Jonathan Ochshorn
Room 121-B, Rand Hall
Department of Architecture
Cornell University
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ARCH 262: Building Technology, Materials & Methods
Assign #4: Cavity wall exercise


assigned: Oct. 27, 1999
due: Nov. 11, 1999

In the axonometric of Frank Lloyd Wright's Larkin Building of 1904 taken from Edward Ford's Details of Modern Architecture (pp. 198-99), the brick piers are load-bearing and do not contain steel columns.

Redraw the axon as a modern steel-framed building with BV/SS or BV/CMU cavity wall construction.

Assume 24" deep steel spandrel girders and beams; use steel corrugated deck with concrete fill as the floor structure.

Keep the exterior appearance as is; modify the interior only to the extent necessary to accommodate your modern construction scheme.

Show flashing, air barrier, insulation, shelf angles, structure, etc. You may "peel" back the skin to reveal the various construction layers in your scheme. Label the drawing directly, or (as in Ford's drawing) with a key.

Format: 8-1/2" x 11" photocopy. Use of color to clarify different construction elements is optional.

Consult references for detailed information on cavity wall construction; note that some details show concrete frame instead of steel frame (make necessary adjustments):

  • text (Allen), pp. 692-698;
  • Brand, especially pp. 22-35;
  • Allen (Architectural Detailing), pp. 235-267;
  • Architectural Graphic Standards -- use index or table of contents.

last updated: 26 Oct. 1999
Copyright 1999 J. Ochshorn. All rights reserved. Republishing material on this web site, whether in print or on another web site, in whole or in part, is not permitted without advance permission of the author.