REDBOX
WS/SS 23/24 / PROF. ACHIM PFEIFFER, JÖRG PROBST, VOLKER HUCKEMANN, MICHAEL MAAS
TASK
Development of a seminar building including an auditorium, apartments for teachers, and a café.
PERSONAL GOAL
How can a more sustainable construction with precast concrete elements be achieved?
RESULT
An economical, ecological, and recyclable building with innovative approaches.
REDBOX represents the culminating part of the construction-focused education at Bochum University of Applied Sciences. It encapsulates the skills learned in previous semesters in areas such as building physics, structural design, technical building equipment, conceptual design, and construction engineering into a single project, thereby deepening understanding. This project's holistic approach in design and permit-ready planning makes it a unique addition to this portfolio.
The project began with initial design concepts and was progressively developed with input from various disciplines, choosing to specialize in the area of Technical Building Equipment under the theme "The Urban Power Plant."
As part of this specialization, additional considerations were made in the areas of ESGs, EU Taxonomy, economic and ecological costs, and their amortization. This involved various analyses like CREEM, Life Cycle Assessment, etc.
At the project's conclusion stands a building that meets decarbonization goals, is economically and ecologically efficient, energetically self-sufficient, and serves as a meaningful extension to the urban space.
CONSTRUCTION CONCEPT
Precast concrete construction that can be rebuilt elsewhere.
DESIGN
CONCEPT
Expression of the modular approach coupled with an exaggeration of the themes of HS BOCHUM.
SUSTAINBILITY
CONCEPT
Development of the concept of the Urban Power Plant coupled with various CO2 savings.
IMPLEMENTATION
A building made of recyclable concrete components, widespread use of solar and geothermal energy, and energy-efficient building technology.
THE DESIGN
The basic idea of the design is to achieve a harmonious integration into the surrounding environment. To this end, on the one hand, the roofscape of HS Bochum is taken as a reference, and by orienting and shaping the building, a clear street guidance with a distinct line of sight is created.
Another effect of this approach is the spatial framing of the Bluebox between the REDBOX and the new seminar building of the university for the departments of architecture and civil engineering.
THE CONSTRUCTION
FLOORPLANS & ELEVATIONS
GF
On the ground floor of our project, various uses are planned, primarily targeting the general public. Here, we find the REDCafé, which will contribute to enlivening the space in front of the BlueBox and bringing more activity into and around the building. This café will not only be a place of relaxation but also a social meeting point for the community.
Additionally, the new kindergarten will be located on the ground floor, positioned protectedly in the middle of the building, even though it will be significantly smaller. This placement allows children to safely access the outdoor space and explore the world around them from there.
Another highlight on the ground floor is the forum, situated at the opposite end of the building, which can be used for larger events. The form and height of the forum create an interesting and representative space that can serve diverse purposes, thus enriching the entire community. This flexible spatial concept will enable organizing events and activities of various kinds and sizes, ensuring a versatile use of the building.
1F
On the first floor, we begin with the arrangement of the first seminar room clusters, which will continue in a similar form on the upper floors as well. Our approach is to enable flexible use of these different clusters and promote communal utilization rather than prioritizing separate use, although this could be achieved through the use of partition walls. Each seminar room will have a small storage area where chairs, tables, and materials can be stored and quickly set up when needed.
This pragmatic solution aims to facilitate efficient use of the spaces and make the room adaptable for various purposes. Additionally, we have placed a flexible workspace in the center of this floor. This area is designed to allow a wide range of activities, from quiet work to larger workshops. Thus, we create a space that fosters creative collaboration and meets the users' needs, regardless of the type of activity.
2F
On the second floor, we introduce private accommodation units for the teaching staff for the first time. Here, we offer three apartments, with one of these apartments being slightly larger. A standout feature is that all three apartments have access to the first of two rooftop terraces. To separate the private areas from the public uses, we have introduced an airlock system, similar to a front yard in a house, which provides an additional level of privacy.
Furthermore, on the second floor, there is a smaller library located in the center of the building. This library serves not only as a resource for the building's users but also helps to minimize noise disturbance in the private areas. Additionally, the library features a tea kitchen, providing an alternative to the REDCafé not only for staff but also for the building's students.
The second floor is completed by the third seminar room cluster, which creates a variety of teaching and learning opportunities within the building and supports the interactive use of the space.
On the third floor, we offer three more apartments, identical in design to the apartments on the second floor. The difference lies in these apartments having slightly smaller rooftop terraces. Additionally, on this floor, we find another open workspace designed as a flexible area. This space allows for adaptation to various usage scenarios and supports collaborative work.
Furthermore, the administrative offices are located on this floor. These offices are also designed to be flexible and can be reconfigured as needed. This allows for efficient resource utilization and adaptation to future requirements and changes in the building's operation.
3F
SECTIONS
DETAILS
ECOGO
The sectional views provide a clear insight into the modular construction of the entire building. Here, the structure and organization of the building become evident. At the same time, the standardization of different types of spaces is emphasized, indicating efficiency and usability.
Despite this standardization, the floor plans demonstrate how new and interesting spatial configurations can be created within the building time and time again. The flexibility and versatility of the spaces are evident, allowing for meeting the users' needs and creating an engaging spatial environment.
DETAILS
As part of the detailed development, various ideas and concepts were further refined. The primary focus was on shaping the facade using the SKALA system, which involves colored and coated solar panels integrated into a ventilated facade.
In designing the ventilated facade, it was important not to rely on a typical aluminum system due to the high thermal conductivity of the material and the size of the thermal bridges created by the system. Therefore, a system utilizing a steel rod substructure was chosen instead.
In addition to this feature and the numerous details arising from the question of facade construction, the drawings also reveal initial measures taken to save concrete. This involved a deeper examination of reinforcement methods for various structural elements and determining where it would be possible to save concrete by keeping the formwork clear of these areas.
For further information, please refer to the structural investigation section.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
For the preliminary design of the structure, the planning guidelines of the FDB were consulted. The challenge in the structural engineering field primarily lay in developing a system that promotes the formation of standard components and keeps various special components to a minimum. This is because the building is a precast concrete structure intended to be adapted, downsized, expanded, or reused elsewhere throughout its lifespan, according to changing needs.
Another aspect considered in structural planning was the focus on material conservation. This was particularly important given the use of concrete to ensure the overall environmental footprint of the building is sustainable. As a result, optimized cross-sections were developed for components such as slabs, parapets, and beams. Components like columns could not be efficiently designed with hollow spaces due to high compression loads.
BUILDING PHYSICS
The consideration of building physics formed the basis for planning the technical building services and implementing the concept of the urban power plant.
Here, sound insulation was examined, as well as summer heat protection, which necessitated mechanical ventilation solutions. It turned out from the examination of summer heat protection that such technical solutions would not be necessary.
TECHNICAL BUILDING SERVICES AND THE URBAN POWER PLANT
The planning of the entire REDBox is primarily oriented towards the concepts and investigations conducted within the scope of the specialization in technical building services and the idea of the "Urban Power Plant."
The focus here is on maximizing gains through solar and geothermal energy, minimizing losses, and adopting a heat bridge-free construction approach, with high U-values, excellent glazing, etc.
LOAD CALCULATION
At the outset of determining the necessary building technology, the calculation of loads, namely the cooling and heating loads, in the various relevant spaces was conducted.
During this process, the rooms were optimized to minimize these loads as much as possible and to balance them. This optimization plays a significant role in determining the necessity and extent of technical ventilation, heating, and cooling systems, which have a significant impact on the sustainability of the building.
DETERMINATION OF GAINS AND REQUIREMENTS
Through the load calculation, the corresponding needs were determined.
Additionally, the next step involved investigating the energetic coverage of these needs through the use of solar and geothermal sources.
DETERMINATION OF ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC COSTS AND THEIR AMORTIZATION
Another step was to determine the costs of the REDBox. Firstly, the ecological costs were calculated as part of a life cycle assessment covering the entire building. Additionally, the amortization of these costs was assessed through the CO2 savings achieved by the energy self-sufficiency provided by solar and geothermal sources. The REDBox is within the CREEM "timeline" in this regard.
FUNDING, ESG, AND EU TAXONOMY
An additional aspect was the consideration of potential funding opportunities that the REDBox could leverage.
Furthermore, it was assessed to what extent investments in such a project could be regarded as sustainable. This was done through a condensed evaluation based on ESG guidelines and EU Taxonomy regulations.
THINKING CIRCULAR
Since the REDBox is composed of various materials and systems, not all directly related to architecture, an examination of some of these systems and materials was conducted to assess their potential for recycling.
RESULT
ERGEBNIS
