Faculfy of Architecture and Civil Engineering Department of Building and Civil Engineering

ENGNEERNG STREAM YEAR 5

T}jE,SIS PROJECTS
PR-OJECT

2OO7

-2008

i:

Cargo ha.ndl.ing depot at tlte \t[o./.ra In.tet.national Airport

Accommodation: Transponation of careo b1 air has increased erponentialll in recent vears. It iras been felt for man1, years that the facilities for cargo handling at tlie l\4a1ta TnternafiOnal .,,,r", AirnOrr are ina,len,rale cn;J n,11 rrr tn inrcrnrriOna] StandafdS lt iS beinS .*. rltq(rvllol JLajju4luJ. lt JJ \ !LL.: to desion and COnStfUgl g 116jer-n nqrcn hcn,.1 li'o,,lgp61 at the airpor.t. YOri are nt'Onosed r' " r.---" required to anallse tlie requirenrenrs for sucir a facility and erenruaiil'design rhis lacilitr. It is essential that a1l faciiities for the handling of cargo starting from unloading fi'om tire aircraft to final loading on land transporl be accommodated as u,ell as all other required facilities. e.g. customs. securitr checl<s. etc. The building has ro respect rlre safetl renttiretrrent< in relsliOn tO itS IOCatiOn te.o maxirrrrrm heiqht as dictated hv J4llt) saferr lrrqnllllulll llLrltrL dJ urv.uL!u u) regulations) as nell as respeci ihe architecture of the environmenr and. if possib)e,
imprcve on it.

PRO.IECT

2: Digiral

relevi.riott antetztla ar Benghisa

Accommodation: Digital television has becorne an inrponant aspect of the rransmissioir of television progralnrnes but the digital transmissions require verv hioh antennae (at'ound 60 rnetres hight iocated at strategrc olaces 1o ensure good reception b1 all subscribet's to rhe s)'stem. [r is being proposed to Iocate one sucli anrenna ai Bengirisa to serre the soutltern part of the island. The design of the altteitna. in adJition to the structural problems involved, n'ill inevitabJl'be a major landmark in the area. It u'iil be the highest structurai around and visible froin rniles away. This irnportant factor rnust be taken into account in the your desien. Your study should include also the possibility of providing other facilities rvithin the antenna building. It is up to you to consider the t,arious possibilities and anallse the feasibility of sucli proposals, whether filanciall1,, technically and their irnpact on the environment. PR-OJECT
3

: Iti g/t-tec/.l

nlulti-st or ey fu c:tory

In recent years there has been an importani development in manufacturing industri,. While preyiously the priorities \^/ere for production u,[ich required relatjreli'iittle s}<ili from the operatives, nov'adays the aim is to create industry u'hich employs highly skilled operatives in such sectors as information technologr,, nanotechnolosi'. etc. \4oreover. Jand is scarce and the land available for industrl is
Accommodation:

limited' You are required to investigate the requirements for this tlpe of industry it can be located u'ithin an exiiting or proposed industrial complex of 5,611. choice. It may even replace an existing factor1,. lou *,itt be required to design a factory occupf ing a floorplate of around 1000 square rnetres and built over three to frr,e storeys. This is meant as a one-off exercise ar-rd therefore you slrould indicate the type of industrl, liou expect would be accommodated in y'our buiiiing. Great imponance stiouta be gi'en to the appearance of the building and the surrounding"tanicaped areas. Aim for sensible innovation (not -just innovation for innovation sake). Explore neur materials and their pcssibilities.
severel)1

and the u'a,v

PRoJEcr 4: pedestt"ia,
centLu'\1

brid.ge acr-oss. the Gran.c Harbout entran.tce

i' closer detail the harbour entrance and the iurrounding fortifications. Your design is to take into account the proximit_v of such facilities as j__ort St Elmo, the possibility of having a pedestrian .ort. uround Valletta, and the upgrading of the Iou'er \/alletta area' Hou'ei,er, these features \^,iil not be required as pafi of.1,611' design except mal'be at concept stage. You are to concentrate on the design of the bridge and consider such features as the ma it (v"'hat happens in bau' u'earher?) and acc.ess to ir fro'r rruu.tta"'1;:#':1il::.,r:;
/

It rs being proposed to re-construct this bridge as a sin-ele lpan pedestnan bridge linking the valletta point to the breal<qzater' This Lrridge is meant to be a tourist attraction for people ivho urant to experience

Accommodation: When the breaku'ater u'as constructecl in the beginning of the 20rr, it tYas linked tc the valletta side by a peciestrian bLidge built-on twJ spans. This bridge was destro)'ed b)' enemy action during the war and ne'er re-built.

PRoJEcr 5: Design. of a murti-revel road..iunctio, at r*sicta

Accommodation: Tire traffic problem at \4sida is well-knou,n. For a number of 1,ears a ,_? o.t1qn and consrrucr a multi-le'el road juncrion ar N4sida il::::ii"t3.'.^b'-.j:.,:':* tne sub;ect exists and L1^LUririi! tiiluliiiatjoil oil set,eral proposais havle been made. you are required to analyse the various proposals and p.esent u ,ruay on the transportation problem at Msida (at the brief stage)^."itn a p.oporui 1o. r,uriou, options) hou, this for the design of the road junction. It is essential that irour design creates the mrnimum disruption of traffic floia's possible and the construition should be as fbst as possibie. Take into account the foundation probierns ),ou are iikeJy to encounter in the iocatiliti, (part of tire locality is inade-up grbund consisting of fill ptu"ea in the sea. you are nor required to prepare a construction management plan. but at ieast you sirould have a general idea (an overall concept) of the rvay thii construction programme is lilcel), to proceed' (Note' This proiect is nteant for students,,ho at"e studying road desigt and"
con.strtLctton)

Design ob.iectives: The objectirres of these exercises is to create attlactive buildings or infi"astructural u'orks as required in each case. The following factors ar.e therefore to be siYen consideration in r our desisn and r orr *.rlr hc 2a(a(<^.t ' uv uJJLJrtu '^* rru\\ s,lrrctl\ e ) our oeslgll 'lr L^.. ^,,t^^z:-rl iil be in achier lng tirese airns:

1' Arcltitectut"al concept. This in'olves the layout of the internal spaces, the appearance of the building q'ithin its context, convenience to users, suiiabie chtice of mateiials, etc. quaiity'en','ironmetrt is to be created to facilitate ih. ur" of the particular bLrilding. l"to
Structural concept. Consider the structural solution to your concept earllz 611 jn the design stage" Avoid; first designing the layout, etc arcl rlten tnt to intpose a struc7ural soiutiott on ir. Ti'te structu.ral so/ution m.ust evohte .sintultaneousfi, 6s )toz.r solt;e tlte arc
h

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i.teciura.l an d other problents.

3' Etrergy fficiency The building or structure should be ener-gy efficient rn the constructioll process including the choice of ilaterials used for construction, the pro'ision of services including lighting, heating and air-corrditioning and problerns of noise controi.
Adequaie and safe circulation roures and escape routes in case of of buiidings. Fire protection and the possibility of rapid evacuation of the building in case of firel, ,l"..=ru.-u.-. Other fire safetv rrleasures including alarrns, access to fire brieade, etc are essenttaj.
emergencles are required in the case
bv pedestrians including those q'ith mobi1it1, probJems is ro be considered carefully._Access for all is essential.

4'

saJb4t

in use'

5. Access; Access to the building b), vehicles including

service vehicles and

6. Cosr Keep cost aiwa1,5 at the bacl< of your mind. The project should be feasible (any client u'o,.rld require that). The provision of t-,nn"..rrur1, facilities u,hich are difficLrlt to iustifl is not acceptable.
Programme: The project is djvided into the following parts:

Preparation of brief' A brief outiining in detail the requirements. space allocarion and standards to be achieved is to be prepared. A number of case studies. locai or from other countries, are to be included. Tire brief .rri'i".rri;""";;;;..tiensive ot'erview of the.performance requirements of the building in terrns of (1) site sensitivitl', (2) activities within the building, (3) efficient design in terms of flnancial feasibility" construction system, efficiency and mainierance requiremenrs, "n"Iql and (4) archirectural erpression. NorE THAT THis Docu\4ENT sHouLD SERVE AS THE BASIS FOR THE EXECUTED DESIGN A PR.OSPECTIVE DESIGNER SHOULD FIND ALL TFIE INFOR}4AT]ON R.EQUIRED TO BE ABLE TO PROCEED WITH TI{E DESIGN. Presentation date; 6 November 2007

Architectural design; Details of the proposed buildins are to be prepared to inclr-rde plans, elevations. sections, etc ali at the appropriate scale.logether with u d"tuii.d repori outlrning hou' these objectives are to be achievecl. The strluctural solutions are to be described in outiine form and ilie i-vpes of sen,ices requiredur. ulso to be indicatecl. you

2'

may assume that )/ou are making a presentation to your crients. (A proper portforio is to be presented).
Presentation. date; 8 Januar), 2008

Structural desigtt Structural calculations together \\,ith rvorking drau,ings shou,irg details of size of elements- reinforcement for coicrete structures, details of connections for steei structures, etc are to be presented. Your tutors u,i11 indicate rvhether" and u,here, computel' design may be used and lvhere manual calculations are necessar\2. (presentation is to include a poftfolio anci reporr). Presentation date. R-evieu,7 Mar, 200g

3'

Final presentatiott; Full detailed u,orking drau,ings and presentatror-i drau,ings indicating methods of construction. finisher, .".r,i"., (in oi:tline forin), energ,v elficierrcl, Ireasures, etc' (Presentatiott is to include a poftfolio of detaiis, structliral Jrzu,ings and relevart rePgrts; A part of the building rvhich il,ill be indicated to yor-r by your tutors has to be finished in al1 details. Presentation date; Revierv in June 2000.

4'

v'i/l be require.d to make irtforrual presenrations of tlteir tttork progress at other tintes during the 1tssy.
Shtdents Assessment:

to

assess

tlteir

Note that -r'ou u'ill be assessed on the overall design of"the building and noi -just the structural drawings and calculations. You have to show-that your buildins or structure *'ould be a positi'e feature in its environrnent, and that it satisfies the design aims ser out
in rhe brief.

CIJECKLIST' OF THE PRESENTATION DRAWINGS, ETC REQUIRED AT THE END OF THE PROJECT
1' Architectural Dratt'lz8's: You have to plesent fu11 architectural drau'ings to shou,in detail y6ul proposal.,Your drau'ings are to include plans at all levels, proper ele'ations, sections through the building and. where necessary perspective vie\\is. both ipter-nal and external. One on more mode)s ol;,6u1proposal u,ould be adyantageous.

Your drau'ings (with. if necessarl,, a document indicating ihe necessary caiculations or reference to standards) are to indicate the measures ),'ou iJi.,-rd to adopt to reduce energy consumption to acceptable limits, safety for the users including fire saiety, etc. Your drarvings (accompanied b1'calculations) are to indicate the structural s1r51gm adopted as u,ell ai element desisn. ihe calculation of forces and consequent detailing of a large number of identical elements is superfluous. your drara,ings and calculatioiis are to demonstrate an abiiitl, to create an effective structural
2.' Engineerit'tg Drott'ittg.s:

solution and the analytical skills necessary to model the structural action structure" Ali drau,ings are to be in accordance w,ith an approved standard.

in

your

3' Construction Detailing: A part of your building as indicated by your tutors is to be completely finished. Drawings (in accordance wiih an approved standard, eg, BS EN Standards) are to indicate clearly how that particular part^of the building is gJi',g to ue finished' An internal perspective (and lor elevations, sections, plans) shoq,ing materials proposed is also to be presented.
Remember to consult your tutors (and oth_er menzbers of staff, as required) regularly. A

record of your attendance for tutorials utill be kept.

NOTE THAT YOUR PERFORMANCE IN THE INTERMEDIATE REVIEWS WILL BE RECORDED AND CONSIDERED IN THE FINAL ASSESSMENT OF YOUR
PROJECT.

For the final presentation students are to present a CD or DVD vi'ith a copy of all
drawings, calculations, etc to be retained at the Department for future reference.