Sheet 05 · Night corridor, sections · A, B approx. 1:20 · C not to scale · wall ≈ 520 mm overall.

Cross-sections through the night corridor near the hub and near the pods, plus a long section showing the height stepping down and the light dimming.

Key: banded outer leaf, insulation, structural concrete, lime plaster, floor glow.

how the corridor is built

Precast in four sizes. The corridor is made from precast concrete egg-shaped segments, cast off site in four heights from 3.0 m down to 2.4 m. The curve on plan comes from setting each segment at a slight angle to the last, like a train of carriages. That avoids a unique mould for every metre.

Keeping the rain out. The banded outer leaf is a rainscreen. Behind it a continuous membrane and drainage gap keep the structure dry. Gravel drains at the base take rain and leaf litter off the curve, and are easy to rake clear.

The slot rooflight. A 200 mm double-glazed slot runs along the apex. By day it draws a line of sky; by night it goes dark and the floor glow takes over. Being narrow and high, it adds almost nothing to heat loss.

the walk to bed

Two dimmers at once. Height steps down from 3.0 m to 2.4 m over the 32 m walk, and the floor glow dims in step, from bright at the hub to a low ember at the pods. You feel the space settle around you without noticing why.

Warm underfoot. Oak boards on a heated screed, so bare feet are fine at night. The heating mains and cables to the pods run in the insulated floor zone, with access at each pod branch.

Sound. Acoustic lime plaster and the oak floor soak up footsteps, so the egg shape doesn't ring. The 520 mm wall keeps weather noise out.