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Taylors Island, Maryland

Single family residence1,800 SF

completed 2006

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Named for the tall pines that characterize its site

on the Chesapeake Bay, this single family residenceseeks to deeply fuse the natural elements of this bar-

rier island to architectural form. Positioned betweena dense grove of loblolly pines and a lush foreground

of saltmeadow cordgrass and the bay, the architectureis formed about and within the elements of trees, tall

grasses, the sea, the horizon, the sky and the western

sun that define the place of the house.

LOBLOLLY HOUSE

elements

BUILDING INFORMATION MODEL A1 | LOBLOLLY HOUSE

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The idea of an elemental architecture extends to the

method of assembly. The house is composed entirelyof off-site fabricated elements and ready-made com-

ponents, assembled from the platform up in less than

six weeks. Specification is no longer conceived andstructured about the sixteen divisions of the CSI that

organizes thousands of parts that make up even asmall house. Instead, the conception and detailing are

formed about four new elements of architecture: the

scaffold, the cartridge, the block and equipment. Thealuminum scaffold system, coupled with an array of

connectors, provide both the structural frame and themeans to connect cartridges, blocks and equipment to

that frame with only the aid of a wrench.

4 | LOBLOLLY HOUSE BUILDING INFORMATION MODEL A

SCAFFOLD Anodized aluminum structural components

for linear motion assemblies. Each component is fabri-

cated, cut and drilled for precise erection upon the site

driven pilings.

SMART CARTRIDGES Off-site fabricated wood trusses

form the floors, ceilings, and roof. Within this 12 deep

sandwich are integrated radiant floor heating, insulated

micro ducts, and wiring for power, lighting, and data. Each

cartridge is eight feet wide and lengths vary according to

the floors and space. They are set upon the aluminum

scaffold and bolted together.

DUMB CARTRIDGES Exterior skin, complete with insula-

tion, vapor barrier, sheathing and windows.

BLOCKS Off-site fabricated spatial units contain the

most complex and intricate elements of the house, the

Bath/Closet/Mechanical Modules. Floors, walls

glazing, roofs, finishes, fixtures and drainage sy

power and lighting are finished within the factor

lifted into place at waiting utility connections.

FIXTURES All kitchen cabinetry and fixtures are

structed as large furniture with integrated fixture

systems, connected on site to waiting utility con

in the lateral cartridges.

EQUIPMENT The west waterfront wall is comp

of off- the-shelf products. These include fold-aw

walls and bi-folding translucent hangar doors. T

gar doors are placed 16 forward of the retracta

ing, creating a high performance adjustable douassembly.

ELEMENTS OF ARCHITECTURE

SMART CARTRIDG

FIXTURES

EQUIPMENT

PILES

SCAFFOLD

BLOCKS

DUMB CARTRIDG

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FABRICATOR

OFF-SITE

MANAGER

ON-SITE

ARCHITECT

ASSEMBLER

ON-SITE

ART

PROCESS

The architect's model was given to the fabricators,

who imported it into CADWORK and used it

throughout the fabrication process.

Floor plans Exterior stair detail Connector detail

3-D model

BUILDING INFORMATION MODEL A3 | LOBLOLLY HOUSE

A desire to better understand the building and its ele-

ments led to the application of building informationmodeling as a tool for design, development, fabrica-

tion, and assembly. The building information modelmade the simultaneous off-site fabrication of this

project possible. Without the geometric and dimen-

sional certainty afforded by the closure of the para-metric model, parts could not have been assembled

in advance to the required tolerances. In addition tothe advantages of designing in three dimensions, this

holistic method allowed for more efficient structuraland mechanical coordination, greater management

of parts and schedules for procurement, a clearer

approach to assembly sequencing, as well as a wayto control fabrication and decrease assembly and

construction tolerances. The virtual house becamethe sole source of information from which all details,

schedules, part lists, and fabrication drawings were

derived.

The virtual construction of the Loblolly House allowedthe team to refine the design prior to its assembly on

site. The process in which design decisions were madewas further integrated with the fabrication process and

better coordinated with the mechanical and structuralsystems. Incorporating all the information required

building the project within a single file, blurred theboundaries between design and construction andresulted in a better coordinated, cohesive product,

which included the expertise of all teams involved.

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DESIGN

o ff -si te f ab ri ca te d w al l p an el s a re d el ive re d t o t he s it e w al l p an el l if te d i nt o p osi ti on i nst al la ti on ce da r r ai n sc

The wall panels were developed and refined

within the virtual model

The model was used as a tool to help design the cedar

rain screen panels that form the facade. The patternof the rain screen was literally composed over a pho-

tograph of the forest, with the abstraction of solidand void rendered in the staggered vertical board rain

screen siding.

east elevation


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All of the prefabricated components, with their pre-installed mechanical and electrical systems, were

developed and refined within the virtual model. Thecoordination of these systems was vital, not only to

better understand the methods in which these pieceswould be fabricated, but to develop a strategy for the

ways in which systems would connect on site. Theprefabricated floor and ceiling cartridges, constructed

from plywood and laminated veneer lumber, included

pre-installed lighting, floor receptacles, radiant heat-ing and cooling air ducts. Instead of coordination

drawings, the model served as a tool to communi-cate with the fabricators and engineers. Meetings

which navigated the design team through the model

focusing on possible conflicts between the systems

proved to be extremely effective, resolving issues vir-tually before they cause delays, waste resources andincreased cost.

COORDINATION

view of interior with panels installedlowered into position on-sitesmart cartridges in factoryoff-site fabricationmodel of smart cartridge

model view showing properties of smart cartridge


exploded view of smart cartridge

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A schedule of parts and components was derived as

the house was assembled virtually. Each part, as it wasbuilt within the model, contained information which

could be extracted in the form of part lists or sched-

ules.

The aluminum extrusions, for example, were createdwith embedded data such as manufacturer and distrib-

utor information, model name, size of profile, length,as well as cost. Since these components had been

virtually erected, we were able to accurately catalog

sizes and quantities and submit an order via e-mailusing the list derived from the model.

PROCUREMENT

model of structural aluminum frame detail of structural aluminum frame and connectors

pre-drilling aluminum at factory assembly on site

fitting frame to collar beams on-site complete assembly of structural framestructural aluminum preparation at factory

model of single aluminum component with embedded data


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As the model developed and the number of com-

ponents increased, the challenges of assembly and

sequencing become more apparent. Highlightingpossible conflicts before arriving at the site allowed

the design team and fabricators to develop a compre-hensive visual erection schedule which clearly defined

the assembly strategies for each day. This schedule

was informed by the way in which the virtual modelwas constructed.

SEQUENCING

preparation of piles attachment of collar beam

structural aluminum in place modules and wall panels installed

cedar rain screen panels installed equipment installed


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Utilizing the model as a basis for fabrication elimi-nated the need for two dimensional construction

and shop drawings. Each component was modeledto accurately illustrate its building materials and fin-

ishes. As a means to improve the fabrication method,the model was incorporated with additional param-

eters dictated by manufacturing limitations and other

restrictions. In some cases the ability of the designteam to envision the construction sequence also

informed the way in which parts were fabricated. Theprefabricated boxes, which housed the bathrooms

and mechanical rooms, were constructed in a way

which took into account how they would be shipped,how the would be lifted into place, as well as how they

would be attached to the rest of the structure. Muchlike the other components, the prefabricated wall

panels carried within its properties, embedded infor-mation about its assembly. Unlike typical walls built

on site, these walls have to respect the limitations

of shipping; therefore being aware of its parametersbecame particularly useful in developing the design

towards fabrication.

FABRICATION

Bathroom blocks are fully equipped with

sink, toilet, shower and vanity. Ventilation

fans and ducts along with heating and cool-

ing distribution and piping are integral, as

are electrical outlets and light fixtures.

Mechanical blocks contain mechanical

and electrical manifolds that organize and

manage all incoming and outgoing utility

connections. Quick coupled mechani-

cal manifolds direct the distribution of

cold water, hot water for faucets, and

water for the radiant heating system, and

enables systems integration in the smart

cartridges and the bathroom blocks.

module fabrication off-site interior view of mechanical room and installed on-site on-site computer for quick referenthe digital model provided measurements forprecise cutting with digital saw at factory


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18 | LOBLOLLY HOUSE

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construction view


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outdoor deckexterior stair

1 Wood Walkway2 Bamboo and Rock Garden3 Exterior Stair4 Mechanical Piles5 Spiral Stair6 Guest Bedroom 1

7 Mechanical Room8 Outdoor Deck9 First Floor Entry10 Master Bedroom

11 Master Bath12 Closet/Mechanical Room13 Guest Bedroom 214 Guest Bath15 Bridge16 Kitchen

17 Living Room18 Dining Room19 Second Floor Entry20 High Performance West Wall

ground level first floor second floor

12

3

4

4

5 5

7

8

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10

12

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6 1314

1515

1617

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3 3

20

2020

20

guest roomdining room

master bedroom - hangar doors and folding doors fully open


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porch living room


view of living/dining room from kitchen

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secondfloo

rviewt

hroughglassflooratbridge

firstfloorviewt

hroughbridgetowardspiralstair

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exposedscaffolddetail

K i eranT imberlakea s s o c i a t e s l l p

firstfloorvi

ewt

owardspiralstair

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