AN INDUSTRIALIZED HOUSING SYSTEM
By:
Shyng Miin Chen
Master of Science in Architecture, Cheng Kung University, Taiwan (1973)
Bachelor of Science in Architecture , Cheng Kung Univ., Taiwan (1970)
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the
Degree of MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE, ADVANCED STUDIES
At the
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
May 9, 1975
Author. .............
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Department of rchikecture
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Accepted by...
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*OS. INST. WZ4
JUN 12 1975
81R AR1 IE
May 9, 1975
Dean William Porter
School of Architecture and Planning
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Dear Dean Porter:
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of
Architecture, Advanced Studies, I hereby submit this thesis entitled:
An Industrialized Housing System
Respectfully,
Shyng Miin Chen
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author gratefully acknowledges the following people who assisted
in the development of this thesis:
Eduardo Catalano, Thesis Advisor
Professor of Architecture
Department of Architecture, MIT
Waclaw P. Zalewski
Professor of Structures
Department of Architecture,
MIT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page
Letter of Submittal
Acknowledgements
Table of Contents
Abstract
Objectives
Basic Constraints
Description of the System
TYPICAL MODULAR UNIT
DWELLING UNIT PLANS
ELEVATION, SECTION AND FLOOR PLANS
CONSTRUCTION DETAILS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
03
ABSTRACT
AN INDUSTRIALIZED HOUSING SYSTEM
By: Shyng Miin Chen
Submitted to the Department of Architecture on May 9, 1975, in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Architecture,
Advanced Studies.
The intention of this thesis is to develop a modular housing system employing steel as structural materials. The modules in various lengths
are produced in the factory with the capability of being assembled into
different configurations to provide greater flexibility of space planning
for low-cost housing.
The design proposal demonstrates how the system works, suggest some
dwelling unit plans and building types which are applicable to this
system, and also illustrates some technical details which make this
system possible.
04
OBJECTIVES:
To develop a modular system to produce low-cost housing which has
the following capabilities:
1) To provide a wide range of dwelling units that accommodate different life styles of, and that are affordable by low income and medium income people.
2) To provide housing for urban and suburban situations.
3) To provide housing for medium-rise (up to 9 stories) and low-rise
configurations.
4) To provide greater flexibility of physical integration with the
existing city fabric.
BASIC CONSTRAINTS:
1) Maximum unit size under existing highway regulations and street
conditions:
13'-0" maximum shipping width.
05
13'-6" maximum shipping height from ground.
60'-0" maximum shipping length.
2) Code Requirements:
All modules and buildings were designed to comply with the requirements of the BOCA Basic Building Code. The following fire resistance
ratings specified in this code were assumed to be met in all boxes
which were designed as Noncombustible Construction Type 2B:
Exterior Walls
3/4 hr.
Exitway Access Hallways & Walls between Apartments
3/4 hr.
Other Non-bearing Partitions
Non-combustible
Floor-ceiling Assembly including beams
3/4 hr.
Roof Construction including beams
3/4 hr.
Columns
3/4 hr.
The areas and heights of all buildings between exterior walls or
between exterior walls and fire walls are also governed by the code. For
Type
2B residential buildings, the maximum building height is generally
restricted to 4 stories. But when such buildings are separated not less
than 50 feet from any other building
on the lot and from interior
lot lines, and the first floor is not less than one and one half hours
fireresistive construction,
the total building height may be increased
to nine stories or one hundred feet in height. In such cases, the floor
area shall be reduced depending on the number of stories as specified
below:
No. of Stories
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
Limits of Floor Areas
4,500 SF
6,000 SF
7,500-SF
9,000 SF
10,500 SF
12,000 SF
12,000 SF
15,000 SF
15,000 SF
DESCRIPTION OF THE SYSTEM:
Basic Modular Units:
The basic elements of this system are those modular units of three
dimensions which are to be assembled in the factory and then be shipped
to the site for erection. They are in the same width and height but
allow various lengths to provide greater flexibility for space planning.
The box is typically formed by a ceiling panel, a floor panel and several
columns for structural purposes and shall be properly protected and temporily braced during transport. Dwelling units are made up by one or
more modules in various ways, while boxes are connected parallel or
perpendicular to each other.
Building Types:
Different building types including towers,
slab-types, walk-up buildings
and row houses are applicable to this system, if they are not higher than
9 stories and their floor areas are within the limits of the code requirements.
Erection:
The modules are assembled one by one lifted by readily-available cranes
and welded to the tubings which are positioned just before boxes are
placed ( refer to the diagram of construction sequence). Tubings varying
in gauge for different location are fabricated in two-story lengths,
except those stacked on the first floor and on the top floor. The
joints between any two tubings always occur 3' above the roof level of
the lower box so as not to complicate the connections between tubings
and modules (see detail drawings). Bracing can be done between tubings
when necessary.
Mechanical System:
A hot water radiation system is provided for low-income housing. For
medium-income groups, a fan-coil system is recommended. Final utility
connections are made either before assembling the adjacent box or by
removing the removable wall panel.
09
TYPICAL MODULAR UNIT
10
COMPLETED MODULAR UNIT
0
x
4
t-
FLOOR FRAMING
3/16"= I'-O"
CEILING FRAMING
13
I
I
rj'A
.TVI
@1m
--
i
@1
14
EIGHT BOX TYPES
FOR MULTI-STORY BUILDINGS
IN VARIOUS LENGTH AND WITH DIFFERENT COLUMN SECTIONS
3/32"= 1'-"
1~L
SIX BOX TYPES
FOR ROW-HOUSE-TYPE APARTMENTS
3/32"=1-O"
15
DWELLING UNIT PLANS
1/81=1'-o*"
16
TYPE Ea
APARTMENT PLANS
TYPE Eb
TYPE Ec
EFFICIENCY UNITS
17
TYPE Ed
TYPE Aa
APARTMENT PLANS
1-BR UNIT & EFFICIENCY
18
-r
TYPE Ab
APARTMENT PLANS
TYPE Ac
1-BR UNITS
19
(MiL
0
(
000
TYPE Ae
TYPE Ad
APT PLANS
1-BR UNITS
20
TYPE Ba
2-BR UNITS
TYPE Bb
21
TYPE Ca
3-BR UNIT
22
0
ClD
GlD
GD
/I
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-
Do
1111Ki
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TYPE Cb
3-BR UNIT
23
TYPE Cc
3-BR UNIT
TYPE Da
4-BR UNIT
25
TYPE Ag
TYPE Af
ROW HOUSES
1-BR UNITS
26
TYPE Bc LOWER LEVEL
2-BR UNIT
TYPE Bc UPPER LEVEL
GD
0
00
00
00
[L]
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()
TYPET
2-BR UNIT
28
TYPE Cd LOWER LEVEL
UPPER LEVEL
3-BR UNIT
29
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30
ETION
&FLOOR PLANS
1/25=1'-O'
31
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CORE PLANS
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TOWERS
FOR
1/8% 1'-O"
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CORE PLANS
OR TrOWERS
______________
1/8'v 1'-0"
33
TOWERS
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TOWERS
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TOWERS
40
SLAB TYPE
41
IAC
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Ac
Ac
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Ea Ea Ea Ea EA
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SLAB TYPE
42
SLAB TYPE
44
WALK-UP
45
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WALK- UP
46
47
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WALK-UP
48
WALK-UP
49
GENERAL ELEVATION
50
GENERAL SECTION
51
ROW HOUSES CLUSTERED IN VARIOUS WAYS
52
CONSTRUCTION DETAILS
53
C
I
CIRCLED LETTERS INDICATE BOX TYPES
CONBINATION OF BOXES
PLANS OF COLUMNS
1"=1'o-
DETAIL AT JUNCTION OF
FOUR MODULAR UNITS
55
-
-
b
-
-
19-2
9-STORY
8 ST
7 ST
6 ST
5 ST
4 ST
STACKING DIAGRAM OF TUBINGSNOT
1-l_6'-30
-
Ii
3 ST
TO SCALE
TUBING TYPES
DrIh~IF~
X61
IN
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a
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SCHEME A
CONSTRUCTION SEQUENCE
SCHEME B
n
rr
ROOFING
TUBING
CARPET
UNDERLAYMENT
3 / 4" PLYWOOD
8[11.5
-
__
____
-
10C15.3
6E13.0
INSULATING BLANKET
1/2" GYPSUM PANEL
SECTION OF WALL AT COLUMNS
3/4"=1'-O"
58
BUILT-UP ROOFING
VAPOR SEAL
3/4! PLYWOOD
METAL RUNNER
METAL STUD
INSULATING BLANKET
__STEEL ANGLE
STEEL CHANNEL
-TUBING
-FURRING CHANNEL
SECTION OF WALL
4-o
34"
59
WALL BEYOND
FILL-IN PANEL
CARPET
UNDERLAYMENT
PLYWOOD SUBFLOOR
WOOD STRIP
-_
-----
_METAL STUD
METAL TRACK
-- -
-GYPSUM
-
SECTION& PLAN AT OPENING
-
-
PANEL
CAUCK
WOOD
BETWEEN TWO MODULAR UNITS
60
COVER PLATE
GRAVEL STOP
BUILT-UP ROOFING
HEAD
SILL
INSULATION
ALUMINUM SKIN
DISCHARGE GRILLE
FOR AIR INTAKE
VATER SUPPLY PIPE
RETURN PIPE
----
GASKET
FOUNDATION WALL
3/4
*=
.o- Q
SECTION AT FACADE
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Carreio, Joseph, The New Building Block, Research Report No. 8,
Center for Housing and Environmental Studies, Ithaca: Cornell
University, 1968.
2. Hersey, Anthony and Litle, William A., Industrialized Housing
Feasibility Study, Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1971.
3.
MIT 1971 Department of Architecture Master's Class, Housing
Systems: Seven Studies of Factory Produced Steel and Concrete
Modular Units.
4. U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, In-Cities
Experimental Housing Research and Development Project: Phase I
Composite Report, Vol. III-Technology, Washington, D.C.: U. S.
Department of Commerce, 1969.
5. Dietz, Albert G.H. ed., Industrialized Building Systems for Housing,
Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1971.
6.
U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Housing Systems
Proposals for Operation Breakthrough, Washington, D.C.: U. S. Govt.
Printing Office, 1970.