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?
Surrounding buildings and terrain have significant effects of sunlight and wind at the site. The buildings can cast shadows and redirect wind patterns due to their size and orientation.
◦ What kinds of mistakes only become visible once the context is present?
For example, the site may require leveling so exterior doors open on even ground, the shadow cast from a neighboring building may significantly lower the daylight potential intended in the design or a wind tunnel could occur due to the way the wind passes through the areas surrounding the building and the terrain and surrounding infrastructure.
Should the building adapt to the site, or the site to the building?
◦ From a developer's perspective?
The developer would likely prefer the designer adapt the building to fit the site to minimize costs. However, if this leads to a lower value of the end product, then they would prefer to alter the site.
◦ From a designer's perspective?
The designer may have an idea of how they want their project to look, so they would likely prefer to alter the site if something at the site gets in their way.
◦ From the perspective of the neighbors who already live there?
Neighbors likely want the least disruption possible, so they would prefer the building adapt to the site.
You generated three proposals and recommended one.
◦ Did the analysis choose it, or did you choose it and then find numbers that agreed?
The design I preferred actually ended up producing the most ideal results of the three I created. If this was not the case, I think I would have altered the preferred design to perform better.
◦ What would you have had to see to abandon your favorite option?
If another option showed significantly more efficiency and performed much better under most of the metrics that were considered. I was not particularly attached to my favorite option, so I do not think it would have to be a drastic difference, but enough that a simple alteration would not suffice.
◦ If the lot next door is built out in three years, does your recommendation hold?
Two lots that surround the site feature lower rise buildings while the other two feature buildings of similar heights to the proposals. If one of the low rise buildings was built higher, this would likely affect the wind and sunlight metrics on the site. I think my recommendation would still hold since it features a more dynamic geometry that can optimizes daylight potential and aims to reduce significant wind effects.