Anna Szymczyk - "Four elements - prefabricated building system".

Dobrawa Bies

13 of November '23

4ELEMENTS - prefabricated building system design

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Technical data

Type:	master's thesis
Year of defense:	2022
Name:	"4ELEMENTS - design of prefabricated building system".
Author:	Anna Szymczyk
University:	Faculty of Interior Design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw.
Promoter:	Barbara Kowalewska, Ph.

Work submitted for the competition
"Best Interior Diploma 2022/2024".

4ELEMENTS is the author's design of a modular building system that allows the construction of buildings with different functions, along with interior furnishings. The use of natural materials such as wood and hemp concrete, ecological solutions such as a heat pump and a green roof that collects rainwater, as well as the production of elements in a factory that reduces waste, and above all, the ability to decompose and reuse almost all elements, make the system ecological on many levels and gain a revolutionary dimension.

The 4ELEMENTS system can be erected in any location

Looking for an answer to the housing needs of our time, I wanted to propose a product that would make available to a wider audience quick access to health and environmentally friendly construction technology, which will allow buildings to adapt to the ever-changing needs of users.

4ELEMENTS system, installation instructions

The project is characterized by four basic assumptions: multifunctionality, prefabrication, modularity and ecology, hence the name of the project—4ELEMENTS (four elements). The system allows you to build with fully prefabricated elements: their form allows you to combine them with further components or create larger complexes from several modules with different functions. Assembly is quick, without traditional construction work.

4ELEMENTS system, living area

The shape of the prefabricated wall units allows designing and expanding the space on a grid composed of circles—specific cells that can be connected to each other. A wall module is one-sixth of a circle. Because the grid falls in the axis of the element, the system requires only two wall modules—a solid and a glazed one—which are simultaneous concave and convex elements on the undulating facade of the building. What's more, the system is designed so that a previously erected building can be expanded, disassembled and transported to another location, or even use parts of it for the construction of a new building.

axonometry and project plan

The target group includes individual investors (interested in building a year-round or summer house), commercial investors (interested, for example, in building hotel and catering facilities), state authorities, municipalities and city boards.
The project involves the possibility of configuring the building on a special website.

A bedroom in a summer house

The next stage allows consultation of the project with an architect, he will be able to suggest alternative functional solutions, adapt the project to the plot and surroundings, as well as verify the compatibility of the project with the local plan. After a successful consultation, the client receives a complete construction project, which he can submit to the office and, if necessary, apply for building permits. He can then place an order and arrange an installation team and transportation of materials.

office part and gym

The construction process is extremely efficient. The ground and foundation work stage can be closed in as little as four days, and the installation of the building can even take place in one day. The entire construction and finishing work can therefore be closed in one week. Prefabrication takes place under controlled conditions of the production plant, which guarantees the quality of the building elements. Whole walls are delivered to the construction site, which are then connected like blocks and subjected to final processing.

4ELEMENTS system, various projections

When one of the elements breaks down, a replacement can be ordered, reducing the amount of waste generated throughout the building's life cycle. The system is designed to have as few elements as possible, while at the same time providing unlimited possibilities in terms of space and number of rooms.

The 4ELEMENTS system as a cafeteria

The most important aspect of modularity is mobility, which makes it possible to transport and construct buildings anywhere in the world. At the same time, it significantly reduces costs and avoids the problems associated with a shortage of skilled construction workers, while making it possible to build sustainable architecture in places where it was previously impossible.