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 a project site with a toposurface because it offers insights during the inquiring and site analysis stage which are essential before the designing and drafting stage. A toposurface allows architects and designers to visualize the geographical and environmental aspects, such as slope elevation gain, geological patterns and plates, and water patterns, of the site. This visualization also allows architects to be able to adapt their proposed structure to the suggested terrain versus having to adjust the terrain to the building. This process not only saves time and money but also reduces environmental impacts and leads to more sustainable architecture practices. In addition, when modeling sites that may be more prone to environmental disasters or tectonic plate movements, such as areas placed by a fault line, mountains or hillsides, and valleys, an architect will be able to be proactive about these placements to reduce and prevent potential destruction on the structure.
When designing a project...
- Should the building adapt to the terrain?
- Or, should you adapt the terrain to the building?
When considering the need for sustainable construction and design, one should opt to build to adapt to the terrain. By choosing to build on the terrain and even implementing sourcing materials of the area, you will create a more cohesive and sustainable landscape. In addition, since there will be little to no manipulation of the site the structure is being placed on, it will have less of an environmental impact than if you were to try to make a building adapt to a certain terrain. Lastly, it is economically smarter to adapt to a terrain since adapting the terrain to a building could require various materials to support that building.
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 shape radically between the floor levels)?
- What were the advantages or reasons for non-vertical stacking?
Stacking the levels of a multi-story building produces a stable structure by minimizing the horizontal load of the structure while also reducing its complexity. Stacking vertically also leads to a smaller carbon footprint by reducing the amount of land needed for the structure, increasing density per square foot, and utilizing more sunlight and natural ventilation in more compact settings. Stacking vertically also leads to a simpler expansion process than projects that are horizontally expanding — especially in urban areas with a limited amount of ground space.
An example of a building that doesn't vertically stack, is “Dancing House” by Frank Gehry. Characterized by warping and straight cylinders. As an experimental architect, Gehry used this project as a test run for his larger projects that would require more structural engineering (Faverman, 2009). Although this architectural piece is formulated more on aesthetics and is seen as a tourist attraction, it is still functional as it serves as a mixed-use building while bringing more life to Prague.
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?