Module 3 - Points to Ponder

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May Aye
Submitted For
Module 3 - Points to Ponder
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Please share your comments on 3 of the following Points to Ponder questions. (Choose 3 of the questions below.)

Why is it important to accurately model the land features of your project site with a toposurface?

  • What aspects of a building design are most affected by the terrain features?

When designing a project...

  • Should the building adapt to the terrain?
  • Or, should you adapt the terrain to the building?

When designing a project, it is idealistic for the building to adapt to the terrain as it can leave less ecological impact on the environment. However, from the experience of this project, it is hard to have the building adapt to the terrain, and in this capitalistic economy where efficiency and time is highly valued, it is definitely an easier route to adapt the terrain to the building, i.e., just put a slab on the land and we are good to go.

What considerations affect a project team's decision-making when deciding the floor-to-floor height to use in a multi-story building?

  • From a real estate developer's perspective?
  • From a designer's perspective?
  • From an engineer's perspective?
  • From a builder's perspective?
  • From an owner's perspective?

What are the advantages of stacking the levels of a multi-story building vertically?

  • Can you share an interesting example of a building that didn't vertically?
  • What were the advantages or reasons for non-vertical stacking?

Why do stairs follow specific proportions with a set relationship between the tread length and riser height?

  • How can building modeling help prevent the mistakes that often occur when designing and installing stairs?

Stairs should follow specific proportions with a set relationship between the tread length and riser height because if the proportions don't feel natural to use, a lot of people can injured. Falling from stairs can be fatal especially for elderlies and younger children. Awkward proportions not only poses potential threats to clients' lives, but also can make the property hard to sell (I would not buy a house with weird stairs). Building models can prevent faulty constructions by informing the engineer with exact measurements and features that will produce a proper and safe staircase.

Describe a case when it would be worthwhile to create a new custom component in Revit… How do you decide when customize versus using readily available components?

It would be worthwhile to create a new custom component in Revit if the house or building is personally detailed and designed for a specific client. These kinds of component can serve a unique feature of the house or building that can really support the overall unique design theme of the house or building. Readily available components can be a placeholder first in the early design process, but customization should be used when trying to fit odd-shaped features and to add a touch of personalization if the deadlines isn't near.