Modular building assembly

Abstract

There is disclosed a modular building assembly configured to form at least part of a building, a building system and a building comprising the modular building assembly, and a method of constructing a

Claims

1. A modular building assembly configured to form at least part of a building, the modular building assembly comprising:a first modular building unit comprising an internal volume, the first modular building unit having a footprint;at least one further modular building unit comprising an internal volume, said further modular building unit configured to be positioned on top of the first modular building unit overlying a first portion of its footprint; anda modular floor unit configured to be positioned on top of the first modular building unit overlying a further portion of its footprint.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the further modular building unit and the modular floor unit are configured so that they together overlie a majority of the footprint of the first modular building unit.

3. An assembly as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2, in which the first modular building unit is configured to define at least part of an access route, the access route providing access from the first modular building unit to at least one of: a) a floor supported or defined by the modular floor unit; and b) the internal volume of the further modular building unit.

4. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the first modular building unit comprises at least a main part of a staircase and a ceiling structure, and in which the first modular building unit and the modular floor unit are arranged so that an aperture is provided which extends through the ceiling structure when the modular floor unit is positioned on the first modular building unit, the aperture communicating with the main part of the staircase.

5. An assembly as claimed in claim 4, in which the modular floor unit is configured to define at least part of a landing, and the aperture opens adjacent to the landing.

6. An assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the first modular building unit comprises at least a main part of a staircase, and the further modular building unit comprises an aperture which communicates with the main part of the staircase when the further modular building unit is positioned on top of the first modular building unit.

7. An assembly as claimed in claim 6, in which the further modular building unit is configured to define at least part of a landing, and the aperture opens adjacent to the landing.

8. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the modular floor unit is configured to define at least part of a floor which provides direct access into the internal volume of the further modular building unit.

9. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which:the further modular building unit is a second modular building unit;the further portion of the footprint of the first modular building unit which is overlaid by the modular floor unit is a second portion of the footprint; andthe modular building assembly comprises a third modular building unit, the third modular building unit comprising an internal volume and being configured to be positioned on top of the first modular building unit overlying a third portion of its footprint.

10. An assembly as claimed in claim 9, in which the second modular building unit, the third modular building unit and the modular floor unit are configured so that they together overlie a majority of the footprint of the first modular building unit.

11. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which:the internal volume of the first modular building unit is configured to form at least part of at least one room of the building, the at least one room selected from the group comprising a hallway, a room comprising a wet facility, and a technical room; andthe internal volume of the at least one further modular building unit is configured to form at least part of at least one room of the building, the at least one room comprising a wet facility.

12. An assembly as claimed in claim 11, when dependent on claim 9, in which the second and third modular building units each comprise respective wet facilities.

13. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which:the first modular building unit comprises a perimeter, the perimeter comprising a plurality of perimeter portions, each perimeter portion disposed transverse to at least one other perimeter portion; andthe at least one further modular building unit is configured to overlap at least one perimeter portion of the first modular building unit.

14. An assembly as claimed in claim 13, in which:the at least one further modular building unit comprises a perimeter, the perimeter comprising a plurality of perimeter portions, each perimeter portion disposed transverse to at least one other perimeter portion; andthe at least one further modular building unit is configured to be positioned on top of the first modular building unit so that at least one perimeter portion of the further modular building unit is disposed laterally spaced from a corresponding perimeter portion of the first modular building unit.

15. An assembly as claimed in claim 14, in which said perimeter portion of the further modular building unit is disposed outboard of the footprint of the first modular building unit.

16. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the further modular building unit is adapted to overhang at least one perimeter portion of the first modular building unit, which perimeter portion defines a side of the first modular building unit.

17. An assembly as claimed in claim 16, in which the further modular building unit is configured so that an overhanging portion of the further modular building unit forms at least part of a porch for a building comprising the modular building assembly.

18. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the at least one further modular building unit is configured to be positioned on top of the first modular building unit so that at least one perimeter portion of said further unit is disposed inboard of at least one perimeter portion of the first modular building unit.

19. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which:the first modular building unit and the at least one further modular building unit each comprise respective main axes extending along main length directions of the units; andthe at least one further modular building unit is configured to be positioned on top of the first modular building unit so that the main axis of the at least one further modular building unit is disposed substantially parallel to the main axis of the first modular building unit.

20. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which:the first modular building unit and the at least one further modular building unit each comprise respective main axes extending along main length directions of the units; andthe at least one further modular building unit is configured to be positioned on top of the first modular building unit so that the main axis of the at least one further modular building unit is disposed transverse to the main axis of the first modular building unit.

21. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which:the footprint of the first modular building unit is a first footprint;the at least one further modular building unit comprises a footprint, which is a second footprint of the modular building assembly; andthe second footprint is different to the first footprint.

22. An assembly as claimed in claim 21, in which:the second footprint has a different shape to the first footprint; and / orat least one dimension of the second footprint differs from a corresponding dimension of the first footprint.

23. An assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 20, in which:the footprint of the first modular building unit is a first footprint;the at least one further modular building unit comprises a footprint, which is a second footprint of the modular building assembly, the second footprint being substantially the same as the first footprint; andsaid further modular building unit is configured to be positioned on top of the first modular building unit so that the second footprint partially overlaps the first footprint.

24. An assembly as claimed in claim 23, in which at least part of the second footprint overhangs a perimeter portion of the first modular building unit.

25. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the first modular building unit comprises: a ceiling structure configured to support the further modular building unit and the modular floor unit, the ceiling structure comprising a plurality of support surfaces for the further modular building unit and the modular floor unit; anda floor structure defining a base of the first modular building unit;in which the support surfaces for the at least one further modular building unit and the modular floor unit are disposed at a common height above the base.

26. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which:the modular floor unit comprises a floor support surface;the at least one further modular building unit comprises a floor support surface; andthe modular floor unit and the at least one further modular building unit are configured so that their floor support surfaces are disposed at a common height above a base of the first modular building unit.

27. A building system comprising a first building section and a second building section, the first and second building sections together configured to form at least part of a building, in which the second building section comprises a modular building assembly, the modular building assembly comprising:a first modular building unit comprising an internal volume, the first modular building unit having a footprint;at least one further modular building unit comprising an internal volume, said further modular building unit configured to be positioned on top of the first modular building unit overlying a first portion of its footprint; anda modular floor unit configured to be positioned on top of the first modular building unit overlying a further portion of its footprint.

28. A building comprising a first building section and a second building section, the first and second building sections together forming at least part of the building, in which the second building section comprises a modular building assembly, the modular building assembly comprising:a first modular building unit comprising an internal volume, the first modular building unit having a footprint;at least one further modular building unit comprising an internal volume, said further modular building unit positioned on top of the first modular building unit overlying a first portion of its footprint; anda modular floor unit positioned on top of the first modular building unit overlying a further portion of its footprint.

29. A building system as claimed in claim 27, or a building as claimed in claim 28, in which the modular building assembly comprises the further features of any one of claims 2 to 26.

30. A method of constructing a building comprising the steps of:constructing a first building section;constructing a second building section at least partly comprising a modular building assembly; and connecting the first and second building sections at a final location for the building;in which the step of constructing the second building section comprises:at a location away from the final location, constructing a first modular building unit to a substantially assembled form, comprising providing the first modular building unit with an internal volume and a footprint;at a location away from the final location, constructing at least one further modular building unit to a substantially assembled form, comprising providing said further modular building unit with an internal volume;at a location away from the final location, constructing a modular floor unit to a substantially assembled form;transporting the first modular building unit, the at least one further modular building unit and the modular floor unit to the final location in their substantially assembled forms;positioning the first modular building unit at the final location; andforming the modular building assembly by:positioning the at least one further modular building unit on top of the first modularbuilding unit so that it overlies a first portion of its footprint; andpositioning the modular floor unit on top of the first modular building unit so that it overlies a further portion of its footprint.

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