The DAK MMC Ideal House Type
Douglas and King have embraced factory and offsite construction in order to improve the quality of our buildings and environments. Working with housing developer clients, leading suppliers and offsite MMC Consultants we have evolved an ideal model house type that is adaptable to use and context.
The DAK MMC House has emerged through years of testing, exploring, engaging, measuring, listening and learning by Douglas and King, Architects and Project Managers. Every aspect of the DAK house is designed to the highest standards of sustainability and is a champion of environmental performance in construction and in use.
The DAK House Kit is authentic, adaptive and appropriate. The system is designed to adapt to a unique setting within a master plan to and reflect an authentic regional architectural inheritance – borrowing from it rather than faking it.
The DAK House can be laid out to encourage place making in a master plan and the house can be arranged to suit tenure and family type. It can also be adapted to individual tastes.
The DAK House is authentic in that it rejects the false notion of what is perceived as ‘traditional’ and instead challenges the typical housing typology offered by many house builders today.
The DAK House balances the business model with good design and achieves this through flexibility, adaptability and cost efficiency. To maximize profit solely for shareholders dividend returns in the housing sector results in the squeezing of cost/ambition/responsibility at all levels and neglects the vital component – added value.
The DAK House is built around a standard set of factory components that can be arranged in a variety of ways to suit location and use. The DAK House can be aligned to take advantage of orientation, topography and outlook, and proximity to neighbouring structures and landscape.
Manufacture and Construction
The UK Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government have published a Definition Framework that classifies 7 categories of off-site MMC construction and spans all types of pre-manufacturing, site based materials and process innovate
The DAK House is built with Closed Panel Timber Frame Construction which falls into Category 2 of Modern Methods of Construction. This permits all the benefits of MMC with the critical ability of adaptable design. The house type is also suitable for standard timber framed construction.
Douglas and King work with industry leading consultants BD Solutions in identifying the most realistic and efficient MMC systems to use on specific projects.
Manufacturing experts PD Solutions have collaborated with Douglas and King in the evolution of the DAK House type and our regular suppliers have developed state of the art factory facilities at the fore-front of closed panel off-site manufacturing systems.
Methodology
We plan the factory production roadmap well in advance of placing an order. Co-ordinated drawings are passed to the worksop for confirmation of order, price, environmental credentials, and confirmation of delivery schedule.
When the price is confirmed fabrication drawings and specifications are prepared by specialist technicians within our preferred suppliers manufacturing facility and vetted and approved by Douglas and King.
Then the timber frame is produced, insulation and sheathing elements applied and smaller windows fitted. Service zones are installed within walls that will allow electricians on site to route cables and M and E systems.
The panels are fabricated as large as road transport will allow. The modular sections are delivered to site and lifted into place by crane, the whole system sitting on pre-prepared foundations and base slabs.
The panels are fixed together by the MMC Suppliers’ on-site team ready for secondary components, services fit out and internal and external finishes to be put in place by local based specialists.
Douglas and King have standard fabrication drawings and specifications for all secondary components for use in the DAK House Type and these can be sourced by other manufacturing partners or though a main contractor.
Environmental and Sustainability Targets
The DAK House champions environmental performance in construction and in use. The house type can be aligned to the standards set out in most leading standards including Passivehaus. The building type is designed in accordance with the aspirations of the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge and the UK GBC, and meets the environmental performance targets detailed by UK Building Regulations.
We calculate the carbon footprint of all of our buildings by adding up the sums of the following impacts:
- impacts from material extraction and manufacturing processes
- transportation
- construction
- maintenance, repairs, and replacement of materials during the buildings life
- cycle energy and water consumption in use
- knock down and end-of-life recycling of materials
The best and most sustainable material for construction remains timber and this is widely used by our suppliers in their off-site construction processes.
We are committed to creating people-centered dwellings that are inclusive where full consideration has been given to the dynamics of age, lifestyle, function, circulation, level, daylight levels, insulation and well-being.
The DAK House and the DAK Development Appraisal
A design led house type development pursues the same appraisal model as would any typical development project undertaken by Douglas and King. A design led project built around a realistic and coherent business model creates the most successful residential developments.
We assess the risk and plan the extent of investments required and the financial model for the development. We outline how to deliver the maximum development potential through design-led solutions.
We embrace the role of Design Team Project Manager in order to co-ordinate all stages of a project from conception through planning, design, construction and handover. Combining the roles of project manager and architect means we can predict and monitor the project throughout its timeline.
We collaborate closely with clients, fellow design professionals, local planners and building control officers, contractors and suppliers – all of these are valuable partners who collectively deliver the successful outcome of a project.
Join the List – the Offer
If you have a site for development and would like to know how the DAK House might fit within your development plans please contact Martin at our Shoreditch studio – martin@douglasandking.com
We will prepare a draft master plan along with a development appraisal identifying timeline, costs and all stages of the process including vision, planning, construction and occupation.
