Submitted For
Module 3 - Points to Ponder
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?
- Modeling land features according to a planned building site accurately is important because you should consider how construction plans may need to be changed or if certain design decisions need to be made to account for the environment of the site. Without modeling certain topographical features of a construction site, a building may not have level flooring or the site terrain may be too uneven, thereby making it difficult to construct. There may also be natural obstructions, like hills or water bodies, that can be hard to work around without intentional design and layout choices for the building. It can also be costly and take a bit of time to even out or clear/prepare land without considering the toposurface beforehand. Building design aspects that are most affected by the terrain features include the foundation, height, and orientation.
When designing a project...
- I think project design adaptation can depend based on the resources and degree of incompatibility of a given project at a specific site. For example, lifted foundations with varying height according to the land elevation can be used to even flooring in a building on an uneven surface. Although, it may be more sensible in some cases to select a construction site where it might be easier to and a shift in site choice may make more sense. Adapting terrain to a building may be costly, time-consuming, and can add more complications in the design and construction processes, so it is important to consider how much additional planning/work may need to be done before adapting terrain to a planned building.
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?
- Advantages of vertical stacking of floors in a multi-story building include enhanced structural integrity by applying uniform support across all floors as well as minimizing spread/urban sprawl by reducing total land use for the project to be more space-efficient. The Interlace is an interconnected apartment building in Singapore that has floors with a varied stacking pattern between different sets of floors. One reason why non-vertical stacking was used in The Interlace to allow for shared outdoor and “green” spaces (ex. courtyards, pools, and gardens) in between different parts of the building by having the floors jutting out from its center. The unique design also optimizes natural ventilation and sunlight entering the building, thereby increasing energy efficiency by reducing reliance on artificial light sources. Its unique appearance also offers unique views for residents as well as creates an interesting sense of identity and supports more sustainable urban development by considering sustainability factors in its design choices. Other justifications for non-vertical stacking in buildings may be that it allows for greater design flexibility as well as creates a more interesting aesthetic experience.
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?