PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Fornale Engineering carried out the structural design of a prefabricated wood and straw house.
The building has a distinctive “C”-shaped floor plan and covers approximately 300 sq m.
It is a single-story, single-pitch building with the roof slopes facing the internal courtyard where a swimming pool is planned.
STRUCTURAL CONCEPT
When we were commissioned to design the structures for this building, we immediately took into consideration two factors characterizing the project:
Ease of access to the site;
The relative architectural simplicity and regularity of the building.
We decided from the outset to pursue a design approach that made extensive use of off-site prefabrication and modularity.
The structural design of the structural modules is optimized based on:
- Building geometry;
- Dimensions of CE-certified straw bales;
- Maximum transport dimensions agreed upon with the contractor;
- Maximum crane tip load during installation.
FOUNDATION STRUCTURES
The foundation structures consist of a reinforced concrete slab, and the “warm” slab is laid on a bed of cellular glass gravel.
The reinforced concrete risers required for installing the wall modules are insulated both internally and externally.
DESIGN OF PREFABRICATED WOOD-STRAW MODULES
We designed 38 prefabricated wall modules with maximum dimensions of 630×220 cm and 22 roof deck cassettes measuring 620×290 cm.
The modules consist of a frame made of glulam timber profiles with a 19 mm SWP bracing panel on one side and a non-structural crossed boarding on the other.
The space between the studs is filled with straw bales.
OFF-SITE PRODUCTION OF WOOD AND STRAW MODULES
All modules and timber elements were produced at Carpenteria Ferrari srl.
The load-bearing frame structures were assembled, filled with CE-certified straw bales, and then the cassettes were closed.
Assembly took over a month, during which numerous inspections and verifications were carried out by the designers and construction managers Arch. Nicola Preti and Arch. Linda Cumerlati.
OPTIMIZED CONSTRUCTION SITE MANAGEMENT
Once the foundation works were completed and waterproofing was finished, the structure assembly phase began.
The installation and assembly speed was much greater than expected, and it was possible to install the entire building structure (300 sq m), including the roof deck, in just 5 days.
The months spent optimizing the overall structure and for workshop production amply exceeded our expectations and those of the client.
PARTIES INVOLVED
Architectural design: Arch. Nicola Preti – Arch. Linda Cumerlati of Edifici in Paglia Italia
MEP design: Eng. Gunther Gantioler – TBZ Bozen
Structural design: Fornale Engineering srl
Contractor: Carpenteria Ferrari snc
If you are interested in discovering more of our wood and straw projects, you can view:
