in fact, it was suggested that the second elimination method might not be the same as the first, in an attempt to prevent students from pre-planning their next step in anticipation of who they might be working with in the future. On the first round elimination day, each student was required to pair with one other student, who became their partner for the next round; the teams were responsible for taking the best ideas from either or both schemes, and developing a revised scheme. The second round elimination worked in a similar fashion as the first. This method was chosen over the more conventional process, in which the instructor or design jury makes the decision regarding which explorations merit advancement, because it encourages students to work together to evaluate each student’s ideas, and to find a way forward that is mutually agreed upon. After these two rounds of incorporations, three teams remained. These teams then spent the next two weeks developing their proposed designs. Each of the schemes was presented to a jury, which included members from the School of Architecture faculty, the College of Engineering faculty, and local design professionals. Both the jury and the students from each department scored each team’s proposal, and the highest scoring proposal was chosen to represent UNLV in the Solar Decathlon. In this case, both the design jury and the student team scoring identified the same proposal as the most compelling.

Figure 5: Conceptual Design Model Source(s): Nathan Weber/UNLV Design Build 2011

In practice, there were a few challenging moments, but ultimately the three schemes that were presented were all credible, serious design proposals. The collaborative process did not dilute the ideas; in fact, by working together, the students were able to explore more ideas than would have been possible individually. Interestingly, the first elimination, where each student paired with one other student, was a more seamless transition than the second; one team in particular experienced significant friction as their teams joined. However, this team managed to bridge their differences, and produced a well-developed scheme in a remarkably short time.

Full-Scale Design Mockup—Translating Image to Reality The Second stage in creating the Solar Decathlon house followed submission of the Conceptual Design in November 2011. After completing the conceptual design, the Design Build Studio began studying some of the critical parts of the house at full-scale; these components became loci for crystallizing essential design concepts. This was also a key moment in determining the appropriate role of technology in the project’s development.

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The issue is more complicated than hand versus machine. Modern computer programs can indeed learn from their experience in an expanding fashion, because algorithms are rewritten through data feedback. The problem, as Victor Weisskopf says, is that people may let the machines do this learning, the person serving as a passive witness to and consumer of expanding competence, not participating in it… Abuses of CAD illustrate how, when the head and the hand are separate, it is the head that suffers. (Sennett, 2008, 44) The most provocative exploration of this issue was the design process for the perforated screen system. Developing the screens required maintaining a careful balance between using the computer to explore options, while simultaneously utilizing critical awareness of material limitations to make them possible to construct. The following passage from the project narrative describes the conceptual intent for this system: The journey begins with a pathway where dappled light filters through perforated screens, seemingly dissolving the building in its pattern. The effect recalls light passing through the native Mesquite tree. The movable screens respond to seasonal differences: in the summer, they can enclose the patio space and provide shading for the building. In the winter, the screens can be opened completely to allow the sun to penetrate the building, providing passive heating. This describes, both poetically and pragmatically, the raison d’etre for the house’s perforated screen system. The students responded to this by photographing native Mesquite trees, and selecting images that best captured the desired qualities. Using a series of filters in Adobe Photoshop, students developed an image suitable for attempting translation into a screen pattern. As the mock-up was to consist of four 4’x8’ panels (two overhead, two vertical), the image was resized to cover the panels; a conscious decision was made to use an image that wrapped across the panels, rather than using a repeating pattern, as the continuous image would more closely approximate the effect of being under a tree canopy. The mock-up was created using the School of Architecture’s Jamieson 100-watt laser cutter, using 1/8” thick acrylic sheets. After several attempts at small scale, varying the hole sizes and spacing, larger samples were made using sheets of 1/8” chipboard, to determine if the patterns created the desired effect. The final 30x40” piece effectively demonstrated that the pattern would in fact create the varied, dappled light/shadow texture characteristic of Mesquite foliage, so the team moved to creating the first full-scale piece. Laser cutting such dense, intricate patterns is a time-intensive exercise, necessitating careful supervision in order to ensure predictable results. One of the unanticipated problems the students encountered was that when the laser cutter was working on particularly dense areas, the heat generated by the laser created localized heat expansion, which in turn caused these areas to warp upward slightly. This caused the laser’s focus to be slightly off in some cases, which meant that cuts in these areas did not always pass completely through the material. While the team was able to compensate for this effect to some degree on later panels, it was not completely eliminated, which meant students spent a great deal of time punching the partially-cut pieces out of the panels. After cutting, each panel was painted black, to ensure light passing through the thickness of the acrylic did not contaminate the image formed by the light and shadow. The panels were riveted to a steel-tube framework that approximated the size & detailing anticipated in the actual house, and the structure was assembled for a final review of its effectiveness.

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Figures 6-7: Laser-Cut Prototype Panels Source(s): Nathan Weber/UNLV Design Build 2011

Despite having seen the effect created by the smaller test pieces, few could have anticipated the actual qualities created by the full-scale mock-up. It was striking; from some angles, the shadows did in fact look much like those made by an actual Mesquite tree. What was more compelling were some of the unanticipated qualities the piece created. For instance, when the vertical panels were viewed with sunlight striking them directly, the pattern was very difficult to resolve into an image; it appeared at first glance to be a conventional perforated panel. Another unexpected effect was that the light quality changed dramatically depending on sun and viewer angle; the panels varied from almost transparent to virtually opaque with fairly small changes in viewing angle.

Figure 8: Completed Screen System Mockup Source(s): Nathan Weber/UNLV Design Build 2011

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While the finished product was compelling, the process used to create the mock-up was extremely time intensive. The actual parts to be used on the house would be much larger and a faster process was necessary. Students spent four months developing a method that would make the screens affordable, efficient, and functional while still retaining the effect demonstrated by the mock-up. For the final screens, students developed a script in Grasshopper, a plug-in for Rhinoceros that sampled a gray-scale image using grid coordinates. The program then created circles corresponding to the percentage of gray found in each area of the image. This brought the files for each screen down to a much more manageable size that could be fabricated using available technology. The next challenge was deciding upon the most appropriate process for cutting the screens. CNC plasma cutting, water-jet cutting, and punching processes were investigated thoroughly, before determining that the most effective and time saving method was CNC laser cutting. Once a shop was found that was willing to take on the project, students worked with the fabricators to find the optimum resolution and shape that was appropriate for the project budget. The students then used the Grasshopper script to reduce the amount of holes per 48"x74" panel to approximately 75,000, which reduced the cutting time to approximately 30 seconds per square inch.

Figure 9: 16-ga. Steel Laser Cutting Test Sample Source(s): Eric Weber/UNLV Design Build 2013

Essential to creating the screen assembly was that it was a process. Students found it necessary to work iteratively, alternating from computer to material and back, with the algorithm progressively revised to reflect knowledge gained from experimentation. Students found the data feedback and active learning necessary to synthesize a successful result. The preceding illustrates a path toward embracing an appropriate role for digital design in contemporary society, forging an essential relationship of head and hand. “Computer-assisted design might serve as an emblem of a large challenge faced by modern society: how to think like craftsmen in making good use of technology. ‘Embodied knowledge’ is a currently fashionable phrase in the social sciences, but ‘thinking like a craftsman’ is more than a state of mind; it has a sharp social edge.” (Sennett, 2008, p. 44)

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The constantly shifting perception, between solidity and dematerialization created by this component of the project is particularly noteworthy. The premise underpinning the Design Build Studio’s work—that architecture is the creation of memorable experiences, was powerfully demonstrated by this evocative installation. The synthesis of digital technology and thoughtful application of tectonic principles in this screen assembly embodies Sennett’s craftsman ethos. Maintaining this balance was a key challenge as the project moved from concept to construction.

Figure 10-11: Final Screen System as Installed Source(s): Kevin Duffy/UNLV Design Build 2013

Working Drawings The third stage in the process of creating the Solar Decathlon house began in Fall 2012. In order to complete the project in time for the Decathlon (September 2013), it was determined that although the competition only required 100% Design Development Documents to be submitted by November 2012, Team Las Vegas would need to be substantially complete with construction documents by this point. 100% Construction Documents were due in February 2013, which did not provide sufficient student contact time in this interval to complete the necessary drawings. Within the architectural design studio, the team was divided into three major groups; a building envelope team, interiors team, and exterior/site features team. A graduate student led each group, with the overall student team leader providing coordination & leadership to the studio as a whole. This studio setting served as the gathering location for engineering colleagues when they were working with the team, as the physical separation of disciplines across campus made it challenging to use other venues. The students created a central server, which stored the team’s Revit model, with each student working on their own computers to access the necessary computer files. In principle, this organization should have allowed every student working on drawings to be able to access the areas they were tasked with as needed. In practice, there were many snags along the way, but the documents were ultimately completed on time.

Full-Scale Mockup, Part II The fourth stage in creating the Solar Decathlon house, completed in December 2012, was to construct another mockup. As stated previously, 100% Design Documents were due the end of Fall 2012. Construction was scheduled to begin shortly following review/approval of the DD package, and it was important to confirm constructability of this rather complex building. As part of the studio’s final deliverables for the semester, the team was tasked with building a full-scale mockup of the living module’s construction, from the structural plywood deck up to and including the standing-seam roof. Students were required to determine quantities for all mockup 26


components, and provide a detailed cost estimate for approval, prior to commencing construction. The mockup location was chosen to indicate both the kitchen counter-height glazing condition and the clerestory above. This maximized the number of building conditions to be explored, and gave the team a good opportunity to study their assumptions. One of the key conditions that needed to be tested was how the projecting steel shade boxes would be installed; as they project beyond the 16’-0” maximum allowable width for transport on Nevada roadways, it would be necessary to install these boxes on the competition site, after transport. This was a critical challenge, one that would profoundly impact the design if it proved unworkable. It also required careful consideration of how the box interfaced with the galvanized fascia material above, the weathered wood rainscreen material, and other conditions. One major refinement to the window boxes was developed as a consequence of this exploration; while the basic system was sound, it was determined that thermal performance and adjustability would be improved if the boxes were mounted with spacers behind their mounting tabs. Thermal performance was achieved through the use of a two-stage spray foam insulation system in the wall cavity, with 1” closed-cell insulation applied at the inside face of exterior sheathing, with the remainder of the cavity completely filled with open cell insulation. To further improve performance, 1” polyisocyanurate rigid foam insulation was attached to the building just outside the moisture barrier, within the rainscreen cavity. This reduces thermal bridging due to the framing members interrupting the insulation cavity. The exterior weathered wood cladding is attached to the building by means of exposed countersunk screws, which attach to 7/8” hat channels; these channels are attached to the building with screws through the rigid insulation to the structure beyond.

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THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARCHITECTONIC, SPATIAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN Figure 12: Wall Section Source(s): Eric Weber/UNLV Design Build 2013

Figure 13: Window Details Source(s): Eric Weber/UNLV Design Build 2013

An essential component of building the mockup was determining which parts of the project students were capable of constructing, and which parts would be necessary to subcontract to professionals. The mockup demonstrated that while the students had better skills than expected in many areas, the team would need to enlist contractors to complete the kitchen cabinets, the wetglazing system, and the roofing system. Building the mockup effectively demonstrated that design-build pedagogy can be highly effective, even when the final components are ultimately to be constructed by professionals.

Figure 14: Wall Section Mockup Source(s): Eric Weber/UNLV Design Build 2013

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Construction Document Challenges and Construction Lessons Having taught architecture students for many years, and interns/new employees in professional practice settings, I knew what to expect from the architecture team, and how to move projects from concept to construction. One of the primary unknowns going into this project was the engineering students’ capabilities. The mechanical, plumbing, and electrical engineering teams were led by a research engineer working with them throughout the process; the research engineer also had extensive experience as a contractor, installing HVAC and electrical systems prior to his engineering training. As a consequence, the MPE engineering team had excellent, hands-on guidance regarding the actual components and construction methodologies necessary to complete the project. The structural engineering team started out well, as they had a core group of students interested in the project from the earliest stages. In addition, the university engaged a professionally registered structural engineer to advise the team and to review drawings and calculations. As the building’s structure needed to be finalized prior to architectural and other engineering drawings, it was essential to have a clear strategy for completing this part of the project in a timely manner. Problems arose in Fall 2012, when the structural team was informed that they must deliver a 100% complete structural design and drawings no later than December. In order to maintain the construction schedule, the fabricator needed to begin constructing the house’s steel chassis by February 1, 2013; this would allow the architectural team sufficient time to review the structural drawings, and to ensure coordination with other consultants. By mid-semester, it became apparent that the structural students did not fully understand the implications of the design the architectural students had developed. Up to that point, the structural team believed that the house could be designed using a conventional modular home chassis. Once it became clear that this was not going to be feasible, the structural team determined that they would have to start from scratch. They had to learn to use Autodesk’s Robot software to assist them in determining the loads on the design, and to perform many additional calculations in order to fully understand the nature of the problem. This took several months, and was not completed until March, costing the team precious time. While this unexpected turn of events was challenging, perhaps an even greater challenge came shortly thereafter, when it was expected that the structural team would complete all of the necessary structural drawings & details. It very quickly became apparent that most of the structural team had very little understanding of actual construction techniques, as well as drawing conventions. The architectural team found it necessary to spend many hours drafting and revising structural plans and details to ensure they were drawn correctly. As mentioned previously, the team was divided into three major groups; building envelope team, interiors team, and exterior/site features teams. This approach to the team organization was logical, but coordination was challenging. In retrospect, the students should have created three Revit models corresponding to the different teams, into which each component could be inserted separately. The primary reason was that the main model worked very slowly with as many as 2530 students working on the file at the same time. It would have been much more efficient if each major assembly was constructed as a separate model, and then referenced into the main file. Once construction commenced, numerous challenges occurred, as the incompleteness of the Construction Documents became apparent; details were not coordinated, some were missing, and several were not buildable as designed. These types of problems were by no means confined to the structural documents; they were found throughout the architectural drawings, as well. These challenges with the working drawings had ripple effects through the project and the construction schedule. Another major problem was that the students did not fully construct the house in the Revit model. Many components were drawn in 2D, but were not coordinated with the 3D model,

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causing coordination problems later. Many inexperienced students were involved in creating the final documents, which resulted in numerous inadvertent mistakes (items deleted, moved, incorrectly drawn). This necessitated much more on-site decision-making, slowing the construction process, and led to a loss of rigor in implementing some of the more challenging details. On balance, the major design decisions were compelling, offsetting many of these challenges.

A New Vision for the Desert DesertSol demonstrates a careful, critical reading of the regional climate, and offers a unique opportunity to rethink the way in which we inhabit the desert. It offers an alternate vision of Las Vegas, one that recognizes its past, and proposes a more sustainable future through responsible design in harmony with the Mojave Desert. This project illustrates the need for both architecture and engineering students to engage in real-world projects. The crucible of construction uncovers difficulty, it reveals deficiencies in designers’ understanding, and underscores the need for effective communication of design intent. These lessons will be invaluable for both the participating students, and for the faculty as the Design Build Studio begins work on future projects.

Figure 15: Finished Interior Source(s): UNLV Staff Photographer/UNLV Design Build 2013

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REFERENCES Barnes, Harley, et. al. 2012. Impact Evaluation of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon Program. Rockville: Lockheed Martin Energy Services, U.S. Department of Energy DOE/EE-0843. Crawford, Matthew. 2009. Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry Into the Value of Work. New York: Penguin. Pallasmaa, Juhani. 2005. The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses. West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons. Sennett, Richard. 2008. The Craftsman. New Haven: Yale University Press. Zumthor, Peter. 2006. Thinking Architecture. Basel: Birkhauser.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Eric Weber: Assistant Professor and Coordinator, David G. Howryla Design-Build Studio/ Building Technologies Laboratory, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

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The International Journal of Architectonic, Spatial, and Environmental Design is one of six thematically focused journals in the collection of journals that support the Design Principles and Practices knowledge community—its journals, book series, conference and online community. The journal’s primary interests are building design, landscape design and sustainable design practices. As well as papers of a traditional scholarly type, this journal invites presentations of practice—including experimental forms of documentation and exegeses that can with equal validity be interrogated through a process of academic peer review. This, for instance, might take the form of a series of images and plans, with explanatory notes that articulate with other, significantly similar or different and explicitly referenced places, sites or material objects. The International Journal of Architectonic, Spatial, and Environmental Design is a peer-reviewed scholarly journal.

ISSN 2325-1662

Architectonic, Spatial, and Environmental Design

Architectonic, Spatial, and Environmental Design

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