STRUCTURE
The project consists of two buildings - one on the pier and one in the sea.
The main issues with constructing the building in the water concern the necessity for a caisson type construction, and the need for robust materials both for the structure and the cladding. The gallery building has no openings at the lower levels, apart from the access to the pier, so a continuous weathertight membrane can be developed, with a rainscreen on the outside. The building position chosen is such that the wave energy is comparatively low. Both buildings will be constructed using materials that are resistant to attack by wind, water and salt. Cladding will be attached using stainless steel fixings, and all steelwork will need to be galvanised and protected with marine quality paints.
The building on the pier is designed using traditional steelwork con- struction, with the floors and roof constructed using metal decking with a concrete topping. Lateral stability is provided by cross-braced panels. Detailed information of the pier construction will be required to design the foundations, but since other small buildings have been built on the pier it is assumed that this will be possible, using either pad footings anchored into the pier, or, if necessary, small diameter piles that can be augured down to the bedrock level. The building in the sea is positioned such that the adjacent beach is often exposed. It will be constructed using sheet piles that will be driven down into the bedrock to form a caisson. Using sand bags to provide temporary sealing against the water, the caisson will be filled with mass concrete up to the lowest level of accommodation, leaving voids for water tanks for cooling.This will form a plinth at the main pier level, which can be used as a working platform for the structure above. The superstructure of the Gallery Building is constructed using rein- forced concrete walls and slabs. Concrete has been chosen because of its high thermal mass, and because it can be formed into desired shape for the building. Up until the level of the top gallery, the cross walls carry large horizontal forces from both the waves and the wind. Above this level, only the wind loads will be significant.They are resisted by ribs set into the perimeter walls that act as arches.As the slab spans are less than or equal to 9m, flat reinforced concrete slabs are used.
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ON SITE review 6: BEAUTY
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