Why is it important to accurately model the land features of your project site with a toposurface?
Accurately modeling the toposurface is crucial because terrain affects foundation design, drainage, accessibility, and how the building sits within its environment. It also influences grading, cut and fill calculations, and the visual relationship between the structure and the surrounding landscape.
When designing a project...
I believe that the most sustainable buildings do not have to alter the topography around them in order to function. the more we disturb the natural environment, the more that we may struggle to force it to accommodate to our design aspirations.
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 doesn’t vertically stack (where the floor plates change their shaped radically between the floor levels)?
- 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?
Stairs follow specific proportions to ensure they are safe, comfortable, and accessible to use, maintaining a balance between riser height and tread depth based on the human body. Building modeling helps by allowing designers to make and visualize code-compliant stairs and see if dimensions meet standards. It also enables 3D visualization before construction even begins.