Project Title: Ed’s Shed
Location: London
Wood Species: SPRUCE (GERMANY)
Project Description
The Project
The entire site was excavated to basement level creating a sunken patio on which the house, a partly prefabricated solid timber structure, is placed.
One enters the house at street level via parts of the lower ground floor roof which also provide off-street car parking. All façades of the house as well as vertical and horizontal surfaces of the concrete patio are clad in timber rainscreen creating the impression of a continuous surface that embraces the enclosed and open spaces.
The load-bearing superstructure is built of a solid timber (spruce) frame, which means improved thermal and acoustic performance and a reduced carbon footprint. Each cubic metre of timber saves almost 1 tonne of carbon dioxide emissions compared to brick or breezeblock structure. These large, section engineered timber panels were manufactured off-site thereby limiting the on-site construction programme to approximately one week.
Engineered Timber System
Although simple in building form, the arrangement of openings within the building envelope and the position of vertical circulation immediately being the front elevation introduced a number of structural challenges which would need to be overcome. The use of solid timber panels was therefore a response to such challenges, but equally a response to environmental aspirations of both the client and Adjaye Associates as well as the budgetary constraints of the client. It would be reasonable to suggest that a reinforced concrete solution, although structurally adequate, would not have delivered on the latter point. A comparison with heavy construction methods is particularly relevant to this project. The puncture windows, substantial walls, and bridging elements resulted in a building structure which as a structure shell was not dissimilar to that of a Scottish tower house albeit a timber one. A low-tech structural approach was adopted in order to achieve a single consistent wall thickness which in addition to providing the necessary structural performance also provides thermal stability to the internal spaces and an element of durability (both physically and physiologically) commonly missing from high tech building structures. The panelisation and construction method is one of simplicity - large wall, floor and roof elements up to 3 tonnes in weight simply placed one upon another. Although most of the building structure is hidden the underside of the pre-insulated roof panels remains exposed.
Engineered Timber Component
Wall panel thickness: Nom. 160mm thick
Floor panel thickness: Nom. 170mm thick
Floor panel thickness: Nom. 270mm thick (pre-insulated with natural hemp insulation)
Total quantity of timber: 70m3
Total no. of deliveries: 2 deliveries
Total installation time: 2 days
BUILDING OWNER: PRIVATE
ARCHITECT: ADJAYE ASSOCIATES
BUILDER/MAIN CONTRACTOR: EURBAN
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS: EURBAN
JOINERY: JONA WARBEY
OTHER ASSOCIATED COMPANY: ELIZABETH MACLEOD INTERIOR ARCHITECTS
WOOD SUPPLIER: FINNFOREST
