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?
The land features of any project site are so important because of the relationship they have with the structure itself. From a structural engineering perspective, the soil properties and slope of the land are the terrain features that most affect the structure itself in the materials that can and should be used and the loading that is applied. As a structural engineer, you obtain a geotechnical report that provides all of the necessary information about the site itself. One of these categories is site class which is a crucial component of calculating the relative seismic loading on the site. In terms of modeling, by accurately representing the space that the building sits on you are painting the full picture for how the structure will actually be designed.
When designing a project...
- Should the building adapt to the terrain?
- Or, should you adapt the terrain to the building?
This question is certainly a tough one but I am a firm believer that the building should adapt to the terrain. Obviously, there are some safety risks that come with this - such as not building a high rise building on soft soil - but I do believe that the most efficient and highly designed buildings are those that are adaptable. By adapting to the terrain, not only are you leaving nature where it should be but you, as an architect/engineer/contractor, are able to take a deep dive into the entire design and fully understand the site as a whole. It also allows you to be more creative in ways to adapt to the ever changing environment which will help you grow in the profession.
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)?
An example of a building that does not verticlaly stack is the “New Museum” in New York, NY. The building plays with multi-stories shifting to almost have a building block effect out of a game of Minecraft or LEGO. This calls for an intricate view in the skyline of typically stacked buildings of Manhatten.
- What were the advantages or reasons for non-vertical stacking?
There are several advantages for non-vertical stacking building designs. One of these advantages or reasons is simply for curb-appeal. A non-uniform building looks far more interesting and will get more press than a seemingly boring vertical one. Another reasoning for the non-uniform stacking is to handle wind loading and provide unique ways of playing with shading and daylight. The shifting of the “blocks” works as almost a shifting weight to offset some of the horizontal loads that would be directly applied to the building. Likewise, these “blocks” make use of an abundance of natural light by providing its own internal shading methods.