GB2551359A

GB2551359A - Telescopic, mobile building system for railway arches

Info

Publication number: GB2551359A
Application number: GB1610384.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tao Zui; Zhang Yezi; Ryan Didier
Original assignee: Undercurrent Arch
Current assignee: Undercurrent Arch
Priority date: 2016-06-15
Filing date: 2016-06-15
Publication date: 2017-12-20
Also published as: GB201610384D0

Abstract

A telescopic building structure having mobile arches 1a, 1b, 1c, that can be retracted and extended along a sliding mechanism 2. The structure is situated on a fixed floor with vibration absorbing plates 5. It has at least one void and reflective solar foils 6a, 6b, to reflect sunlight into the interior of the building through the façade 8 and transparent entrance doors 9, 10. The building also has acoustic insulation and thermal insulation 4, and an air ventilation system 7. There may be internal rooms 11 that are not part of the telescopic moving structure. The building is intended to be situated inside a railway archway, with the features such as vibration dampening and sunlight void creating habitable conditions. The telescopic structure allows the overlying railway arch to be exposed for periodic inspection.

Description

Title

Telescopic, mobile building system for railway arches.

Background

This invention relates to a building system that converts railway arches into habitable spaces.

Railway arches are non-habitable due to noise, vibration, dampness, darkness and poor ventilation. They are also constrained by a requirement for periodic inspection, preventing any permanent fixtures. The lack of permanency restricts long term investment.

Railway arches occupy a huge amount of space. For example, there are over 10,000 arches in London alone, many centrally located. A system that converts arches to habitable spaces opens vast swathes of under utilised land and encourages investment for the long term.

Statement of invention

This invention proposes a system that overcomes noise, vibration, dampness, darkness and poor ventilation in a common railway arch, to make it a comfortable and habitable building.

Meanwhile, the system allows periodic inspection of the overlying infrastructure, facilitating long term investment.

Advantages

This system is a sustainable solution to make railway arches habitable.

It provides a permanent solution that meets periodic inspection requirements, while facilitating long term investment

Preferably, the system is fitted with acoustic insulation to dampen noise, although other types of insulation may also be provided, such as high mass materials.

Preferably, the system is fitted with vibration dampening footings to absorb vibration, although it may operate without, depending on ground conditions.

Preferably, the system is fitted with an air purification unit to filter air, although may operate without depending on air quality levels.

Preferably, the system has a solar foil connected to the fapade to bring daylight to the interior of the arch, although may operate without, depending on solar factors.

Detailed description A telescopic structure (la, lb and lc) operates on a sliding mechanism (2) and moves to expose the overlaying arch viaduct (3] and permit periodic servicing - addressing a legal requirement that restricts fixtures within the arch. The structure is mobile and formed of sandwiching construction for acoustic and thermal insulation (4]. This structure is isolated on vibration pads (5] and floats off the ground to absorb the vibration from passing trains. A solar reflective foil (6] works with sun paths to collect, reflect and amplify daylight and naturally illuminate the dark interior spaces.

Introduction to drawings

An example of the invention will now be described by referring to the accompanying drawings: - Figure 1 shows the composition of the whole system. - Figure 2 shows the principle of the telescopic, mobile arch-within-arch.

In Figure 1, vibration pads (5] support and suspend the whole system above ground, minimising the impact of vibration. At the arch mouth, a fixed facade with glass (8] provides direct sunlight and openable windows for direct ventilation. On the fixed facade, solar reflective foils (6a, 6b] reflect sunlight to the arch interior. Sunlight reflects off the solar foil (6a] and passes through facade (8]. Sunlight reflects off solar foil (6b] and passes through the primary entrance (9] and secondary entrance (10], both made by a transparent material such as glass. The angle and shape of reflective foils (6a, 6b) are adjustable, according to site orientation and solar angles.

The mobile arches sit on tracks (2) and are subdivided into two or more telescopic parts. In this example, there are two connected sub arches (la, lb) in which the smaller arch (la) includes a secondary transparent fa9ade (10) to permit reflected light from the reflective foil (6b). The telescopic arches slide together in a forward and backward position, so that part la, lb are within part lc, and are designed to slide into one another. Each movable part occupies half of the original viaduct arch (3) to allow complete exposure of the original viaduct arch for periodic inspection. Telescopic parts are further described in Figure 2. The mobile arches are constructed with special insulation (4) including acoustic insulation for low frequency noise from overhead trains to meet noise requirements. Straw bale is the primary insulation material, although may include other insulation materials, depending on site requirements and budget constraints. Inside the arch space, an air system (7) is connected to exterior, providing clean air to the whole inner space from under floor intake and exhaust ducts. Internal rooms (11) can be further added without disturbing the mobility of arch la, lb and lc.

Figure 2 shows the movement of mobile arches for periodic inspection (3a, 3b). In this example, there are two telescopic parts consisting of three arches: la and lb are connected and slide together and lc moves independently. The sliding mechanism is either manual or electrical. Figure 2A shows the default position with all arches (la, lb, lc) extended. Figure 2B shows the forward inspection (3a), with part la+lb moved to the back position. Figure 2C shows the backwards inspection (3b) with part lc moved to the front

Claims

1. A telescopic mobile building system to enable the overlying railway arch to be exposed for periodic inspection.

2. A telescopic mobile building system according to claim 1, in which the mobile arches sit on fixed floor with vibration pads to absorb vibration created by train passing.

3. A telescopic mobile building system according to claim 1, in which a reflective solar foil is attached to the facade, facing the solar angle, to reflect natural light into the arch interior.

4. A telescopic mobile building system according to claim 3, in which the arch mouth has a void, to let the reflected light enter the arch interior.

5. A telescopic mobile building system according to claim 1, in which the insulation can absorb low frequency noise made by trains passing overhead.

6. A telescopic mobile building system according to claim 1, in which the insulation can meet thermal performance requirement of Building Regulations.

7. A telescopic mobile building system according to claim 1, in which there is an air system that provides healthy ventilation within the space.