9 Structural Design Tips for Minimizing Earthquake Damage

Posted: 01 Mar 2010 03:28 AM PST

As you all know, recently there have been a few natural events that shook the world yet once again. The massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake in Chile not too long ago and the one in Haiti on January 12 left us helpless in this ongoing confrontation between man and nature. We know we can not do anything from preventing a phenomenon of this proportions, but let’s see if there is a way we can minimize the damage when it comes to building a home.

life1 9 Structural Design Tips for Minimizing Earthquake Damage

Almost 2600 earthquakes occur in a day across the globe, most of them which we do not feel. However, the buildings with a weak structure take on significant damage, at really low magnitudes. This should not happen- mainly because when the building is shaky, people’s lives are in danger.

earthquakehouse 9 Structural Design Tips for Minimizing Earthquake Damage

We gathered up a list of structural design tips that you should take into consideration when building a home in an area affected by seismic actions.

First of all, you should know no architecture plan is full-proof. Still, when is comes to building a home in an earthquake area, its shape should be as aerodynamic as possible.
The foundation of the house should be placed on leveled ground.
Keep in mind that regular shapes are a lot more stable than unusual ones.
The material used should be concrete and fiber glass and as these are the best and most resistant materials in the construction field.
The overall building project should be very stable- this means that its center of gravity should always be in the same exact pin point location. You can achieve this by consulting with a professional architect in this matter.
Cantilevers should not have more than 3-4 feet in length or they should be avoided altogether.
Columns are very dangerous and could easily collapse causing a lot of harm, which is why the distance between them should be as small as possible.
Avoid fires and accidents which occur due to a bad electrification plan by installing a main switch and circuit breakers.
Careful with the spearhead water tanks- as they affect the building’s stability. It is advisable that you use more than one tank and that you place them in different locations not to affect the center of gravity.

We hope we have provided you with a minimum amount of information in order to get you started with your building plans. If you have any other tips that you would like to share, you are welcomed to leave a comment.

Kowalewski Residence, A Rigid Place to Live In Or A Cool Modern House?

Posted: 02 Mar 2010 09:55 AM PST

Located in Atlantic Beach, New York, this impressive display of architecture comes from Belmont Freeman Architects and is a symbol of modern design. In a community of 1920’s and 30’s homes, this project comes to break the pattern and impose contemporaneity. We are not fond of this idea, however the building team considers that the the Kowalewski residence remains “respectful of the scale and architectural traditions of the community”. Overall, we think the house has some pretty cool architecture features, such as the irregular shape or the vertical window section which brakes monotony and seems to split the building in two unequal parts. The round window is also of great aesthetic effect. Still, in our opinion, homes should lose the rigid feel and stick to a design that inspires a homey atmosphere. What do you think about this idea?-via Arch Daily

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16 Contemporary Stairway Models From Siller Stairs

Posted: 02 Mar 2010 09:21 AM PST

Having a house make-over and need a fresh approach? We would like to display a fabulous stair collection from Siller stairs, an Italian company with plenty of experience and impressive designs. From classic and classy wood to the more modern glass, the stairs below are all a showcase f elegance and originality. Some of them have a futuristic look, with the stairs surrounding an axis, others are just plain stylish. Most of the models are custom made. The owner can have his say concerning the shape and size of the product, as well as its design. We think this is the strongest feature of the company- their connection to the consumer. Feeling inspired?

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Innovative Architecture: Barn Turned Into A Work Studio

Posted: 02 Mar 2010 03:33 AM PST

Do you enjoy unusual transformations? Nicolas Tye Architects came up with one that teaches us something about innovative architecture. Long Barn Studio is the name of the building below and it was raised on the ruins of an old barn measuring a total surface of 2,200 square feet. The place has an interesting architecture and it manages to blend in its environment. You would probably expect an office building to have a certain height and a futuristic look, but the architects over at Nicolas Tye thought of messing with this pattern. However, if the exterior is somewhat peaceful and not very flashy, all the high-tech and modern stuff is located inside, in the actual work studio. And what a great place take inspiration from!-via Arch Daily

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Fresh and Playful Interiors : Up For Some Color?

No matter how doll and common a room is, adding some color could do wonders. Today we would like to display a selection of fresh and playful interiors that could really turn a place around in a positive way. Green, purple, strong blue and fresh green, they are all there. Normally, this association of colors is not very recommended. They are all very powerful, which means that mixing them could easily lead to a poor design. Fortunately this is not the case in the pictures below. These interiors are cool and full of life. Alongside the nasty but tasteful color association there are plenty of appealing decorating items which we hope will inspire you.-via Deco Fabulous