Non-Bearing Modular Construction System

Abstract

Methods and apparatus facilitate the construction of a building using prefabricated building units, each having a horizontal upper exterior surface and a plurality of vertical wall surfaces, wherein at least some of the prefabricated building units have at least one hollow column formwork structure. The prefabricated building units are lowered onto a pre-existing base at a construction site. A first story of the building is created by arranging a plurality of the prefabricated building units adjacent to each other on the base. Structural bearing material is applied to fill the hollow column formwork structures to create structural columns connected to the structural deck. Structural bearing material is applied to the horizontal upper exterior surfaces of the adjacent prefabricated building units to create a single structural deck over the prefabricated building units.

1 . A building comprising:
 a plurality of pre-fabricated modular building units, having exterior surfaces;   said modular building units being arranged in a stacked configuration; and   structural deck composed of structural bearing material disposed between said modular building units, wherein said structural bearing material is inserted between said modular building units using portions of said exterior surfaces of the modular building units as permanent formwork.   
     
     
         2 . The building of  claim 1  further comprising;
 hollow column formwork disposed within said pre-fabricated building units, wherein said structural bearing material is inserted into said column formwork to form structural columns. 
 
     
     
         3 . The building of  claim 1  wherein said pre-fabricated modular building units include at least one of: installed floor finish, interior walls, doors, interior glazing, fixtures, cabinetry, plumbing fixtures, fixed appliances, electrical wiring, lighting, water and waste piping, and HVAC equipment. 
     
     
         4 . The building of  claim 1  further comprising conventionally constructed tower cores rising from ground level adjacent to said stacked modular building units. 
     
     
         5 . A method of constructing a building comprising:
 constructing a plurality of pre-fabricated modular building units having exterior surfaces;   installing at least one of said modular building units on a substrate;   installing a structural deck composed of structural bearing material over said installed modular building unit using at least one of said exterior surfaces as permanent formwork; and   installing at least one additional modular building unit on said structural deck.