We were wondering if it is allowed to shift the rentable floor areas in Zones 1 and 2 (8inx12in and 10inx12in) towards the center as shown on the attached drawing. In general, are we allowed to play around with the green areas (horizontal shift or maybe rotate around a vertical axis as long as the areas are within the stated limits of 8inx12in and 10inx12in? (See photo in answer)
Photo for Question: Answer: The non-buildable areas cannot be moved. It is implied that there are limitations in situ that restrict any form of structural construction in such regions. Follow up Question: So we are sticking exactly to plan drawings given for Zones 1 and 2. Answer: Yes. You can change dimensions of the green […]
Should we assume that the top of the foundation of our building would begin at ground level or would considering a parking garage/basement/storage area be allowed below the ground level which would permit the top of our foundation to be at a lower depth? From my understanding the majority of structures like ours would have some sort of subterranean structure like I described.
Architecturally you can include anything you deem necessary, including garages or basements, but the structural model should just represent the structure above ground.
Can we have different uses in the zones? for example can floor 3 be residential but floor 4 be commercial (restaurant or office)?
Yes
Our team is trying to find out if there’s a specific use for the building, as last year’s official rules included what the client wanted each side of the building/sky bridges to be used for (ie. retail, residential, commercial) whereas this year’s official rules don’t specifically outline a floor/building program (or any that we can find).
It’s left for the architects of each team to decide the purpose of different parts of the building along its height or the building as a whole. Since building owners may desire flexible usage, the purposes might change over time, resulting in a shift in mass. Thus, the teams are tasked with architecturally designing the […]
We are exploring the possibility of reducing the area of Zone 3 in our design. In reference to the design guide, particularly the rule stating, “Typical floor plans of maximum buildable areas for different zones of the building are shown in Figure 8,” we are considering a design where the building follows the sequence from ground to top as Zone 1 – Zone 2 – Zone 1. We seek your clarification on whether this modification is permissible. To clarify further, our primary objective is to minimize the impact of dead loads in Zone 3. In other words, we seek to prevent inserting dead loads in Zone 3. To achieve this, we are considering a design where the building follows the sequence from ground to top as Zone 1 – Zone 2 – Zone 1. This strategic arrangement aims to optimize our structure while adhering to the guidelines set forth in the competition.
Teams may choose to have floors that are smaller than the maximum buildable areas in their corresponding zones. However, it is also each team’s responsibility to make sure that the dead loads can be properly applied at each location. With that being said, for Zone 3, floors with 8” x 12” size are not permitted […]