Home and garden advertisements interchange these a lot…so what’s the real difference?

In this corner: a trellis is defined as “a frame or structure of latticework frequently used as a support for growing vines or plants”.

And in this corner: a pergola is defined as “an arbor of horizontal trelliswork supported on columns or posts over which vines or other plants are grown”.  Okay, so what’s an arbor?  An arbor is defined as a leafy, shady recess formed by tree branches, shrubs, etc.

So in this image we have an arbor (a space) which has been created by using a pergola (a three-dimensional structure) which itself includes several trellises (frames through which plants grow).

Bonus match:  Complex vs. Complicated

Complex is defined as “composed of many interconnected parts” while complicated is defined as “difficult to analyze, understand or explain”.  One of the primary differences is that complicated has a much more negative connotation than complex, so people might refer to the inner workings of a watch as complex but a tax form as complicated.  Antonyms help here as well, where the opposite of complex is simple but the opposite of complicated is easy.

View from Southwest

View from Northeast

Interior view from Great Room

Originally posted 2008-12-17 17:11:15. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

There is a common misconception about the “Maximum” Occupant Load table in the International Building Code. This table list the number of occupants per square foot that you are designing to rather than a true maximum.

As an example, the table lists 100 gross sf per occupant in a business occupancy. If you have a 1,000 sf office then you are designing for 10 occupants.  However, the 10 really functions as a minimum rather than a maximum. You must design adequate exiting and fixture count for 10 occupants.

If your space is actually designed for more occupants that’s absolutely fine as long as you are following all of the code provisions for more occupants. In this example if your 1,000 sf is a call center with 25 people, then you need to make sure your exiting, plumbing, mechanical and so forth are designed to handle 25. You just have to make sure you don’t exceed 1 person per 7 square feet, that’s an absolute maximum and very tight quarters. I’ve never seen it, but the code official can ask you to show a diagram for your increased occupant load.

On the other end of the spectrum, you can actually design for less that the maximum occupant load, but only with approval of the building department, and I’ve never seen this happen.

The code section uses the phrase “design occupant load” and that is really a more accurate phrase.

Originally posted 2009-09-26 00:01:19. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Let me start by saying that I am a huge advocate for new urbanism, neo-traditional neighborhoods and form-based codes, as you may have predicted from prior posts. However, one thing that has bothered me is the often missed-opportunity for traditional homes to be set back from the street 15-ft to 20-ft. Fellow Urbanists, please bear with me for a moment on this.

The traditional neighborhood model (note that I said “traditional” rather than “conventional”) that most architects and planners across the country use is focused on locating the buildings as close to the sidewalk and street as reasonably possible. While I do agree with the philosophies and the sense of community it assists in creating, I feel that occasionally, greater flexibility in setbacks can create an even more dynamic place.

A couple of years ago, during form-based code training in Kansas City, course instructor Scott Polikov had the same concern. My mind started to wander when he was closing his presentation with some thoughts and one of them being considering coding for greater setbacks.

Typically, a neo-traditional neighborhood provides a range from 2-ft to 10-ft of front setback for homes from the right-of-way (typically the edge of sidewalk). One reason that this is done is to create the feeling of enclosure along the sidewalk.

The building walls though are not necessarily the only way that we can create this enclosure. The following sketches illustrate options to maintain the enclosure. Note that on all of these, there is still a significant tree lawn space (5-ft at a minimum, prefer 8-ft in this setting, especially when some sort of turf is used) and that something vertical is still needed for the enclosure. Also note that in all instances, some sort of pedestrian penetration is necessary with a gate, staircase, etc.

Alternative 1: Low free-standing or retaining wall.

A retaining wall along the sidewalk provides a comfortable separation from residences and the public realm.

A free-standing wall could be used, but if used, it should remain low (36” or lower). In a neighborhood in southwest United States, this is common creating the front courtyard. The wall provides for a quaint usable front yard space that can feel secure for kids to play, etc. A low retaining wall is also common. In Colorado Springs, many of the pre-WWII homes have a retaining wall in the front yard. A retaining wall serves dual purposes, for separation and to create a flatter front yard space. The retaining wall also creates a great place for sitting, while creating a seat wall along the sidewalk.

Alternative 2: Low fence with Gate (preferably with some openness and not completely opaque)

The fence is one way of separating the private yard from the public sidewalk. Careful treatment is needed along the fence to make it feel comfortable to both sides.

A low fence can be a pleasant feature that can again provide the extra level of security desired by young families. The idea of the white picket fence in the front yard is easily and often romanticized.

Alternative 3: Enclosure with Grading (3:1 slope with staircase)

The slope option is one that is common for Pre-WWII homes, however it should be implemented with caution and care due to the slope.

This is another very common feature found in pre-WWII neighborhoods. I would guess that 80% of the people of the United States recall seeing this application in an older neighborhood. However, it rarely is used for new neighborhoods. Instead of having a fence or other vertical element, why not just use the earthwork to your advantage. This is also helpful in providing walk-out basement homes by increasing the elevation on the upper floor, the alley side of the house could more easily have a walk-out basement. Be cautious planting this with turfgrass, however.

Alternative 4: Hedge with or without Fence

The hedge is an effective way to provide a softer separation element that has the potential for color along with the privacy element.

A hedge could obtain the necessary feeling of enclosure as well. Many species of plant material can pull this off tremendously. Careful plant selection is crucial if this is chosen method. I have seen this attempted in Colorado Springs with Blue Mist Spiraea where it works well for a year or two, but after full growth is attained for a Blue Mist, the hedge could easily overwhelm the sidewalk. This can have an adverse effect and require shrub rejuvenation every 2-3 years.

In an effort to provide our US Army Soldiers and their families with better access to health care services, the US Army Medical Command (USMEDCOM) has initiated the Community Based Clinic program.  As the name would imply, this program takes the health care facilities that would normally be located on the US Army Installation and places them “outside the fence” in the communities surrounding the installation.

Our Copperas Cove office of EVstudio recently completed the architectural and engineering design service phases for the USMEDCOM Community Based Clinic located in Killeen, Texas near Ft. Hood, Texas.  The facility is approximately 13,ooo square feet, on a two acre site, and is designed to accommodate a staff of 35 US Army medical personnel.

The facility has 18 exam rooms, a fully equipped treatment room, an on-site laboratory, pharmacy, behavioral health unit, dedicated pediatric practice spaces (including an immunization room), 2 group practice areas, multiple triage areas, and administrative spaces.

In addition to the features that would be expected in most private sector clinics, the USMEDCOM facility also incorporates many of the same AT/FP (anti-terrorism / force protection) considerations that would be found in facilities located on a US Army Installation.  EVstudio worked directly with the US Army Corps of Engineers and the staff of the US Army Medical Command to insure this facility met all the crucial design criteria standards established for this facility type.

The Killeen, TX Community Based Clinic has been designed to meet LEED Certified standards.  We have incorporated numerous energy and water saving strategies into this facility along with site development considerations and a focus on indoor environment quality.

EVstudio takes great pride in designing facilities that will provide a better quality of life for those men and women, along with their families, that serve our country.

Originally posted 2010-12-29 00:43:50. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

This year we have had such an early spring that our deck design is already in full swing. Since all the snow has melted from decks, balconies, and patios – it has come time to re-evaluate our outdoor living space. With the beautiful Colorado weather, it is important to design a space that can be utilized during almost every month of the year to take full advantage of the benefits each season has to offer.

Throughout the design process you need to ask yourself a few simple questions:

How do I want to use this outdoor living space?
Are you going to entertain, grow a garden, or just need a small sitting space?

What are the most important seasons for me?
Is it more important for you to sit under a covered deck to escape the rain, or to have the maximum amount of sunlight possible shine onto your deck and through your windows?

How does my existing house and site fit into the design?
Do you have a steep grade at the proposed location or are you close to the property line?

As a structural engineer, I love finding solutions to the third question whether it is redesigning an existing deck to fit the owner’s needs or starting from scratch. Below is a picture of an existing deck we recently redesigned to accommodate a cantilever with a very short backspan and strict joist spacing requirements from the decking manufacturer.

Are you thinking about building a cantilevered deck? A good rule of thumb for cantilevers is 1/3 the total length of framing member. However, every design is unique and we will always find a solution to your design challenge.

If you have the itch to switch your outdoor living area, stop by sometime to sit down with our architects and engineers to find the right solution for you!

Good luck finding a book on classical architecture that doesn’t mislabel one or both of these features, so what’s the difference?  You’ll kick yourself…once you look at the roots the answer seems obvious.

In this corner: an arcade is defined as “a series of arches supported on piers or columns”, or as “an arched or covered passageway”, or as “where I played Space Invaders in 1985”.  As an aside, I recently went back to the Brunswick Lanes in Aurora where I spent countless hours of my childhood playing video games as my parents bowled and I was crushed to learn that while Galaga was still there my high score from the 4^th grade had not held up as expected.

And in this corner: a colonnade, not surprisingly, is defined as “a series of regularly spaced columns supporting an entablature”.

It’s easy to see why the mix-up is so common since many examples of Roman and Romanesque architecture contain arcades which are defined or bounded by colonnades.

Bonus match: Elicit vs. Illicit

Elicit is a verb defined as “to draw out or bring forth” and illicit is defined as “not legally permitted or authorized”.  So the illicit behavior of tampering with a perfectly respectable high score on a video game will elicit a weepy response.

Paperless Gypsum Board vs. Mold Resistant vs. Standard

We are currently working on a government contract that requires paperless gypsum board but it has brought up the question of the pros and cons of the various products available and the tradeoffs involved for each.

Standard Gypsum Board is a fantastic product when installed and maintained correctly but one of its weaknesses is the Paper face .  Anyone who has seen a piece of gypsum board exposed to water or a focused impact has seen this problem in action.

To address this issue manufacturers have responded with newer more advanced products but they come at an increased cost and have some of their own drawbacks.

Paperless Drywall:

Pros-

• Typically covered in fiberglass
• No paper for mold to feed on
• More Durable
• Vapor Barrier often not needed (cost savings)

Cons-

• Harder to install and finish
• 2x more expensive
• Not as much recycled content

Mold Resistant Drywall:

Pros-

• Added treatment on paper for Mold resistance
• Higher Recycled content
• Easy to finish

Cons-

• No added impact resistance
• Slightly more expensive
• Vapor Barrier still needed (dependent on assembly)

Standard Drywall:

Pros-

• Least Expensive
• Higher Recycled content
• Easy to finish

Cons-

• Limited moisture resistance
• No added impact resistance
• Vapor Barrier still needed (dependent on assembly)

Originally posted 2011-05-18 11:57:32. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

There will come a time when Autodesk’s AutoCAD will forget your object snap settings. Sometimes a poorly written lisp routine will reset them and occasionally they just change for no apparent reason. Thankfully there is a very easy way to get them back without going through the menus to change the check boxes.

AutoCAD uses a series of numbers that form unique sums which indicate the object snaps you are using. You can type OSMODE and then enter your unique sum and it will reset your object snaps.

Here are the bitcodes that determine your snaps:

0 NONe
1 ENDpoint
2 MIDpoint
4 CENter
8 NODe
16 QUAdrant
32 INTersection
64 INSertion
128 PERpendicular
256 TANgent
512 NEArest
1024 QUIck
2048 APParent Intersection
4096 EXTension
8192 PARallel

Add the codes for the object snaps that you prefer and then enter that value. For instance is you like endpoint (1) and intersection (32) then set the OSMODE value to 33. You can even take the next step and create buttons to set your favorite osnap group for any occasion.

My OSMODE is usually set to 191. I’ll let you figure out yours.

Originally posted 2008-12-10 16:34:19. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

One of the greatest parts of being an architect or engineer is seeing a building come out of the ground. I recently toured a modern home project of ours which is under construction.

View of great room and patio from the southwest

This view is from the southwest corner of the home. The main things we see here are the upper level wall and floor framing. The bracing to the right of the gentleman in the salmon colored shirt is where a 12×78 W-shape now extends towards the west and the viewers eye. That beam has a 10′ cantilever parallel to its length and also supports 6′ cantilever perpendicular to it. That beam is in place now so check back for a picture of it.

Southwest conceptual image