Why does it matter to model the real terrain and real neighboring buildings?
◦ Which aspects of a building design are most affected by surrounding context?
◦ What kinds of mistakes only become visible once the context is present?
Should the building adapt to the site, or the site to the building?
◦ From a developer's perspective?
The building must adapt to the site/environment.
◦ From a designer's perspective?
It is the designer's responsibility to ensure that the building does not negatively impact its surroundings.
◦ From the perspective of the neighbors who already live there?
The building must be designed in a way that generates positive impacts for both the developers and the neighbors.
Sun hours and wind frequently want opposite things from the same massing.
◦ How should a team break the tie when two analyses disagree?
◦ Who should have the final say, and at what point in the process?
Forma's rapid analyses are fast because they are approximate.
◦ What is a rapid operational energy analysis leaving out?
It leaves out detailed consumption variables, such ctual occupant behavior, and the exact efficiency of HVAC systems.
◦ At what stage does that approximation stop being good enough?
It stops being good enough when specific details from the analyses are required. These types of tools are most useful during the early stages of finding a good location before conducting specific, detailed studies.
◦ What would you need before putting a performance number in front of a client? A comprehensive study of the variables to be controlled, where specific figures are backed by a formal calculation report (calculation memo).
You generated three proposals and recommended one.
◦ Did the analysis choose it, or did you choose it and then find numbers that agreed?
I made the decision based on the analysis, in alignment with the provided objectives.
◦ What would you have had to see to abandon your favorite option?
In fact, I actually had to abandon my favorite option because the data showed it wasn't the best alternative.
◦ If the lot next door is built out in three years, does your recommendation hold?
No. The presence of new nearby constructions alters the entire analysis. A new analysis would need to be conducted to select the correct option under the new context.