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 walls and floor of areas that are underground. The support of these walls are different and must be built to withstand the earth. If the terrain is not accounted for the structure may not be sound.
When designing a project...
- Should the building adapt to the terrain?
- Or, should you adapt the terrain to the building?
Both the building design and the terrain should be minded and perhaps both will need adapt. For example in my project I adapted the design for the landscape and terrain (increase views and decrease living area in the basement underground) additionally with use of the building pad we adapted the terrain for the building. This is not just one answer!
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?
- How can building modeling help prevent the mistakes that often occur when designing and installing stairs?
To ensure walkability and safety of the stair case stairs must be designed to code. If the proportion of length and height are not consistent the stairs would not be useable by the building occupants. Additionally, building modeling ensures that stair placement is correct, stairs are accessible, and that they are built according to the specifications asked.