Isover’s Multi-Comfort House International Student Competition

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As we mentioned before Dean Crosley and Ruaridh Nicol won the UK stage of the Isover Multi-Comfort House International Student Competition. As a result they travelled to Serbia for the final to present their project. Dean and Ruaridh built on the principles behind the MacroMicro Studio to develop an urban masterplan and design model for ultra-low energy, Passivhaus standard, housing.

Guillermo Guzman Dumont, lecturer at the Department of Architecture & Built Environment at the University of Nottingham and competition judge, commented: “As a learning opportunity, this contest ticks all the boxes. It introduces students to Multi-Comfort House and Passivhaus principles, encourages the exploration of a fabric first attitude and inspires a future proofed approach to architectural design.

The awards ceremony and prize giving are tonight starting at 7pm (GMT+2). The whole prize giving will be streamed live here.

Mezzanine Floor and Service Wall

This gallery contains 44 photos.

Following the installation of the mezzanine beams the service wall and the mezzanine floor where erected. The service wall runs below the north mezzanine beam providing shear strength to the structure and help transfer loads down from the floor and beam. The mezzanine … Continue reading →

New Visualisations of the Macro Micro Studio

Coming up to the end of the year we’re starting the produce final images and visuals to present our work in assessments and the DJCAD Degree Show. Here are examples of the work that is being produced;

DJCAD Degree Show

The annual Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design (DJCAD) Degree Show is fast approaching!  As usual the Department of Architecture will be showcasing work from all 5 years with particular emphasis on the work of the Masters year, including the work of Macro Micro Studio. The event is free and open to the public from Saturday 18th – 26th May.

Students from all 11 undergraduate programmes will exhibit the fruits of their labours across the two buildings and fourteen floors that comprise DJCAD, with every spare space exhibiting art and design. DJCAD’s new entrance at the Matthew Building will enable visitors to more easily navigate their way around the exhibition.

The show attracts thousands of visitors each year and is seen as a springboard for some of Scotland’s most exciting emerging artists. DJCAD has a reputation as one of the leading art schools in the UK and many of its students go on to be world-renowned artists.

Visitors to the DJCAD Degree Show can find Architecture on the 6th Floor of the Matthew Building with exhibits from 1st – 4th in the main studio space, a curated School Exhibition, and the 5th year, the Masters year, exhibition within the ‘Crit Space’.

Modelling in 3D Studio Max

During the design and planning of the build, the students applied elements of Building Information Model (BIM) methodology within Autodesk 3DS Max software, labelling all components to manage the interface between design and construction. Using the design tool in this way allowed the students to keep an accurate running total of material components as well as produce various number of renders from construction details, stripped back axonometrics or finished renders. Being able to take accurate take offs of all the materials used in the studio, from timber members right down to individual nail plates, reduced waste and any implications that waste has – including cost.

Using 3D Studio Max also allowed us to test the construction and helps rationalise the geometry, which as discussed earlier can result in a stepped edge. Two students focused on updating the model at every change in detailing or material specification to ensure that the geometry continued to produce a crisp edge on the interior and exterior of the studio. While at times this task seemed laborious and was often repeated it was vital that we could test the complex form of the studio in this way to ensure accuracy and ease of construction.

Installation of the Main Mezzanine Beam

One of the key superstructure milestones was the installation of the 250kg mezzanine beam which carries the majority of the floor load and adds rigidity to the entire frame.

This portion of works required a six man team, winching equipment and took a total of 11 hours to secure the beam in place. With both beams fixed in place, along with the Glidevale Protect VC Foil, we began to fix the Cullen Multi Hangers in preparation for the installation of the mezzanine floor

Blocking Pieces and Assembling the Roof Panels

This gallery contains 11 photos.

As mentioned previously the blocking pieces are components in the build up of the wall panels. Each panel meets the walls, and the other panels at various angles along each face and these blockers help keep that angle, making it easier to locate … Continue reading →