Precast Concrete Enclosures

3 units

In contemporary construction practice, building enclosures are sophisticated assemblies conceived through complex processes that merge design, science, technology and craft. The outermost layer of the exterior wall is the most exposed to natural forces and therefore it needs careful attention as it must work effectively over the lifetime of the building. The primary goal of this fabrication seminar is the construction of full-scale mockup pieces that function as part of real building envelopes; this is an opportunity for hands-on experience. Students will design, develop and build enclosures out of different types of precast high-performance concrete assemblies as critical components of building envelopes. The course will be developed in partnership with Gate Precast, a leader company in the precast concrete industry. Supported by a grant from the PCI Foundation, students will have a budget of $12,500 to design and prototype precast mockups of building envelopes. Students will start by conducting research and analyzing historic and contemporary buildings, focusing on their skin properties and configurations. Then, they will proceed to identify specific environmental condition(s) and develop an enclosure as a response to such condition(s), advancing the design through detail drawings and study models, culminating in a full-scale mockup mold. Construction of the molds will be done at Washington University's facilities combining digital and analog methods of fabrication, including CNC milling, laser cutters, 3D printers, and vacuum-formed plastic, among other methods; a fully equipped wood shop is also available. Once the molds are finalized, they will be transported to Gate's architectural plant in Ashland City, TN, for reinforcing and concrete casting; this project will culminate in the demolding of full-scale precast mockup pieces. Students will tour the facility and participate in the entire fabrication process, including mold preparation, reinforcing, casting, demolding, handling and finishing of the final panels.