Constructing   Environment  

Week   9   studio   journal  

Jianpeng   Deng,   657598  

This  week,  the  videos  on  E-­‐learning  are  giving  the  concepts  of  “heat  and  

moisture”  and  “plastics,  rubber  &  paint”.  The  first  video  tells  the  strategies  of  

preventing  houses  from  heat  and  moisture;  in  terms  of  moisture,  the  three  

strategies  are  ‘to  remove  openings’,  ‘to  keep  water  away  from  openings’  and  ‘to  

neutralize  forces  that  move  water  through  openings’.  Here,  openings  do  not  refer  

to  doors  and  windows,  but  those  like  gaps,  window  or  wall  edges,  holes  and  

cracks  through  the  buildings  etc.  Sealants  are  an  example  of  ‘removing  openings’,  

as  it  is  made  of  silicone  normally  used  to  fill  the  unnecessary  gaps,  therefore,  

openings  are  then  removed.  Drips  are  an  example  of  ‘keeping  water  away  from  

openings’,  it  works  as  the  water  goes  to  the  tip  and  drop  down  instead  of  getting  

into  the  inner  space  of  the  building.  Pressure  equalization  chamber  is  an  example  

of  the  last  strategy,  as  it  fill  up  the  inside  gap  of  capillary  breaks  so  that  the  

pressure  inside  the  capillary  breaks  is  same  as  the  pressure  outside  the  house,  

therefore,  water  will  never  get  into  the  break  as  well  as  the  house  itself.  On  the  

other  hand,  in  order  to  control  heat,  heat  conduction,  heat  radiation  and  thermal  

heat  are  important  to  know.  Thermal  break,  it  is  low  conductive  and  is  placed  

between  two  conductive  materials  to  limit  heat  flow,  therefore,  the  temperature  

outside  the  house  does  not  affect  much  the  temperature  inside.  Shade  is  needed  

to  block  the  sunlight,  so  that  the  temperature  inside  houses  would  not  get  high  as  

the  radiation  brings  heat  along.  Ventilation  is  a  good  example  of  thermal  mass,  

openings  are  needed  for  the  air  to  flow  in  and  out,  if  not,  air  would  contain  in  the  

house  and  could  not  bring  the  heat  to  the  outside,  the  inside  temperature  then  

increases.    

Moreover,  the  other  video  briefly  talks  about  the  three  common  materials  –  

plastics,  rubber  and  paint.  Rubber  is  excellent  in  elasticity  that  it  is  easy  to  bend  

rather  than  stiff  or  brittle,  also,  rubber  is  a  soft  material  that  is  used  in  flooring  

does  reduce  friction.  Plastic  has  two  types  that  are  thermoplastics  and  

thermosetting  plastic;  the  former  one  could  be  moulded  and  soften  anytime  

when  heated,  whereas  the  latter  one  could  only  be  moulded  at  the  first  time  

when  heated,  and  after  that,  it  would  only  be  soften  but  not  moulded  when  

reheated.  We  are  also  introduced  the  two  types  of  paints,  one  is  oil-­‐based  and  the  

other  is  water-­‐based,  the  oil-­‐based  paint  is  used  prior  to  plastic  paint  and  has  

good  high  gloss,  whereas  the  water-­‐based  one  is  said  to  be  durable  and  flexible  

and  better  than  the  oil-­‐based  paint.  Here  it  shows  the  summary  of  this  week’s  

topic.    

                                                    Picture     1  

 

The  first  activity  for  this  week  is  to  visit  the  work  which  is  a  wooden  structure,  is  

produced  by  the  workshop  student.  The  photos  of  it  are  shown  below.  

 

 

Image  1   Image  2   Image  3  

There  are  several  different   types  of   timbers  used   in   the  structure;   the  columns  

which  are  the  main  support  of  the  structure,  are  of  hard  wood  timbers;  the  ridge  

roof   are   of   laminated   timbers   and   the   wooden   frame   form   openings   are   of  

measured  pines.  We  are  also  told  that  bolts,  screws  and  nails  are  used  to  joint  the  

timbers  together,  for  example,  bolts  are  clearly  seen  in  Image  2  that  jointing  the  

columns   to   the   ridge   roof.   Moreover,   the   four   thin   boards   at   the   floor   of   the  

structure   are   said   to   be   just   for   aesthetic   purpose;   and   there   are   double   span  

rafters  seen  on  the  roof.  

 

The  other  activity   for   this  week   is   to   sketch   the  assigned  drawing  on  a   tracing  

paper,  and  make  it  like  a  3D  drawing  with  site  visit  experience  and  imagination.  

The   following   sketch   is   to   the   scale   of   1:5   with   20-­‐degree   slope   to   become  

3D-­‐like.  

In   Sketch  1,   “1”   represents   the  

spandrel   and   it   is   not  

transparent   but   white   color,  

therefore,   everything   behind   it  

is  not  seen  from  the  outside.  

“2”   represents   the   aluminum  

window  frame,  that  it  does  not  

only   hold   the   spandrel   but  

transparent  glasses.  

“3”   represents   the   vinyl   floor  

finish,   to   my   observation,   it   is  

rubber  and  it  is  white  color.  

“4”   represents   the   concrete  

floor  slab,  it  is  a  very  important  structure  that  support  the  storey.  

“5”  consists  of  strings  and  clips   that  are  commonly  seen   in  many  buildings,   the  

purpose  is  of  the  connection  of  a  floor  and  a  ceiling.  

“6”  represents  the  plastic  board  ceiling,  the  picture  of  which  will  be  shown  in  the  

following  pages.  

“7”  is  the  shadow  line  that  is  placed  between  the  ceiling  and  the  window  frame.  

Sketch  1  

1  

2  

2  

3  

4  

5  

6  

7  

Sketch   2   is   the   sketching   shown  

in  the  MSLE  building  plan.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The   picture   on   the   right   shows   the   location   of   my  

assigned   section,   it   clearly   shows   the  white   spandrel  

in  the  blue  line  area,  indicates  that  the  inner  structure  

is   blocked   to   be   seen   through,   to   achieve   aesthetic  

purpose.  

 

The  picture  below   shows   the  plastic   board   ceiling   as  

well  as  the  aluminum  window  frame.  

 

 

Sketch  2  

Picture     2  

Picture     3