Modular building construction
A modular system of construction of loft apartment buildings. This type of unit is in high demand in many metropolitan areas, and the modular nature of the inventive buildings allows them to be produced quickly and at low cost. In addition, the invention provides a novel system for interconnecting apartments quickly during construction, providing further cost savings. A mix of apartment types, including handicapped-accessible apartments, may be placed in each building, with the proportions of different apartment types being tailored to the needs of the local market and the constraints of local building codes. The apartment modules may be sized to permit convenient shipping of modules within the constraints of overland shipping regulations.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/252,635, filed Feb. 19, 1999 and issued Dec. 7, 2004 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,826,879, which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OR THE INVENTIONThe present application relates to modular systems and methods for assembling multiunit buildings from multiple vertically stacked modules, and particularly to systems and methods in which units may be connected by preformed vertical chases.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIncreasing demand for affordable housing in major metropolitan areas has necessitated the development of creative systems for housing design. One such solution is the renovation of underutilized or functionally obsolete buildings, often former industrial sites, into housing units. One advantage of such units has been the ability to produce “loft” apartments, in which at least a portion of each unit has double-height ceilings. These apartments have become popular in many markets, to the point that demand for such units may exceed the available supply of buildings to retrofit. The present invention provides a solution to this shortage, by providing an affordable system for building such units from the ground up.
In addition to the limited supply of buildings suited to be converted to loft apartments, another major impediment to the construction of multiunit housing has been the need to provide adequate parking space for each unit. The present invention also provides a solution which allows inexpensive modular construction of living units over an associated parking area, so that a larger number of apartments may be placed in a given lot while conforming to local zoning codes and providing adequate parking facilities.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides a modular system of construction of loft apartment buildings. This type of unit is in high demand in many metropolitan areas, and the modular nature of the inventive buildings allows them to be produced quickly and at low cost. In addition, the invention provides a novel system for interconnecting apartments quickly during construction, providing further cost savings. A mix of apartment types, including handicap-accessible apartments, may be placed in each building, with the proportions of different apartment types being tailored to the needs of the local market and the constraints of local building codes. The apartment modules may be sized to permit convenient shipping of modules within the constraints of overland shipping regulations.
In one aspect, the invention comprises a multiunit building of modular construction, wherein multiple units of the building are each formed from two prefabricated modules, a lower module comprising a floor and four wall sections, and an upper module comprising a ceiling and four wall sections. At least one room of the unit extends the full height of the unit, i.e., from the floor of the lower module to the ceiling of the upper module, and a vertical utility chase extends from the floor of the lower module to the ceiling of the upper module. The unit may have a mezzanine level, in which at least one room is substantially contained within the upper module. The units may be arranged horizontally, vertically, or both. The building may also comprise lobby units, which may be vertically stacked and connected by a staircase and/or an elevator. The modules may be sized to comply with overland shipping regulations for transportation on a flatbed truck.
In another aspect, the invention comprises a method of building construction, comprising installing a foundation, placing a lower building module above the foundation, placing an upper building module on the lower module and securing the modules together. The modules combine to form a building unit, in which at least one room spans the distance from the floor of the first module to the ceiling of the second module, and a vertical utility chase extends from the floor of the lower module to the ceiling of the upper module. Multiple units may be placed vertically, horizontally, or both. Horizontally adjacent units may be connected by a utility feed. The modules may be constructed remotely and transported to the building site.
In still another aspect, the invention comprises a multiunit modular building, wherein horizontally adjacent units are connected via a corridor and a horizontal utility chase containing a utility feed, and the units also comprise a vertical utility chase. The utility feed may include water pipes, mechanical piping, electrical wiring, communications and security systems, and life safety systems. The building may further comprise a lobby unit connected to the building units. Both building units and lobby units may be vertically stacked, and stacked lobby units may be connected via a vertical utility chase.
In yet another aspect, the invention comprises a method of constructing a modular building comprising installing two units, each containing a corridor section and a horizontal utility chase section containing a utility feed, and connecting the units and the utility feeds. The units also comprise a vertical utility chase. The utility feeds may include water pipes, mechanical piping, electrical wiring, communications and security systems, and life safety systems. The units may each comprise two vertically stacked modules as described above, and such vertically stacked units may combine to form a continuous vertical utility chase. The building may further contain one or more lobby units which may be connected to the utility feeds, and which may be stacked. Stacked lobby units may be connected via a vertical utility chase.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGThe invention is described with reference to the several figures of the drawing, in which,
The invention is described below with reference to certain preferred embodiments, in which an assembled apartment building comprises three types of living units, placed upon a conventional (nonmodular) semi-depressed parking level. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that this represents only one embodiment of the invention, and the invention encompasses many modifications and variations of the structures described herein. For example, the number, size, and shape of the living units may be varied over a wide range, and may include apartments, assisted living units, hotel rooms or suites, extended stay units, dormitory rooms or suites, or other types living units. The apartment units need not all be loft units; in fact, it may be desirable to include some single-level units in order to comply with handicap-access regulations. The outer walls of each unit need not be coplanar as shown below; the invention also contemplates staggered or offset arrangements of units. Further, the principles of the invention may be applied to the construction of multiunit office or industrial buildings, as well as living units. Commercial and dwelling units may even be mixed in a single building, within the constraints of local building codes.
An apartment building according to the invention is illustrated in cutaway view in
An exploded view of a base unit 12 is shown in
It is preferable that modules 20 and 22 conform to overland shipping regulations for easy transportation. For example, a module may have a width not exceeding 14 feet, a length not exceeding 66 feet, and a height not exceeding 11 feet. These sizes are exemplary, and may be adjusted depending on the method of shipping used and on local shipping regulations. For example, greater size flexibility may be afforded when it is practical to ship the units by barge, ship, or helicopter, or when the modules are constructed at a location near the building site.
Access to the unit 12 is afforded by a corridor 42 which opens onto the mezzanine level. It will be seen that when multiple units 12 are placed side-by-side to form a building level, the corridors 42 will connect to form a joint accessway to the individual apartment units. A pair of units with connected corridor sections 42 can be seen in
Shown adjacent to the corridor 42 is a horizontal chase 44 whereby building services such as water pipes, electrical wiring, communications and security systems, and sprinkler and other life safety systems (not shown) may be provided. It is an advantage of this type of building module that access to water pipes and the like may be provided by an access panel (not shown) on the common corridor 42, removing the necessity for workmen to enter individual apartments when performing maintenance.
It is a further advantage of the horizontal chase 44 that it facilitates easy connection of building services such as water and electricity. Pipes and wiring may be preinstalled in the chase when the unit is constructed, so that they need only be “plugged in” to an adjacent unit 12 when the building is assembled on-site. The prior art almost exclusively uses vertical chases for these services, so that pipes and wires must be fed through the chase by hand after the building is assembled.
The ease of connection of the building services also facilitates on-site “finishing” of the apartment unit. In this concept of building construction, module 22 is stacked atop module 20, and chase utility feed connections to the previously installed adjacent unit are immediately made. The newly installed unit 12 is then immediately powered, and workmen can simply turn on the preinstalled lights and plug power tools into existing wall outlets in order to finish securing the modules together and to the adjacent unit, and to install cosmetic elements such as molding to cover the module joints. In addition, construction site security can be maintained by immediate connectivity to a central security monitor specifically equipped for temporary duty on the active construction sites. Sprinkler systems can be activated far in advance of conventional construction methods, reducing the risk of damage by fire.
A second type of unit 14 is illustrated in
A third type of unit 16 for placement on the top level of the building 10 is shown in
Buildings according to the invention are extremely economical in space usage. For example, in a preferred embodiment, the height X of units 12 and 14 may be 18 feet. The height Y of units 16 may be 10.5 feet, and the elevation of ground floor units 12 above the grade Z may be 5.5 feet, for a total building height of 70 feet. This configuration falls within the Building Officials and Code Administrators (BOCA) International standard for Type 3A construction of a multi-family, fully sprinklered building. (Because mezzanine areas are limited to _the area below them under the BOCA definitions, the pictured unit is considered a four-story building, and falls within the five story limit for a building of this type. Because the standard allows a five story building of this height, it may be desirable for the upper levels in one floor of apartments to be expanded, offering greater flexibility in apartment design).
At least one vertical chase 54 is provided for the building in order to connect the daisy-chained horizontal chases of each level of the building to a central utility feed. This vertical chase may run parallel to an elevator shaft 56, for example, in order to provide further space savings.
Vertical chases may also be provided for the individual units. When such chases are combined with the horizontal chases described above, a “network” of utility feeds can be created. Such a network may be useful when a communications network is to be installed in the building, or when it is desired to bring certain services up from a central system in the basement or roof, while other service feeds come from systems in the lobbies or elsewhere. For example, water pipes and HVAC ducts might run vertically from the basement and roof, respectively, while electrical wires run horizontally from vertical trunk cables. Alternatively, all services may be provided via the vertical chases, which may still be configured to allow corridor access.
A configuration showing both vertical and horizontal chases within the living units is shown in
The length of base units 12 is preferably somewhat longer than that of the upper modules. This additional length ensures an interior width inside the foundation walls suitable for ease of parking and maneuvering, and serves as a basis for articulating the architectural base of a building constructed according to the invention. The extra length further serves continuous, uninterrupted bearing walls for the units above.
All units 12, 14, 16 are preferably constructed with “hard-shell integrity,” allowing improved fire safety and sound deadening (high STC for residential construction). The integral roof construction of the top units 16 means that any roof failure is localized and the possibility of collateral or residual damage is minimized.
The buildings of the invention can be constructed extremely rapidly. An exemplary 96-unit building in the configuration shown in
It will generally be preferable for modules to be finished as much as possible in the factory, before shipping to the building site. This is facilitated by the horizontal chase structure which allows utility feeds to be placed in the chase during manufacturing, so that only splices between units need be completed in the field. The attachment of the lower module 20 to the upper module 22 must be accomplished in the field, but much of the initial machining (e.g., drilling holes, providing quick-connect fittings for ductwork and plumbing) may be accomplished at the factory, and all necessary hardware may be placed in one of the modules during the manufacturing process, allowing quick and easy connection of the modules. Carpeting, windows, etc. may all be preinstalled at the factory, allowing improved working conditions for installation personnel and lower costs for the manufacturer.
Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the specification or practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.
Claims
1. A multiunit building, comprising:
- multiple connected units, each unit being formed by two prefabricated modules, a first module comprising a floor and four wall sections, and a second module comprising a ceiling and four wall sections, wherein the second module is stacked vertically atop the first module and connected thereto; a room of the unit so formed extends from the floor section of the first module to the ceiling section of the second module; and a vertical utility chase runs from the floor of the first module to the ceiling of the second module.
2. The building of claim 1, wherein at least two units are stacked one atop another, and wherein the vertical utility chase is continuous between the at least two units.
3. The building of claim 1, wherein at least two units are placed horizontally adjacent to one another.
4. The building of claim 1, further comprising multiple lobby units connected to the multiple connected units.
5. The building of claim 4, wherein the multiple lobby units are vertically stacked and connected by at least one staircase.
6. The building of claim 1, wherein the unit comprises a room substantially contained within the second module.
7. The building of claim 1, wherein the modules are sized to be transported on a flatbed truck.
8. A method of building construction, comprising:
- constructing a foundation;
- placing a first module comprising a floor and four wall sections above the foundation;
- placing a second module comprising a ceiling and four wall sections atop the first module; and
- securing the second module to the first module to form a building unit, wherein a room of the unit so formed extends from the floor section of the first module to the ceiling section of the second module; and a vertical utility chase extends from the floor of the first module to the ceiling of the second module.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising vertically stacking multiple building units, each unit so stacked comprising a first module having a floor and four wall sections and a second module having a ceiling and four wall sections, wherein the vertical utility chase is continuous between the stacked units and further comprising connecting a utility feed within the vertical utility chase.
10. The method of claim 8, further comprising connecting a second unit horizontally adjacent to the first unit, the second unit comprising a first module having a floor and four wall sections and a second module having a ceiling and four wall sections.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first unit and the second unit each comprise a horizontal chase containing at least one utility feed, and further comprising connecting the utility feed of the first unit to the utility feed of the second unit.
12. The method of claim 8, wherein the first module and the second module are constructed in a remote location and transported to the site of the foundation for placement thereon.
13. A multiunit modular building, comprising:
- multiple connected units, each unit comprising a module having a corridor section, a module comprising a horizontal utility chase section, and a module comprising a vertical utility chase section, wherein the corridor sections connect to form an access corridor, the horizontal utility chase sections connect to form a horizontal utility chase containing a first utility feed, and the vertical chase sections connect to form a vertical utility chase containing a second utility feed.
14. The building of claim 13, wherein at least two units are stacked one atop another.
15. The building of claim 13, wherein at least two units are placed horizontally adjacent to one another.
16. The building of claim 13, further comprising multiple lobby units connected to the multiple connected units.
17. The building of claim 16, wherein the multiple lobby units are vertically stacked and connected by at least one staircase.
18. The building of claim 17, wherein the vertically stacked lobby units are connected by at least one vertical chase containing a utility feed.
19. The building of claim 13, wherein the utility feed is selected from the group consisting of water pipes, mechanical piping, electrical wiring, communications and security systems, and life safety systems.
20. The building of claim 13, wherein the modules are sized to be transported on a flatbed truck.
21. The building of claim 13, wherein the corridor section and the horizontal utility chase section are both contained within the same module.
22. A method of constructing a modular building, comprising:
- installing a first unit comprising a first corridor section, a first horizontal utility chase section, and a first vertical utility chase section, wherein the first horizontal utility chase section and the first vertical utility chase section each contain a utility feed;
- installing a second unit comprising a second corridor section, a second horizontal utility chase section, and a second vertical utility chase section, wherein the second horizontal utility chase section and the second vertical utility chase section each contain a utility feed;
- connecting the units so that the first corridor section and the second corridor section combine to form an access corridor, and the first horizontal utility chase and the second horizontal utility chase combine to form a continuous utility chase; and
- connecting the horizontal utility feed of the first unit and the horizontal utility feed of the second unit for supply of utility services to the units.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the utility feeds are selected from the group consisting of water pipes, mechanical piping, electrical wiring, communication and security systems, and life safety systems
24. The method of claim 22, wherein each unit comprises two vertically stacked modules.
25. The method of claim 22, wherein the first unit and the second unit are constructed in a remote location and transported to the site of the building.
26. The method of claim 22, further comprising installing a first lobby unit comprising a utility chase section containing a lobby utility feed and connecting the lobby utility feed to the horizontal utility feed of the first unit.
27. The method of claim 26, further comprising installing a second lobby unit comprising a utility chase section containing a lobby utility feed atop the first lobby unit and connecting the lobby utility feeds of the first and second lobby units via a vertical utility chase.
28. The method of claim 22, further comprising
- installing a third unit comprising a third corridor section, a third horizontal utility chase section, and a third vertical utility chase section, wherein the third horizontal utility chase section and the third vertical utility chase section each contain a utility feed;
- connecting the third unit to the first unit so that the first vertical chase section and the third vertical chase section combine to form a continuous vertical utility chase; and
- connecting the vertical utility feed of the first unit and the vertical utility feed of the third unit for supply of utility services to the units.
29. A multiunit modular building, comprising:
- multiple connected units, each unit comprising a module having a corridor section and a module comprising a vertical utility chase section, wherein the corridor sections connect to form an access corridor, and the vertical chase sections connect to form a vertical utility chase containing a utility feed.
30. A method of constructing a modular building, comprising:
- installing a first unit comprising a first corridor section and a first vertical utility chase section, wherein the first vertical utility chase section contains a first utility feed;
- installing a second unit comprising a second corridor section and a second vertical utility chase section, wherein the second vertical utility chase section contains a second utility feed;
- installing a third unit comprising a third corridor section and a third vertical utility chase section, wherein the third vertical utility chase section each contains a third utility feed;
- connecting the first and second units so that the first corridor section and the second corridor section combine to form an access corridor;
- connecting the first and third unit sso that the first vertical chase section and the third vertical chase section combine to form a continuous vertical utility chase; and
- connecting the vertical utility feed of the first unit and the vertical utility feed of the third unit for supply of utility services to the units.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 7, 2004
Publication Date: Dec 1, 2005
Inventors: Bradford Allen (Westwood, MA), Stuart Lubin (Brookline, MA)
Application Number: 11/005,990