Showing posts with label Morphology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Morphology. Show all posts
Monday, 10 December 2012
Exploded Axonometric of Eames House
This particular axonometric drawing shows all the separate building components of the Eames House, giving insight as to how the structure was composed and how each part fits together.
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| Download link to original size PDF |
Transition From First Design to Final Design
The original design of the Eames House was a collaborative project by Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen. It called for a home located upon a cantilevered truss bridge and to display a sense of openness through its exposed steel frame. The Eames House was to float above the ground in an attempt to achieve the maximum span from the minimum of material. The original form did not arise from the program or the land it sat upon, but solely from its own structural order. However, not all of the structure was actually to be exposed as the floor and ceiling joists were concealed by plaster ceilings and soffits. As a result, the structure could then allow for the placement of interior partitions for the sake of acoustic privacy. Similar to the final design of the Eames House, the original design also called for the side walls to be layered in bands of horizontal steel windows.
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| The "Bridge House" design http://lacma.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/eamesplan425.jpg |
Though, upon visiting an exhibition of Mies van der Rohe's work at the Museum of Modern Art in 1947, Charles Eames found inspiration for a new design that would preserve the meadow in the centre of the site and sit behind a row of eucalyptus trees.
If the two designs are compared, the point regarding the lack of efficiency in the first design is in fact true. The concept of using minimal material in the 'bridge' design did not yield efficient results and in comparison, the final design contained 3000 square feet to the 2500 square feet in the original. The final design of the Eames House also used considerably less steel, and in that manner, proved to be much more efficient than the original, but lost much of its industrial styling in the process. However, what eventually arose was a more subtle, and site aware example of steel construction where Charles Eames adapted systems from steel commercial buildings into his own pragmatic view of residential design.
From The Details of Modern Architecture vol. 2
Steel Window Frames and Windows
The Eames House primarily used standard window sizes (i.e. 1 meter in width) and the house itself was primarily composed by bays. The house structure was made of 8 bays whereas the studio structure consisted of 5 bays; and in between them, the patio had a width of 4 bays.
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| View of the house, displaying the use of steel windows and frames |
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| Model of the Eames House interior displaying the use of awning windows http://chordcrazy.deviantart.com/art/Eames-House-Picture-2-165538425 |
Steel Roof Deck
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| http://www.cisco-eagle.com/storage/Mezzanines/Decking_Popups/roofDeckSample.jpg |
A steel roof deck is a cold-formed corrugated steel sheet with a ribbed profile supported by steel joists that is used to support the concrete or insulating membrane of a roof. However, steel roof decks do not provide the weatherproofing layer of the roof. Steel roof decks are strong, lightweight, economical and easy to install making it appropriated to fit in with the rest of the Eames House.
Steel Channels
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| http://i01.i.aliimg.com/photo/v0/107591055/Steel_channel.jpg |
Steel channels are strips of steel cut in 'C' section and often used to create waler systems for retaining walls. Channels are useful for forming building components that are not exposed to high loads.
Steel Angles
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| http://i01.i.aliimg.com/photo/v0/107590979/Steel_L_Angle.jpg |
Steel angles are pieces of steel that are rolled in bars of 'L' section to. They are commonly used in construction to provide support , protection, fixing, and to add additional strength to wall and ceiling framing.
Steel Columns
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| http://pics.towerhobbies.com/image/e/evgu0287.jpg |
Although the use of steel columns in the first design was not prevalent, the final iteration of the Eames House found itself relying on steel H columns for both its framing and interior structures. The final design of the Eames House used 18 columns in total.
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| The use of steel H column in the framing http://www.flickr.com/photos/bwucinich/3905131852/sizes/l/in/set-72157622198750251/ |
Steel Roof Joists
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| http://www.newmill.com/images/standard_steeljoist.gif |
Steel roof joists are light-weight trusses used to support the roof of a building. They consist, in the standard form, of parallel chords and a triangulated web system while existing in a variety of custom configurations. Additionally, the use of steel joists for roof construction can result in substantial economic savings, which in the case of the Eames, was an important aspect considering the emergence of the American middle class at the time.
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| The use of steel roof joists in the Eames House http://www.flickr.com/photos/bwucinich/3905133068/sizes/o/in/set-72157622198750251/ |
Eames House Wall Section (Structure)
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| Download link to original size PDF |
Materials used in interior wall section structure:
A. OT 125 roof joists 7' 4" oc. Since there is one joist per column, no edge beam is required.
B. Steel roof deck.
C. 3 x 3 x 1/4" edge angle for attachment of windows.
D. 12 C 10.2 channel transferring floor joist load to column.
E. Steel angles at floor to facilitate attachment of windows.
F. 4 x 4" x 10 lb. column.
G. Steel floor deck.
H. OT 141 floor joists 1' 10" oc. There are more joists at the floor than the roof because of their greater loads.
From The Details of Modern Architecture vol. 2
Eames House Wall Section (Finish)
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| Download link to original size PDF |
Materials used in interior wall section finish:
A. Built-up roof on 1 1/2" insulation.
B. Metal gravel stop.
C. Steel window with double-strength glass and opaque panels.
D. Steel window frame and opaque panel covering web of edge channel. This effectively hides the largest structural member on the exterior.
E. Plaster interior finish and ferroboard metal deck wall. This was changed to or covered with gypsum board or plaster in the finished building.
F. Steel window with obscure glass.
G. Gypsum wallboard ceiling covering floor joists.
H. 2 x 6 tongue and groove wood floor on metal deck.
From The Details of Modern Architecture vol. 2
Eames House Frame Construction
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| Download link to original size PDF |
Materials used in frame construction:
A. 3 x 3 x 1/4" continuous steel angle at top. This was a truss part in the initial design.
B. Bridging partially shown.
C. OT 125 roof joists 7' 4" oc (RJ-1).
D. 4 x 4" x 10 lb. column partially embedded in concrete wall.
E. OT 141 floor joists 1' 10" oc (FJ-1).
F. Concrete retaining wall.
G. Studio framing similar to that of the house.
H. Nonstructural 4 x 4" columns at ends. These do not support beams or joists, only windows.
I. Two-story 4 x 4" x 10 lb. column.
J. 12 C 10.2 channel at second floor to support floor joists. Similar members were used in the first design but were of different lengths and connections.
From The Details of Modern Architecture vol. 2
Saturday, 8 December 2012
Materials
The house is built entirely of industrial components such as steel, glass, asbestos, and cemesto board according to a modular system. To learn more about cemesto board and its importance during World War II visit this site: http://www.housing.com/categories/cemesto-board.html
Thursday, 6 December 2012
Off the shelf construction?
The Eames House, for one, prides itself on the basis that it was completely constructed from so called "off the shelf" parts that any individual could order from a catalog. However, as detailed in The Details of Modern Architecture vol.2, Edward R Ford states that this proclamation is indeed false. Only some of the components are available in predetermined sizes such as steel windows and bar joists and even then, sizing is limited. The rolled steel sections (i.e. wide flanges, channels, etc.) do come in standard cross-sectional shapes, but their lengths are not standardized and must be custom-made for each individual condition.
In fact, only the windows are joists were standardized components in the Eames house. The truss was custom-made, as were the columns, wide-flange beams, and other steel components had to be cut to specific lengths, punched with holes, and fitted with clips to make connections; and although appearing similar, no two were alike. The idea that the original Eames House came in a prefabricated building kit that was then disassembled and rebuilt as a new structure was and still continues to be a common misconception.
In fact, only the windows are joists were standardized components in the Eames house. The truss was custom-made, as were the columns, wide-flange beams, and other steel components had to be cut to specific lengths, punched with holes, and fitted with clips to make connections; and although appearing similar, no two were alike. The idea that the original Eames House came in a prefabricated building kit that was then disassembled and rebuilt as a new structure was and still continues to be a common misconception.
Constructing a house from the parts of another?
As described in Edward R Ford's The Details of Modern Architecture vol. 2, the second design of the Eames House was not actually entirely built out of the same materials (plus one additional beam) from their first design.
From The Details of Modern Architecture vol. 2:
Initial Design
Framing.
A. Trusscon OT 125 steel bar joist (RJ-1) supporting rood with metal deck above.
B. 12 WF 27 steel beam (RB-1) and 12 I 16.5 steel beam (RB-2) at edge supporting joists.
C. 12 C 10.6 edge channel (RJ-2).
D. Trusscon OT 141W steel bar joist (FJ-1). The joists span the long dimension of the box so that they can be lowered where the deck occurs. The floor joists are more closely spaced than the rood joists because of their greater load.
E. 14 WF 43 steel beam (FB-1).
F. 12 C 10.6 edge channel (FB-2).
G. 2 steel columns.
H. Story-high truss from steel angles.
I. 8 x 4" I section at studio. Although the framing of the studio is similar in the final design, it is much lighter.
J. Studio floor framing of 6 x 4" I section with Ferroboard metal deck.
K. Retaining wall.
Second Design
Framing.
A. OT 125 roof joists 7' 4" oc (RJ-1). Numbers in parentheses refer to elements from the initial design.
B. 4 x 4" x 10 lb. column partially embedded in concrete wall.
C. OT 141 floor joists 1' 10" oc (FJ-1).
D. Two-story 4 x 4" x 10 lb. column. Although columns occur in the first design, there are only two, whereas the second uses 18.
E. 12 C 10.2 channel at second floor to support floor joists. Although a similar member is used in the first design, it was of a different length and with different connections.
F. Concrete retaining wall.
G. Studio framing similar to house.
H. 3 x 3 x 1/4" continuous steel angle at top. This was a truss part in the initial design.
I. Nonstructural 4 x 4" columns at ends. These do not support beams or joists, only windows.
As shown by the above details, the oft-repeated story from Esther McCoy of how Charles Eames completely redesigned Case Study #8 and used the same materials (with one additional beam) is in fact an over-exaggeration. If the working drawings of both houses are compared, it reveals that although there are clear correspondences between many of the old and new components, many new components were required, such as 38 4-inch H columns and base plates. Similarly, the 12-inch-deep edge channels at the floor although of the same cross section as used in the first design, are of different lengths and have different openings.
From The Details of Modern Architecture vol. 2:
Initial Design
Framing.
A. Trusscon OT 125 steel bar joist (RJ-1) supporting rood with metal deck above.
B. 12 WF 27 steel beam (RB-1) and 12 I 16.5 steel beam (RB-2) at edge supporting joists.
C. 12 C 10.6 edge channel (RJ-2).
D. Trusscon OT 141W steel bar joist (FJ-1). The joists span the long dimension of the box so that they can be lowered where the deck occurs. The floor joists are more closely spaced than the rood joists because of their greater load.
E. 14 WF 43 steel beam (FB-1).
F. 12 C 10.6 edge channel (FB-2).
G. 2 steel columns.
H. Story-high truss from steel angles.
I. 8 x 4" I section at studio. Although the framing of the studio is similar in the final design, it is much lighter.
J. Studio floor framing of 6 x 4" I section with Ferroboard metal deck.
K. Retaining wall.
Second Design
Framing.
A. OT 125 roof joists 7' 4" oc (RJ-1). Numbers in parentheses refer to elements from the initial design.
B. 4 x 4" x 10 lb. column partially embedded in concrete wall.
C. OT 141 floor joists 1' 10" oc (FJ-1).
D. Two-story 4 x 4" x 10 lb. column. Although columns occur in the first design, there are only two, whereas the second uses 18.
E. 12 C 10.2 channel at second floor to support floor joists. Although a similar member is used in the first design, it was of a different length and with different connections.
F. Concrete retaining wall.
G. Studio framing similar to house.
H. 3 x 3 x 1/4" continuous steel angle at top. This was a truss part in the initial design.
I. Nonstructural 4 x 4" columns at ends. These do not support beams or joists, only windows.
As shown by the above details, the oft-repeated story from Esther McCoy of how Charles Eames completely redesigned Case Study #8 and used the same materials (with one additional beam) is in fact an over-exaggeration. If the working drawings of both houses are compared, it reveals that although there are clear correspondences between many of the old and new components, many new components were required, such as 38 4-inch H columns and base plates. Similarly, the 12-inch-deep edge channels at the floor although of the same cross section as used in the first design, are of different lengths and have different openings.
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