Valldaura Labs Built An Isolation Cabin From Local CLT in Just 5 Months | Voxel |Barcelona

Valldaura Labs | Isolation Cabin | CLT | Voxel |Barcelona

The Voxel is an eco-friendly quarantine cabin created by a team of students and researchers from Barcelona's Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) Valldaura Labs. It just took five months to the design team to create this solar-powered isolation cabin that is constructed entirely of hyper-local structural cross-laminated timber (CLT). The material is harvested no further than one kilometre from the construction site. The 12-square-metre structure is designed to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic as space where a single occupant can be self-confined for 14 days. Raw timber adorns the interiors of the structure. Also, the same material is used to create the furniture, including a self-supporting desk and a platform bed. Read more about the beautiful self-quarantine cabin in detail below at SURFACES REPORTER (SR):

Also Read: The Wonder Wood Cross Laminated Timber (CLT)

volumetric pixel isolation

The Voxel is an abbreviation of volumetric pixel isolation cabin that is nestled near the IAAC's Valldaura Labs campus in the Collserola natural park.  It was a part of the IAAC Master in Advanced Ecological Buildings and Biocities (MAEBB) programme that encourages a practical approach to eco-friendly architectural design.

volumetric pixel isolation

A team of 5 volunteers and 17 students from 15 countries constructed this cabin using around 40 Aleppo Pine trees felled within a radius of less than a kilometre from the site and processed at the adjacent Valldaura Labs woodworking facility. Under the guidance of course directors Daniel Ibáñez and Vicente Guallart, the project was built during COVID-19 restrictions.

volumetric pixel isolation

Design Details

The cabin comprises a kitchen with a sink and a toilet. An autonomous biogas system treats waste from the small toilet cubby to generate fuel for cooking and heating and produce sanitary fertiliser. The structure was built just in 5 months' timeline using locally sourced wood.

volumetric pixel isolation

The project helps to explore the environmental transformation of wood as a thermal, structural and constructive material from ecological forest management because of its capability to stock carbon dioxide in buildings, as per the designers.

Also Read: Hardwood Cross Laminated Timber - An Inspiration for Architects

volumetric pixel isolation

Charred and Slatted Wood Exterior

The Voxel is wrapped with slated and charred timber panels. The entire project shows the optimum use of CLT from Aleppo Pine that was granulated, parched, processed and hard-pressed on-site at the Valldaura campus workshops.

volumetric pixel isolation

The team cut the timber and then parched it before being processed into thin sheets known as lamellas- and then they are hard-pressed to form the structural CLT panels. They tracked and traced each lamella to ensure that every single wooden element used in the project can be precisely traced back to the point where the tree it came from once mounted.

volumetric pixel isolation

Then these panels are jointed to create a 3.6 x 3.6-metre cube. Instead of metal joints, the team used lap joints and wooden dowels to attach the CLT panels to lower the need for carbon-intensive tools like nails, screws or other fixings.

Cork Insulation

The project is covered in a layer of cork insulation that is sandwiched between the slatted rain-screen panels and the structure frame. Offcuts from the CLT production process are used to design the slatted rain screen panels forming the façade of the project.

volumetric pixel isolation

They placed these slats parametrically to augment their functionality. Japanese Shou Sugi Ban technique has also been used to charr the exterior panels for increasing its sturdiness. It also provides natural weatherproofing to the structure.

Also Read: Facade with Cross Laminated Timber by Architect Anders Berensson

The design team also placed a few panels away from the structure's elevations to house utilities like an outdoor shower and water tanks. They also developed many rooftop planters that using computer software to eliminate the role of glue or screw.

volumetric pixel isolation

These garden boxes allow rainwater harvesting by funnelling it into the collection tank. The placement of three solar panels on the terrace used to charge a battery that provides electricity.

Project Details

Project Name: The Voxel or the Quarantine Cabin
Location: Barcelona
Year: 2020
Architects: Valldaura Labs
Photo Courtesy: Adrià Goula
Source: www.iaacblog.com

Keep reading SURFACES REPORTER for more such articles and stories.

Join us in SOCIAL MEDIA to stay updated

SR FACEBOOK | SR LINKEDIN | SR INSTAGRAM | SR YOUTUBE

Further, Subscribe to our magazine Sign Up for the FREE Surfaces Reporter Magazine Newsletter

Also, check out Surfaces Reporter’s encouraging, exciting and educational WEBINARS here.

You may also like to read about:

The Toronto Tree Tower Is Built From Cross Laminated Timber and Plants | Penda | Timber

Japanese Architect Kengo Kuma Designed Cross Laminated Timber Pavilion And Park In Tokyo

And more…

×
×

Post Your Comment


"Content that powers your Business. News that keeps you informed."

Surfaces Reporter is one of India's leading media in Print & Digital Telecast for News on Interiors & Architecture Projects, Products, Building Materials, and the Business of Design! Since 2011, it serves as a referral for designers & architects to know about inspiring projects and source new products. If you have a Product or Project worth publishing in Surfaces Reporter, please email us hello@surfacesreporter.com or you can also submit your project online.

Like Surfaces Reporter on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter and Instagram | Subscribe to our magazine | Sign Up for the FREE Surfaces Reporter Magazine Newsletter

Exposed Red Brick Façade and Cross Laminated Timber Inform Magdalene College library | London | Niall McLaughlin Architects

The project, featuring amazing redbrick piers and cross-laminated timberwork, has won this years prestigious Stirling Prize.

Read more

Adohi Hall: The largest Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) Building in the United States | WAF Shortlisted Project

Adohi Hall is the largest cross-laminated timber (CLT) building in the United States and the first large-scale mass timber residence hall and living-learning setting envisioned by Leers Weinzapfel in collaboration with Mackey Mitchell Architects (St. Louis), and OLIN (Philadelphia) and Modus Studio

Read more

Japanese Architect Kengo Kuma Designed Cross Laminated Timber Pavilion And Park In Tokyo

Kengo Kuma, a renowned Japanese architect and founder of Kengo Kuma & Associates, built a temporary Pocket Park Pavilion in Tokyo using cross-laminated timber.

Read more

The Toronto Tree Tower Is Built From Cross Laminated Timber and Plants | Penda | Timber

Penda architects while designing The Toronto Tree Tower- an 18-storey building that is built entirely from cross-laminated timber (CLT) and plants.

Read more


This is alt