Studio Vijf | insideprojects

Factory Structural steel frame in welding jig
Apartment on low-bed truck Apartment loaded on low bed trailer for delivery
Delivery at site square Room module going through narrow service road to craning position
Craning basement apartment Craning of apartments on NW side that went in the basement. The slab for the first level apartments is still being cast in the foreground
Craning first level apartment Apartment being positioned on top of basement level apartments in NW corner. The post-tensioned slab above the basement parking is in the foreground.
Craning first level apartments Positioning first level apartment on NE side on top of the slab above the basement parking
Craning upper level apartment Unit going into NW corner of building
Craning upper level apartment Some of the upper level apartments on the NE side were positioned above the "common areas" of the apartment block that were created by bolting structural posts together on site
Craning modular roof sections Positioning pre-manufactured roof elements on the NE side of the building that were bolted to structural components already delivered in the apartment module
Elevation from NE side The entrance to the apartment block including hard and soft landscaping
Elevation from NW side Final elevation of building on NW side showing the basement level apartments with 3 storeys above them
Elevation from SW side Elevation with entrance to parking garage
Elevation from SE side Elevation of building showing modular fire escapes and external cladding on the sides of the apartments at the end of the building
Interior kitchen Interior of apartment with kitchen cupboards and storage feature wall forming a divide to the living area
Interior from living area Interior of apartment from living area with bed looking towards the bathroom and kitchen areas. The media unit on the storage feature wall and work area with desk and custom sprayed bookshelves (all manufactured by ourselves) is in the foreground
Interior from changing room Interior from changing area with custom Surinno vanity and cupboards in the foreground and desk with custom sprayed bookshelf in the background (all manufactured by ourselves)
Interior bathroom Bathroom with glass mosaics and porcelain wall tiles. In-house brands were used to maximise value (Twyford wall hung pan, Crystalux frameless glass shower enclosure and Italian Mamoli brassware)

Studio Vijf, Stellenbosch (2014)

62 stackable structural room modules

Brief

Design, manufacture, fit-out, deliver and stack 62 up-market student apartments. The 4 storey structure must be completed in under 6 months so that the accommodation is available at the start of an academic year for rental and sectional title sale.

Why was modular used?

The build programme could only be accomplished through the use of a structural apartment pod. Any other method that relied on slabs or even a structural steel frame with infill panels would not have enabled the building to be completed in time for the start of the academic year, which would have had a severe impact on the financial viability of the project.

Key features

62 apartments craned into position in 22 crane days
apartments were bolted together on site to create the structure
superior acoustic and fire specification
exposed structural steel galvanised and sprayed for superior quality
exterior facade and balconies complete in factory prior to delivery, limiting the need for scaffolding on site
ground floor apartments included feet for connection to foundations
third floor apartments included bolting connectors for roof elements
in-house finishing brands were utilised to extend value in the finishings
all cupboards, custom sprayed joinery and surinno worktops manufactured by Inside Group
factory finish included: data and electrical reticulation, plumbing, waterproofing, porcelain tiling, solid timber doors, double glazed PVC balcony doors, bulkheads, shadowlines and custom joinery, wallpapered walls and painted feature walls

Case study

Click here for a more detailed case study on the project.

When should you use modular constuction methods?

How much time can you save by using modular construction?

In the news

Civil Engineering

December 2014

Factory

Structural steel frame in welding jig

Apartment on low-bed truck

Apartment loaded on low bed trailer for delivery

Delivery at site square

Room module going through narrow service road to craning position

Craning basement apartment

Craning of apartments on NW side that went in the basement. The slab for the first level apartments is still being cast in the foreground

Craning first level apartment

Apartment being positioned on top of basement level apartments in NW corner. The post-tensioned slab above the basement parking is in the foreground.

Craning first level apartments

Positioning first level apartment on NE side on top of the slab above the basement parking

Craning upper level apartment

Unit going into NW corner of building

Craning upper level apartment

Some of the upper level apartments on the NE side were positioned above the "common areas" of the apartment block that were created by bolting structural posts together on site

Craning modular roof sections

Positioning pre-manufactured roof elements on the NE side of the building that were bolted to structural components already delivered in the apartment module

Elevation from NE side

The entrance to the apartment block including hard and soft landscaping

Elevation from NW side

Final elevation of building on NW side showing the basement level apartments with 3 storeys above them

Elevation from SW side

Elevation with entrance to parking garage

Elevation from SE side

Elevation of building showing modular fire escapes and external cladding on the sides of the apartments at the end of the building

Interior kitchen

Interior of apartment with kitchen cupboards and storage feature wall forming a divide to the living area

Interior from living area

Interior of apartment from living area with bed looking towards the bathroom and kitchen areas. The media unit on the storage feature wall and work area with desk and custom sprayed bookshelves (all manufactured by ourselves) is in the foreground

Interior from changing room

Interior from changing area with custom Surinno vanity and cupboards in the foreground and desk with custom sprayed bookshelf in the background (all manufactured by ourselves)

Interior bathroom

Bathroom with glass mosaics and porcelain wall tiles. In-house brands were used to maximise value (Twyford wall hung pan, Crystalux frameless glass shower enclosure and Italian Mamoli brassware)

When should you use modular constuction methods?

How much time can you save by using modular construction?

In the news