RESEARCH: MATERIALS AND SUSTAINABILITY
Following the brief provided to me earlier this term to design a culture centre that accommodates 5000 people, I came up with an inspirational design linked to the location of the site, the design took the style of a neo-futuristic style. In this post, I will be considering the right materials that would be suitable for this design and would also be sustainable.
Unlike ordinary steel, galvanised steel acts as a more durable material for architectural buildings because it has a coating of zinc which prevents it from corrosion and allows more longevity of the materials. According to (Galvanizers, 2023) It has a certain level of thickness and a dense structure that prevents the blocking and contacting of corrosive solution and steel. Therefore, this material is sustainable and would not have any effects on its immediate environment.
The materials I have chosen for the construction of this project are glass which would act as the facade of the design, aluminum for the construction of the building, and galvanised steel to support the building.
The first material I chose for this project is glass which would be used as the facade of the building, this is the case because of the style of architecture that my design embodies (neo-futuristic style). However, the fact that having a glass facade is a main feature of neo-futuristic buildings does not mean that just any glass can be used for any design. Firstly the type of glass that would be chosen needs to comply with the one that is allowed in the site location of the project. For example, in Connecticut, the acceptable glass should consist of glazing material of the single light or layer shall be laminated glass with a minimum 30-mil (0.76 mm) polyvinyl butyral (or equivalent) interlayer, wired glass, heat-strengthened glass or fully tempered glass (UpCodes, n.d.). Some other things to consider are functionality, sustainability, and aesthetics. The chosen glass for this project is tempered or toughened glass which is the allowed type of glass in Connecticut.
Considering the functionality of the glass as the facade of the building, I need to first think about the weather and climate conditions. When I did my site plan analysis, I did my research on the weather conditions of the site and its surroundings, where it was determined that the weather conditions are relatively average both in the winter and the summer, and it does not tend to be a very windy place, however, the materials used still needs to be durable for extreme situations, the tempered glass being the facade of the building would have to be made using three layers to solidify its resistance to extreme weather conditions be it snow, wind or rain, No matter how volatile the weather conditions are, they cannot harm this glass member (Ais, 2020). The second condition I need to consider in terms of the functionality of the tempered glass is the natural lighting, the main reason why glass is the facade for neo-futurist architecture is to maximize natural light. Therefore, tempered glass would be perfect for this as it is resistant to excessive sun rays and allows the perfect amount of natural lighting into the building. Finally, factoring the sustainability of tempered glass, it is a type of glass that is easily recyclable and in turn, would prove to be a good sustainable material for the building
The second material for my design is aluminum, this material would be used mainly for the roof of my design. It is a light and strong material that is capable of withstanding various weather conditions.
Aluminum alloys have a high strength-to-weight ratio (Best Access Doors, 2022). Based on this, It would be a good material for the roof of the building. Aluminum is a material that can easily be recycled which improves the quality of sustainability of this building in correlation with the first material (tempered glass), Connecticut has an aluminum recycling company which makes it easier to source this specific material.
The final material that has been chosen for the construction of this building is galvanised steel. Compared to aluminum, galvanised steel is a much stronger material, which is why the main use of this material in my project would be for structural balance.
Moving away from the structure of the building, my design has an amphitheatre included in it, therefore a material has to be chosen for the construction of this amphitheatre.
Dating back thousands of years, the amphitheatre has been used as a performance space mainly for sports and the main material used in its construction is concrete. However, with this project aiming to be as sustainable as possible, the material chosen for the amphitheatre is travertine. Travertine is a very aesthetic material when it comes to using it in architectural designs; alongside its aesthetic look, it is also very sustainable. As a natural stone, travertine is an environmentally friendly choice for building materials (Stone and Rock, n.d.).
In conclusion, I have considered materials that are sustainable both for the environment and for the building itself, these materials are also cost-effective and can be easily sourced when construction is about to begin. The materials would be used for the facade of the building, the roof, and the structural balance of the building.
Reference List
Ais, (2020). Upgrade Your Home to Tempered glass: 4 Facts You Must Know -. [online] Available at: https://www.aisglass.com/upgrade-your-home-to-tempered-glass-4-facts-you-must-know/ [Accessed 22 May 2024].
Best Access Doors. (2022). Is Aluminum a Good Choice for Corrosion-Resistance? [online] Available at: https://www.bestaccessdoors.com/blog/is-aluminum-a-good-choice-for-corrosionresistance/ [Accessed 23 May 2024].
Galvanizers (2023). Galvanized Steel:Understanding its Properties and Applications. [online] Galvanizers. Available at: https://www.galvanizers.co.in/blog/galvanized-steel-the-ultimate-guide-to-understanding-its-properties-and-applications/ [Accessed 23 May 2024].
Stone and Rock. (n.d.). The Benefits of Using Travertine as a Building Material. [online] Available at: https://stoneandrock.com.au/blogs/product-posts/the-benefits-of-sing-travertine-as-a-building-material#:~:text=Eco%2DFriendly%20and%20Sustainable [Accessed 29 May 2024].
UpCodes. (n.d.). Chapter 24 Glass and Glazing: Glass and Glazing, 2021 IBC portion of the 2022 CT State Building Code. [online] Available at: https://up.codes/viewer/connecticut/ibc-2021/chapter/24/glass-and-glazing#24 [Accessed 22 May 2024].
Have you posted elsewhere about the amphitheatre? This was a good idea as an addition to your overall design but you need to say more about it other than just this brief piece of text here.
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