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 foundation of the building is directly impacted by the terrain. Features like how high the building can go without hitting, for example, trees, or where buildings can be placed relative to water sources or locations with weak ground support (for example, sand).
When designing a project...
- Should the building adapt to the terrain?
- Or, should you adapt the terrain to the building?
I think this depends on the clients desires. Often, the terrain is destroyed in favor of the building. However, a lot of home owners who have the choice try to adapt their homes to the environment so as not destroy trees and the existing character of the site. I think this is my preferred method.
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)?
Overhang buildings, which I see a lot in residential architecture, where a portion of an upper floor lies over void space in the lower floor.
- What were the advantages or reasons for non-vertical stacking?
They imbue each floor with it’s own unique character. This can be advantageous for cost or environmental reasons.
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?