TAMA Art University Library Case Study

Jacob Garcia . Miranda Gilcrease . Meggan Lytle . Katelyn Markham . Joshua McMahan . Katie Reyes
ARCH 631 . Dr. Anne Nichols . Fall 2018

https://sumally.com/p/362137
Architect Toyo Ito

1941
Born in Seoul Metropolitan City

1965-69
The University of Tokyo, Department of Architecture

1971
Started his studio, Urban Robot (URBOT) in Tokyo

1979
Changed its name to Toyo Ito & Associates, Architects

2013
Pritzker Architecture Prize
Project Data

● Location

○ Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan

● Period

○ 2004.4 – 2007.2

● Site Area

○ 159,184.87m2

● Building Area

○ 2,224.59m2

● Total Floor Area

○ 5,639.46m2 https://en.wikiarquitectura.com/building/tama-art-university-library/

● Structural Engineer: Mutsuro Sasaki

Design Concept

● Reflect the surrounding nature.

● Interpretation of a geological cave.

● Large glass windows and “random”

arches - continuous views

● Inspiration - The Mosque of Cordoba,

as well as islamic patterns

● Arches derived from bezier curve

https://archidialog.com/tag/tama-art-university-library/
Design Features

● The arches- differ heights and spans

● Arches -represent the stalactites of

caves, appearing as if in chaos.

● Design reflects various visual

https://leec737.wordpress.com/2014/02/26/tama-art-university-library/
perspectives.

● The design - “emergent” grid, which is

made of curved lines, 166 arches, and

56 intersecting points.

http://shomei-tanteidan.org/en/wlj/tama-art-university-library/
Site Data

https://www.meteoblue.com/en/weather/forecast/modelclimate/tokyo_japan_1850147
Site Data

https://www.meteoblue.com/en/weather/forecast/modelclimate/tokyo_japan_1850147
Site Data

https://www.meteoblue.com/en/weather/forecast/modelclimate/tokyo_japan_1850147
Site Data

https://www.nippon.com/en/features/h00234/
Site Data

https://www.nippon.com/en/features/h00234/
Site Data

https://www.nippon.com/en/features/h00234/
Seismic Scale

https://www.nippon.com/en/features/h00234/
Seismic Scale Illustration

https://www.jma.go.jp/jma/en/Activities/earthquake.html
The Structure

● The main structural system is a

combination of steel arches and

reinforced concrete.

● The arches are made out of

12mm steel plates that have

been covered with concrete

(~8in).

● “Emergent grid” floor plan

● Arch intersections form a cross

shape
http://www.celestelayne.com/blog/2018/1/15/tama-art-university-library

○ aid for seismic (lateral

stability)
Arches

● Arches on top floor align with bottom floor

arches.
● Continuous arches give lateral support to
the framing system.
● The “emergent grid” of arches provides
diaphragm cross bracing
● Concrete serves as fireproofing and
“deflection suppression” for steel arches.
● Composite arch is 200 mm thick concrete (in
spans) .
● Composite arch is 400 mm thick at
intersection points.

https://divisare.com/projects/322210-toyo-ito-associates-rasmus-hjortshoj-tama-art-university-library
Second Floor Plan
First Floor Plan
Basement Plan
Section
Detail Section
Construction

https://issuu.com/fanwen2/docs/final https://issuu.com/fanwen2/docs/final
Construction

https://en.wikiarquitectura.com/building/tama-art-university-library/
 Construction

http://toolsforarchitecture.aaschool.ac.uk/author/Gigiwongtszyan/
 Construction

https://www.archiweb.cz/b/knihovna-tama-art-university
Load Tracing: Gravity
● Gravity loads would be transferred
across the horizontal elements of the
arches at an angle due to the nature of
the structure.
● Since the arches are continuous, the
horizontal components of the
tangential forces cancel each other out
much like a buttress would on a Gothic
cathedral.
● The vertical components of the
tangential forces flow together, thus
increasing the compressive force down
through the arch column.
● The vertical loads would then continue
down into the foundation of the
building.
Gravity Load Tracing
 P
Load Tracing: Lateral Loads
● Lateral loads would be transferred ● Since the arches are continuous, the
through the plate elements of the vertical components of the tangential
composite arches. The load would then forces cancel each other out at the arch
trace through the shape of the arch. columns.
● The horizontal components of the
tangential forces flow together, thus
increasing the shear force down through
the arch column.
Seismic and Wind Considerations

● Exterior glass windows are “perfectly”

embedded into the concrete arches.

● Deflection from frame action needs to

be minimal to avoid glass breakage.

● Center of mass and center of rigidity

need to align to prevent torsion

● Low-rise buildings have a high natural

frequency and need to avoid reaching

resonance from high frequency

earthquakes. https://arcspace.com/feature/tama-art-university-library/
Seismic and Wind Load Solutions

● Due to the redundancy from the rigid ● Large building plan with many

frame system, deflection is minimized. interconnected arches leads to

● Arch plan was distributed evenly to increased overall building stiffness.

maintain the center of mass and center ● Strong winds are effectively resisted by

of rigidity, thus preventing torsion. the rigid frame arch system.

● A base isolation system reduces ● Rigid connections create a higher

building movements by absorbing large redundancy to prevent total collapse

lateral forces and allowing the building with the destruction of a few members.

to “displace slowly up to 50 ● Reinforced concrete prevents buckling

centimeters”. of the members.

https://libopac.tamabi.ac.jp/drupal/?q=hachioji/feature/structure
Design for Seismic loading

https://duranvirginia.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/virginia-duran-blog-amazing-libraries-tama-art-university-library-by-toyo-ito-floor-plan.jpg
 Seismic Dampening Devices

● Low-friction elastic sliding bearing ● Laminated rubber bearing base isolator

https://www.japanrubberweekly.com/2018/10/bridgestone-develops-new-and-improved-series-of-seismic-isolation-bearings/
Underground seismic isolation system

“Floating Building”
https://libopac.tamabi.ac.jp/drupal/?q=hachioji/feature/operation
Structural Analysis
● Risk Category (ASCE 7-10): Risk Category II

● Load Combinations (ASCE 7-10): LRFD

■ 1.4*D
■ 1.2*D+1.6*L
■ 0.9*D+1.0*W

● Minimum Uniformly Distributed Live Loads (ASCE 7-10)

○ Table 1607.1
■ Libraries:
● Corridors above first floor: 80 psf
● Reading Rooms: 60 psf
● Stack Rooms: 150 psf
Simplified Arch Systems
Axial
1.2*D+1.6*L
Shear
1.2*D+1.6*L
Moment
1.2*D+1.6*L
Dx Displacement
0.9*D+1.0*W
Shear
0.9*D+1.0*W
Resources
Schodek, Daniel L., and Martin Bechthold. https://en.wikiarquitectura.com/building/tam
Structures. Seventh Edition. Boston : a-art-university-library/
Pearson, [2014], 2014. https://www.archdaily.com/22711/tama-art-
university-library-toyo-ito-by-iwan-baan
Phillips, David and Yamashita, Megumo.
Detail in Contemporary Concrete http://www.toyo-
Architecture. London: Laurence King, 2012 ito.co.jp/WWW/Project_Descript/2005-
/2005-p_11/2005-p_11_en.html
Tama Art University Library,
https://libopac.tamabi.ac.jp/drupal/?q=hachi
oji/feature/structure

https://arcspace.com/feature/tama-art-
university-library/

https://www.detail-
online.com/fileadmin/magazinepdf/DET_20
08_1-2_Ital.pdf