Abstract
An architectural structure in accordance with the invention comprises at least one substantially planar component in the form of a wall (9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16), floor or ceiling, the at least one planar component comprising a plurality of identically sized right angled panels A each having the form of a 30°-60°-90° right angled triangles and a plurality of identically sized isosceles panels B each having the form of a 30°-120°-30° isosceles triangle. The invention may provide a building (11) which is constructed from a relatively small selection of prefabricated components, but which provides an architect with a relatively large degree of flexibility in the design of the structure. The invention may also permit a building (11) to be assembled without a binder or other fastenings between the majority of the components and therefore assist in the efficient deconstruction of the building, either at the end of its life or if the building is to be modified or rebuilt.
Claims
1. An architectural structure comprising at least one planar component in a form of a wall, floor, or ceiling, the at least one planar component comprising (i) a plurality of identically sized isosceles panels each having a form of a 30°-120°-30° isosceles triangle and (ii) a plurality of identically sized right angled panels each having a form of a 30°-60°-90° right angled triangle, wherein the at least one planar component further comprises connecting members, separate to the isosceles panels and right angled panels, located between adjacent panels of (i) the plurality of isosceles panels and (ii) the plurality of right angled panels, to hold the panels in position without requiring a bonding agent between adjacent panels, and wherein at least one right angled panel forms a part of the planar component and is surrounded on each side thereof by other panels of (i) the plurality of isosceles panels additionally forming said planar component and/or (ii) the plurality of right angled panels additionally forming said planar component.
2. The architectural structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein, with the exception of a peripheral edge portion, an entirety of the planar component comprises and is substantially filled by non-overlapping panels of (i) the plurality of isosceles panels and (ii) the plurality of right angled panels.
3. The architectural structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each right angled panel of the plurality of right angled panels has a long side with a length that is approximately 1.2 times a length of a long side of each isosceles panel of the plurality of isosceles panels.
4. The architectural structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each connecting member comprises a planar front portion, a planar rear portion, and an orthogonal portion extending between the planar front and planar rear portions to define a channel for receiving an edge of a panel of the plurality of isosceles panels or the plurality of right angled panels, wherein a width of the channel is substantially equal to a thickness of the panel.
5. The architectural structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein for each connecting member, at least one of the planar front and planar rear portions extend sufficiently to cover any gaps between adjacent panels of the plurality of isosceles panels and/or the plurality of right angled panels.
6. The architectural structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein for each connecting member, the planar front and planar rear portions are registered with each other, and wherein each connecting member defines two back-to-back channels for receiving respective edges of adjacent panels of the plurality of isosceles panels and/or the plurality of right angled panels.
7. The architectural structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein for each connecting member, farthest apart tips of the planar front and planar rear portions subtend an angle of 30°.
8. The architectural structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting members comprise three types of connecting member which are essentially identical in shape but are of three different sizes, with each connecting member having a maximum length dimension slightly greater than a length dimension of an edge of an isosceles panel or a right angled panel to which the connecting member is adjacent in the planar component.
9. The architectural structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting members consist of a single type of connecting member, of which appropriate multiples may be placed end-to-end so that the combined lengths of different multiples are each slightly greater than a length of an edge of an isosceles panel or a right angled panel to which each multiple is positioned adjacent in the planar component.
10. The architectural structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each connecting member is homogenous and is formed by casting or molding.
11. The architectural structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each connecting member is formed of concrete.
12. The architectural structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each panel of the plurality of isosceles panels and the plurality of right angled panels is a structurally insulated panel comprising two outer layers and an inner insulating layer.
13. The architectural structure as claimed in claim 12, wherein the insulating layer has a cut-out formed at each vertex in the form of a part of a circle and wherein the at least one planar component further comprises a plurality of circular discs of insulating material of a same thickness as the insulating layers, wherein circular discs of the plurality of circular discs are positioned between adjacent vertices of adjacent panels of the plurality of isosceles panels and/or the plurality of right angled panels.
14. The architectural structure as claimed in claim 1, comprising at least one peripheral frame for receiving an edge of the at least one planar component, wherein the at least one peripheral frame comprises a plurality of frame components being shaped on an outer side to have a straight edge and a shaped inner edge configured to receive the planar component.
15. The architectural structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of edge pieces which each correspond in shape and size to half of one of the connecting members located between the adjacent panels of the plurality of isosceles panels and/or the plurality of right angled panels, wherein each edge piece is configured to fit over an edge of a panel and provide a smooth edge to the panel.
16. The architectural structure as claimed in claim 1, in the form of a building, wherein at least one wall of the building comprises the at least one planar component, wherein the building comprises a peripheral frame shaped for receiving the at least one planar component, the peripheral frame comprising two opposed upright corner pillars between which the at least one planar components is located, the architectural structure comprising at least two planar components, wherein one of said corner pillars is located between the two planar components and is shaped to receive respective adjacent edges of the planar components when the two planar components are angled relative to each other.
17. The architectural structure as claimed in claim 16, wherein the building is at least partly orthogonal and comprises a plurality of planar components comprising walls angled at corner pillars to each other to form at least part of an orthogonal structure.
18. The architectural structure as claimed in claim 16, wherein at least one wall of the building is formed by stacking connecting members and panels of the plurality of isosceles panels and/or the plurality of right angled panels on site to form said at least one wall.
19. A method of constructing an architectural structure as claimed in claim 1 in the form of a building, the method comprising assembling a planar component to form a wall, floor or ceiling from a plurality of identical isosceles panels each having the form of a 30°-120°-30° isosceles triangle and from a plurality of identical right angled panels each having the form of a 30°-60°-90° right angled triangle, the method comprising assembling the isosceles panels and the right angled panels using intervening connecting members without any binder between adjacent panels of the isosceles panels and the right angled panels.
20. The architectural structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least some panels of (i) the plurality of isosceles panels and/or (ii) the plurality of right angled panels have a mid-portion between outer major faces, the mid-portion having a cut-out portion in the form of a part of a circle formed at each vertex, with the at least one planar component further comprising a plurality of circular discs of a same thickness as a thickness of each cut-out portion, wherein circular discs of the plurality of circular discs are positioned between adjacent vertices of adjacent panels and are accommodated in the cut-out portions of the adjacent panels.
Description
(1) Several embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures, of which:
(2) FIG. 1 shows an isosceles panel (B) transposed on a hexagon;
(3) FIG. 2 shows a right angle panel (A) transposed on a different region of the hexagon of FIG. 1;
(4) FIG. 3 illustrates how a number of isosceles panels (B) and right angle panels (A), together with appropriate connecting members, may be used to cover the entire area of the hexagon illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2;
(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an isosceles panel (B);
(6) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a right angled panel (A);
(7) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a small connecting member (C);
(8) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a medium connecting member (D);
(9) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a large connecting member (E);
(10) FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a selection of connector discs (I to P);
(11) FIG. 10 illustrates how an isosceles panel (B) may be bordered by three connecting members and three connector discs;
(12) FIG. 11 is an exploded view of the components of FIG. 10;
(13) FIG. 12 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 10;
(14) FIG. 13 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 11;
(15) FIG. 14 illustrates how a right angled panel (A) may be bordered by three connecting members and three connector discs;
(16) FIG. 15 is an exploded view of the components of FIG. 14;
(17) FIG. 16 illustrates how a right angled panel (A) and isosceles panel (B) may be placed adjacent to each other and joined by an appropriate connecting member, with appropriate further connecting members and connector discs positioned about the two panels;
(18) FIG. 17 is an exploded view of the components of FIG. 16;
(19) FIG. 18 illustrates how various panels, connecting members, connector discs and edge pieces may be arranged together;
(20) FIG. 19 is an exploded view of the components of FIG. 18;
(21) FIG. 20A illustrates how a hexagon may be used to create a grid pattern;
(22) FIG. 20B illustrates some of the potential shapes which may be created with the panels and connecting members being overlaid on the grid of FIG. 20A;
(23) FIG. 21 is an architectural structure in the form of a building constructed from the components illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 19;
(24) FIGS. 22 and 23 illustrate possible floorplans of the building illustrated in FIG. 24;
(25) FIG. 24 is an architectural structure in the form of a building constructed from multiple structures similar to the one shown in FIG. 21;
(26) FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a frame corner connector (Q), a first frame connector (R), a second frame connector (T) and a third frame connector (U) of the buildings of FIGS. 21 and 24;
(27) FIG. 26 shows the floor and six frame corner connectors (Q) of the building of FIG. 21;
(28) FIG. 27 shows a preassembled planar component of the roof of the building of FIG. 21;
(29) FIG. 28 shows a preassembled planar component of a rear wall of the building of FIG. 21;
(30) FIG. 29 is a perspective view of a small edge piece (F), a medium edge piece (G) and a large edge piece (H);
(31) FIG. 30 shows a preassembled planar component of a wall of the building of FIG. 21 with some of the edge pieces of FIG. 29 forming a doorway;
(32) FIG. 31 is similar to FIG. 30 but with the edge pieces forming a window aperture;
(33) FIG. 32 illustrates how the edge pieces of FIG. 29 may be used to form the large aperture in a wall of the building of FIG. 21;
(34) FIGS. 33 and 34 provide further examples of the use of the edge pieces of FIG. 29;
(35) FIG. 35 is a perspective view of an architectural structure in the form of a square building in accordance with the present invention;
(36) FIG. 36 is a cutaway perspective view showing some of the components of the building of FIG. 35;
(37) FIGS. 37 to 49 each show detailed views of each of the previously described components.
(38) Referring now to FIG. 1, this shows the shape of an isosceles panel (B) transposed on a section of hexagon 1. The isosceles panel (B) has a vertex of 120°.
(39) FIG. 2 shows a right angled panel (A) having vertices of 30°, 60° and 90° transposed on the same hexagon 1 as FIG. 1. From FIGS. 1 and 2 it can be observed that the isosceles panel (B) and the right angled panel (A) substantially cover the entire lower half of hexagon 1 and that two corresponding panels (A) and (B) may be arranged to cover the upper half of the hexagon 1, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2.
(40) In FIG. 3, in the lower portion a right angled panel (A) and a isosceles panel (B) are laid out adjacent each other as shown with another two panels (A) and (B) laid out in a similar manner in the upper portion of figure, so that if they were transposed on the hexagonal of FIGS. 1 and 2 they would substantially cover the hexagon 1.
(41) FIG. 3 additionally illustrates how three different sizes of connecting members (C), (D) and (E), shown in the perspective views in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 respectively, may be arranged between and about the right angled panel (A) and isosceles panel (B), with six connectors discs (I) located at the vertices of the panels (A) and (B), so that all the components illustrated, together form a planar component, indicated generally as 2, which as will be described later, may form a building in accordance with the present invention.
(42) Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, these are perspective views of a right angled panel (A) and isosceles panel (B) respectively. Referring first to the right angled panel (A) of FIG. 4, this comprises two outer layers 3 and 4 of moulded aerated autoclaved concrete, between which there is an insulation layer, indicated generally as 5. The insulation layer itself comprises two outer layers 6 and 7 of MycoBoard™ which is grown on the concrete layers 3 and 4 with a MycoFoam™ layer 8 grown between the MycoBoard™ layers 6 and 7. The insulation layer 5 is cutaway in the region of the vertices of the isosceles panel (A) in order to accommodate the connecting discs (I) of FIG. 3, as will described later.
(43) With reference to FIG. 5, the right angled panel (B) has the same construction as the isosceles panel (A) of FIG. 4 and corresponding components have been labelled in the same manner as in FIG. 4.
(44) Referring to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, these show perspective views of a small (C), medium (D) and large (E) connecting member, previously mentioned with reference to FIG. 3. These each have an I-shaped cross-section with opposed channels defined by the I-shaped cross-section being of the same width as the panels (A) and (B) and the panels (A) and (B) are a push fit into the connecting members (C), (D) and (E). The connecting members (C), (D) and (E) have a maximum dimension in a length direction which substantially corresponds to the length of one of the sides of either the right angled panel (A) or isosceles panel (B).
(45) Each connecting member (C), (D) and (E) of FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 comprises front and rear diamond shaped planar portions with an orthogonal portion extending there between. This orthogonal portion is cutaway towards the ends in order to accommodate the connecting discs (I) of FIG. 3.
(46) Referring to FIG. 9, this shows a perspective view of one of the connecting discs (I) and seven other partial connecting discs, comprising: a three quarter disc (J); a half disc (K); a 30° angled disc (L); a 60° angled disc (M); a 120° angled disc (N); a 150° angled disc (O); and a 240° angled disc (P). The function of these partial discs (J) to (P) will become apparent with reference to the description of the following figures. All connecting discs are formed of a thermally insulating material.
(47) With reference to FIG. 10, this illustrates how an isosceles panel (B) may be bounded by the medium connecting member (D) of FIG. 7, two small connecting members (C) of FIG. 6 and three connecting discs (I). These components are shown in exploded view in FIG. 11 and in perspective views 12 and 13, with FIGS. 12 and 13 perhaps most clearly indicating how the isosceles panel (B) slots into the channels of the connecting members.
(48) FIGS. 14 and 15 correspond respectively to FIGS. 10 and 11, but illustrate connecting members and connecting discs bordering a right angle panel (A).
(49) FIGS. 16 and 17 are similar to views of FIGS. 14 and 15 but show a right angled panel (A) adjacent an isosceles panel (B) with an intervening connecting member (D) there between.
(50) Referring to FIGS. 18 and 19, these are similar to FIGS. 16 and 17, but show a more complex structure comprising many more components. Two of the structures show in FIG. 18, one inverted upon the other, will result in the planar wall component 9 illustrated in FIG. 33, forming the right-hand wall of the building illustrated in FIG. 21, described below.
(51) FIGS. 18 and 19 disclose additional components in the form of medium edge pieces (G) each of which essentially corresponds to a half of one of the medium connecting members (D). These are used to provide straight edges for the aperture of the window shown in FIG. 33. FIGS. 18 and 19 also illustrate the use of a 150° angled connector disc (O). This is necessary for if a full connector disc (I) were used instead, it would extend into the region of the window (see FIG. 18).
(52) Referring now to FIG. 20A, this illustrates how a grid pattern may be obtained by extrapolating lines intersecting the vertices of a hexagon and by extrapolating lines which in turn intersect the intersections of those lines. FIG. 20B then illustrates how various shaped structures formed from the previously described components may be overlaid on the grid of FIG. 20A.
(53) Referring now to FIG. 21, there is illustrated an architectural structure in accordance with the present invention which is in the form of a building, indicated generally as 11. The octagonal structure, in plan view, is one of the simplest to construct from the components previously described. However, it will be appreciated from the ground floor plan of FIG. 22, the upper floor plan of FIG. 23 and the perspective view of the building, indicated generally as 12, in FIG. 24, how the building 11 shown in FIG. 21 may be used as a primary module of a larger building, for example that illustrated in FIG. 24.
(54) With reference again to the building 11 of FIG. 21, this has a floor and a roof comprising planar hexagonal components, which may be preassembled from previously described components or, in the case of the open roof structure 12, similar components. The building 11 further comprises wall panels 9, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 of several styles (panels 15, 16 and 17 are not visible but can be seen in the building 12 of FIG. 24 or the building 18 of FIG. 35, which is described below). The constructions of the right-hand wall panel 9 has been previously described with reference to FIGS. 18, 19 and 33. The other wall panels 13 to 17 are constructed similarly. However, as will be appreciated from FIG. 21, the building 11 of FIG. 21, in addition to the planar roof and the floor and wall panels, comprises six corner connectors (Q), only four of which can be seen if FIG. 21. One of these is illustrated in the perspective view of FIG. 25, and several types of frame connector (R), (T) and (U) are also shown in perspective view in FIG. 25, which form the top and bottom outer edges of the building 11 of FIG. 21.
(55) FIG. 26 illustrates how six frame corner connectors (Q) may be arranged around a floor panel 10. Also from FIG. 26 it will be appreciated how the various frame connectors (T), (R) and (U) of FIG. 25 may be arranged around the lower and upper perimeters of the frame to provide the structure of the building 11 shown in FIG. 21. Unless the wall panels are to be constructed on site then the preassembled wall panels will need to be inserted at the same time as the frame corner connectors (Q) are assembled in to position.
(56) Referring to FIG. 27 there is shown the roof panel 12 for the building illustrated in FIG. 21 and FIG. 28 shows the fully enclosed back wall panel 16 for the building 18 of FIG. 35.
(57) FIG. 29 shows perspective views of the small edge piece (F), the medium edge piece (G) and the large edge piece (H) used to border the apertures in the wall panels 9, 13, 14, 15 and 17 and these panels are shown in greater detail in respective ones of FIGS. 30 to 34.
(58) So far only buildings 11 and 24 have been referred to, each comprising a hexagonal structure. However, the invention is equally applicable to other shapes of building, for example the square building indicated generally as 18 in FIG. 35 and this is shown partially assembled in FIG. 36.
(59) The various components so far described can be seen in greater detail in each of FIGS. 37 to 49. The dimensions given in these Figures are by way of example only and are appropriate for the particular structures previously described. However, it will be appreciated that even for those same structures the dimensions of all the components may be scaled up or down.
(60) Several examples of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it will be appreciated that many modifications and variations may be made which will be encompassed within the scope of the present invention, as defined by the following claims.
