Q1.6: The rules state that: “The client requests one tower to be for residential purposes while the other is to be for commercial use.” Then states that: “The client has given you, the engineer and the designer, the ability to decide how the remaining stories in the building will be rented (residential, office, etc.).” Are we allowed to determine what uses each floor has or must we maintain only commercial on one tower and only residential on the other tower. Also, when the rules state: “The skybridges will be leased as a retail space” is it only the skybridge itself or the entire skybridge floor?
A: One tower has to be entirely commercial and the other residential. It is up to the engineer to decide on the assignment. Note that the lowermost and the two uppermost floor levels are retail spaces. All the sky bridges, and not the entire sky bridge floor, will be leased as retail space.
Q1.4: Clarifications in previous years have said that architectural elements, like the building facade, and balconies, can extend beyond the structural building perimeter. In the architectural renders, is it possible to have enclosed, livable spaces, extend beyond the structural model’s perimeter?
A: Facades and balconies are permitted to extend beyond the structural perimeter. However, livable spaces beyond the structural perimeter are not permitted.
Q7.7: “A wall member shall span at least 1 in. vertically. Measured parallel to the plane of the base plate, one of the measured dimensions shall measure at least 1 in.” Are we allowed to have triangular or diamond shaped shear walls or does having a vertex (part of shape will be 1in) violate this 1 in rule?
A: The measured dimensions parallel to the base plate must be a minimum of 1 in. A shape with a vertex would not meet those requirements. The wall member can be cut in any way as long as it fits the box dimensions of 0.100 in. by 3.000 in. by 11.000 and meets the minimum […]
Q7.8: Are frame members allowed to be glued on any surface of the wall members? Is there any specification of frame to wall member connections that could result in violations?
A: Any member glued to a wall must meet the requirements of Section 7.4a. The glue can only be present at the fraying surface of the individual members. For example, the section states: “any members in contact must have glue between the faying surfaces of the two members.” In addition, “excess glue must be confined […]
Q13.1: The rubric says an excellent proposal should discuss “the cost of implementing the damper in a real building”; does a “real building” mean our physical model or its hypothetical real-life, full-scale counterpart?
A: If your damper was inspired from an existing damper implemented in a real building, then provide a cost of implementing the damper, if available. However, if your damper is unique and wasn’t implemented before, please provide a prediction of how much it will cost to implement a hypothetical real-life, full scale counterpart.