Construction Assemblies & Transitions

In the DD phase, we defined the floor, roof, and wall assemblies. We also determined ideal assembly thicknesses, weather-resistant barriers, and insulation types. In this CD phase, we specify the products and where they fit in the overall assembly.

In our office, we dedicate entire drawing sheets to these assemblies for larger custom projects. We tag each assembly and reference them in the floor plans, building sections, and wall sections. This way, we aren’t repeating information on all sheets, but referencing these sheets and calling out the information only once.

We apply the same principle when working through details where one material transitions to another. Because material thicknesses and attachment methods vary, we document this relationship and specify what to do at the offset.

The goal is to make it easy for the contractor to understand the design intent by creating a straightforward set of visual instructions so there is no guesswork.

We review all floor, roof, and wall assemblies for each unique condition to ensure we like the alignments. Additionally, we prioritize creating an air and watertight detail. To achieve this, we perform a Pen Test on the building envelope by tracing the weather-resistant barrier around the entire house in the wall section drawings.

As we review wall assemblies and material transitions, we ensure that our details show continuous exterior insulation and a rainscreen system. Given that Columbus, OH receives 40”-50” of precipitation annually, having a rainscreen system is crucial for improving the wall’s longevity and drying out the cladding. The rainscreen system removes any residual water or moisture that may get behind the cladding.

The Great Room Details

The Great Room is by far the most important space in the house. It is also the most complicated. We have floor-to-ceiling glass doors and windows for over 50% of the exterior walls, which requires additional structural measures. We have a thin roof profile that extends over the doors providing protection from weather and sun. There is also a zero-threshold detail that seamlessly connects the interior with the outdoors.

With so much going on in this room, it makes sense that 75% of our construction details are related to this room. Let’s look at a few of them.

Lift & Slide Door Details

The bi-passing lift & slide doors have a deep door frame to account for all door leaves stacking against the jamb. A standard 2×6 stud wall thickness would not work for the Great Room because the door frame would stick out past the adjacent walls.

To figure out the wall thickness, we needed to account for all of the components that would go inside the Great Room walls: studs, windows, doors, steel posts, steel beams, insulation, and insect screens. We replaced the placeholder information in our details with new, real product information and thicknesses.

All that was left was to choreograph each of these components together to fit nicely in the wall assembly. To ensure the details work, we review various detail views: plan view, section detail, elevations, sills, heads, and jambs. Each detail showed a slightly different condition that we had to solve from a performance, constructability, and aesthetic standpoint.

As you can imagine, we go through various iterations of each detail until we land on something that works for all conditions. We jump from one view to another and back as we try to solve all the conditions.

For the Shimla House, after we accounted for all the components, we determined that a 2×10 stud framing size was the best size to account for all components. We adjusted our drawings to reflect this stud size for the great room’s exterior walls.

Since these details are completely custom, we fully recognize that input from the contractor is imperative. We aren’t the experts on means and methods and don’t physically build houses for a living, so we rely on other team members to provide expertise. We don’t necessarily care about the means and methods as long as its watertight, visually meets our design intent, and uses appropriate construction practices (like isolating dissimilar metals, using the right type of fasteners, sealing joints where applicable, etc.) This is where having a qualified contractor who understands and appreciates the project goals becomes crucial.

Roof profile

At the Shimla House, we wanted a large roof overhang in all directions over the great room. We also wanted the edge profile to be as small as possible.

While the roof assembly has a certain thickness for roof trusses and insulation, beyond the exterior walls, that roof thickness is not necessary. Instead, we wanted to taper the roof profile and reduce its thickness as much as possible. We want the roof to seem delicate and light atop the all-glass walls instead of something heavy and clunky.

At the same time, the roof still needed to provide adequate structural stiffness, positive drainage, and cavity space to conceal framing, lighting, and/or motorized screens for the large glass doors. That’s a lot to ask of a roof detail and why we need to provide details to the contractor.

Side note: We spend many hours working through a select group of details. In a given drawing set, there are always a few details that are crucial. These critical details tell nearly the entire story of why things are the way they are. They are jam-packed with information and coordination. In conversations and working sessions, we always come back to these details to work through different conditions. This is one of those details.

This detail contains nearly everything needed for the entire Great Room roof. Here are a few issues we resolved:

• The moment frame beams are 18″ deep, but the roof truss depth is only 13″. We wanted the glass to go up to the ceiling, so we lower ed the ceiling finish to conceal the deeper steel beam. This also set the soffit height at the exterior, as we wanted both the ceiling and soffit to be the same height.
• There is a large continuous 8″x12″ insect screen housing that needs to be hidden. We had to come up with a creative solution to support a four-foot overhang around and above the insect screen box while tapering the roof profile at the edge. We designed a tapered outrigger detail that supports the steel beam at the perimeter. It also has infill 2x framing on the end to support the roof sheathing and provides an open cavity for the insect screen housing.
• All this while also venting, sloping, and tapering the roof profile.

Threshold Detail

Unlike most houses, this house sits very close to the ground. Instead of having a few steps leading up to a door or porch, we wanted a continuous floor surface extending outward.

To achieve this, we couldn’t use a typical foundation detail where floor trusses bear on top of a concrete wall. This detail would work if the grade was much lower. But with the grade nearly at floor level, the height of the grade being right up against the wood framing was problematic. Whenever possible, we try to avoid burying wood framing against earthwork.

For the Shimla House, we altered the typical foundation detail and created a concrete curb or stem wall to butt up against the earth instead of the wood framing. We also created a bearing ledge for our trusses.

Construction Document Set

The construction documentation phase for a highly custom modern residential project can involve a lot of details. To convey the design intent of the building envelope alone, there may be over 100 details. Add to that, the interior details for stairs, railings, fireplaces, cabinetry, power and lighting.

Documentation is key if you want to control the outcome.

For the Shimla House, we had 50 architectural sheets, some of which had 12 details on them. In addition, there were landscape, structural, and interior design sheets. This brought the total number of sheets for our construction document set to around 100 drawings.

Bringing it together

The following renderings are the culmination of our design phase. When project goals call for an exceptional modern home with a high level of detail, the amount of design rigor required is extremely high (not to mention the talent on the construction side). But its this high level of custom detailing and attention to craft that when executed well, creates such amazing and awe-inspiring architecture.

The best designs are those that make everything seem simple and effortless. You don’t think about how much effort it takes to pull off a great timeless piece of architecture when you see is the final result. All you see is a world-class one-of-a-kind home designed just for you. And, that’s the point!

Someone with a keen eye for design would notice that the light fixtures align with the window frames, the kitchen island is perfectly aligned with the tile joints, and there are five full height sheets of cement board on the front elevation without any offcuts. However, what most people notice is how the design of the space makes them feel. And what they feel is a sense of “rightness.” The tension that comes with slightly off-center or oddly spaced fixtures is absent. The feeling of being in a dark, uninspiring space is gone and replaced by a sense of calmness, balance, and tranquility.

When all the things have a home, when all the components fit where they are supposed to, and when you pause for a minute, all you notice is how amazing you feel – that’s what great design can do for you.

Great design can elevate your life, your mental health, and your physical well-being so that you can be the best version of yourself.

Exceptional Design

The Shimla House is a thoughtfully designed modern home, crafted exclusively for our unique clients. Stay tuned as we build this project and pave the way for more design-forward custom residential projects in Central Ohio.

If you have a unique property and are looking to create a custom modern home that is tailored to the site, that welcomes you home, and becomes a legacy for generations, please reach out. We would love to start the conversation and help you create your exciting new project.