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?
- What aspects of a building design are most affected by the terrain features?
- It is important to accurately model the land features of your project site with a toposurface because that will give a greater indication of how the building should fit into the site in the real world. Architects don’t build buildings that float in space. Someone has to go out and dig into or build up the land in some way to put your design on the earth, so modeling on the existing conditions is critical. The terrain will mostly impact the structural design (strength/compaction of soil below your foundation), the drainage of your site (prefer to slope away from building and ensure you design with waterproof materials below grade), and utility connections (septic tanks needed in remote areas vs. pumps for sewer connection in hilly residential areas; electric lines are harder to route through forests than open land; and solar panels are less efficient in shadows).
When designing a project...
- Should the building adapt to the terrain?
- Or, should you adapt the terrain to the building?
- Adapting both the terrain for the building and the building for the terrain are possible with modern construction equipment, but modern designs should utilize more creative designs that adapt to terrain. This cuts down on site costs and is more environmentally sound, but may lead to more site-specific buildings that could cost a premium for contractors willing to take it on.
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?
- Stairs follow specific proportions with a set relationship between rise and run for comfort of the users. People are used to stepping a certain amount up and out when using stairs, so we need to design stairs with these standards in mind to avoid accidents. Using 3D walkthroughs and heeding the warning messages that come with building modeling are a great way to avoid common mistakes when installing stairs.