Why is it important to accurately model the land features of your project site with a toposurface?
A toposurface allows you to see how the building sits in its actual context. The slope and elevation differences determine foundation depth, retaining walls, and also how you might want to design your house depending on where you get light from, whether part of your house will be sunk into the ground if you are on a slant, etc. Additionally, terrain modeling affects how water drains around the site. Incorrect grading can lead to flooding, erosion, or foundation issues.
When designing a project...
- Should the building adapt to the terrain?
- Or, should you adapt the terrain to the building?
I think you could go about this either way, but generally speaking I believe the building should adapt to the terrain. Designing with the existing landscape respects the site’s natural features, reduces grading and excavation costs, and minimizes environmental impact. I think it also often leads to more harmonious designs that feel more grounded in their setting.
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?
The advantages of stacking levels vertically include structural efficiency, ease of construction, and spatial efficiency. Vertical stacking aligns columns, walls, and mechanical shafts, making the structure simpler and stronger. Vertical stacking also maximizes usable floor area and simplifies circulation like stairs and elevators.
That being said, some architects opt for a different design. One famous example is the CCTV Headquarters skyscraper in Beijing. Its floor plates twist and cantilever dramatically, forming a continuous loop rather than a simple tower. In this case, advantages of non-vertical stacking include expressing a unique architectural identity and create both indoor / outdoor spaces with the building’s structure.