Module 3 - Points to Ponder

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?
• A toposurface allows for a more accurate portrayal of the kind of terrain that you’re working with and how your build interacts with that landscape. If you’re on a slope, you have to know where supports are needed and how the foundation will be set, where windows can and cannot be placed, how the foundation will be set to allow maximum support, the light that comes into the building, etc..

When designing a project...

• Should the building adapt to the terrain?
• Or, should you adapt the terrain to the building?
• It should almost always be the former, because nature and land are sacred. Many Native Americans peoples in the bay area before colonization had systems where they would move their homes depending on the season. The land should dictate how a structure will take shape.

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?

• If the building’s geometry is unique, such that normal furnishing like cabinets, countertops, doors, etc. cannot fit into the space, that’s where custom components would be super useful. If it’s not possible to and/or fits within the budget to make custom furnishings, that’s when custom components would come in