Modular building assembly

Abstract

There is disclosed a modular building assembly configured to form at least part of a building (10), a building system and a building comprising the modular building assembly, and a method of constructing a building using the modular building assembly. One exemplary modular building assembly (12) comprises a first modular building unit (14) comprising an internal volume (16), the first modular building unit having a footprint (18), and at least one further modular building unit (20). The further modular building unit comprises: a room section (21) defining an internal volume (22) configured to form at least part of at least one room of the building; and a floor section (26) extending laterally from the room section. Said further modular building unit is configured to be positioned on top of the first modular building unit so that the room section overlies a first portion (24) of the footprint of the first modular building unit, and so that the floor section overlies a further portion (27) of the footprint.

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:a room section defining an internal volume configured to form at least part of at least one room of the building; anda floor section extending laterally from Hie room section;in which said further modular building unit is configured to be positioned on top of the first modular building unit so that the room section overlies a first portion of the footprint of the first modular building unit, and so that the floor section overlies a further portion of the footprint.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the floor section extends in a generally horizontal direction away from the room section.

3. An assembly as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2, in which the floor section defines a floor for an internal volume defined by a further part of a building comprising the modular building assembly.

4. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the room section and the floor section are configured so that they together overlie a majority of the footprint of the first modular building unit.

5. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, 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 defined by the floor section; and b) the internal volume of tire room section.

6. 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 floor section of said further modular building unit are arranged so that an aperture is provided which extends through the ceiling structure when the floor section is positioned on the first modular building unit, the aperture communicating with the main part of the staircase.

7. An assembly as claimed in claim 6, in which the floor section 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 one of claims 1 to 5, in which the first modular building unit comprises at least a main part of a staircase, and the room section 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.

9. An assembly as claimed in claim 8, in which the room section is configured to define at least part of a landing, and the aperture opens adjacent to the landing.

10. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the floor section is configured to define at least part of a floor which provides direct access into the internal volume of the room section.

11. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the floor section is disposed laterally adjacent to the room section, a perimeter portion of the floor section abutting a perimeter portion of the room section.

12. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which:the further modular building unit is a second modular building unitthe assembly comprises a third modular building unit comprising a room section defining an internal volume configured to form at least part of at least one further room of the building; andthe floor section is configured to be positioned adjacent to the room section of the third modular building unit, and to provide access into the room section of the third modular building unit.

13. An assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, 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 floor section 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 configured to form at least part of at least one further room of the building, and the third modular building unit configured to be positioned on top of the first modular building unit overlying a third portion of its footprint.

14. An assembly as claimed in claim 13, in which the room section and the floor section of the second modular building unit, and the third modular building unit, are configured so that they together overlie a majority of the footprint of the first modular building unit.

15. 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; andsaid part of the room defined by the internal volume of the room section comprises a wet facility.

16. An assembly as claimed in claim 15, when dependent on claim 13, in which tire second and thirdmodular building units each comprise respective wet facilities.

17. 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 room section of the at least one further modular building unit is configured to overlap at least one perimeter portion of the first modular building unit.

18. An assembly as claimed in claim 17, in which:the room section of the 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 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 room section is disposed laterally spaced from a corresponding perimeter portion of the first modular building unit.

19. An assembly as claimed in claim 18, in which said perimeter portion of the further modular building unit room section is disposed outboard of the footprint of the first modular building unit.

20. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the room portion of 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.

21. An assembly as claimed in claim 20, in which the room section of the further modular building unit is configured so that an overhanging portion of the room section forms at least part of a porch for a building comprising the modular building assembly.

22. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the 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 its room section is disposed inboard of at least one perimeter portion of the first modular building unit.

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

24. 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, the room section defining a first section of the second footprint, and the floor section defining a second section of the second footprint.

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

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

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

28. 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:a room section defining an internal volume configured to form at least part of at least one room of the building; anda floor section extending laterally from the room section;in which said further modular building unit is configured to be positioned on top of the first modular building unit so that the room section overlies a first portion of the footprint of the first modular building unit, and so that the floor section overlies a further portion of the footprint.

29. 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:a room section defining an internal volume forming at least part of at least one room of the building; anda floor section extending laterally from Hie room section;in which said further modular building unit is positioned on top of the first modular building unit so that the room section overlies a first portion of the footprint of the first modular building unit, and so that the floor section overlies a further portion of the footprint.

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

31. 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 a room section defining an internal volume forming at least part of at least one room of the building, and a floor section extending laterally from the room section;transporting the first modular building unit and the at least one further modular building 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 modular building unit, so that the room section overlies a first portion of its footprint, and so that the floor section overlies a further portion of its footprint.34

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