Your One Stop Tenant Improvement Shop
Why should tree metaphors appeal to architects? Tree metaphors refer to the experience of living in a body on earth. Trees are static, stable objects. Someone connected to a community is “rooted” there; a psychologically sturdy friend’s feet are firmly “planted” on the ground. We use trees to describe human bodies and souls: the area from our neck to pelvis is our “trunk”; someone reliable is “solid as an oak”; someone exploring a new area of inquiry is “branching out.” ... »»»
Top-tier buildings have been redesigned to prevent that kind of collapse. These skyscrapers have steel connections capable of redirecting the path of the upper floors’ load downward through other structural members if one should fail. And sprinkler supply lines have been located within an impact-resistant core--a major difference from the Twin Towers. Both innovations are now part of New York City building codes ... »»»
Now we’re starting to hear talk about “future-proofing” buildings, a concept that remains vague. To some it’s all about energy use and conservation. To others it’s about designing buildings that can be used for a number of purposes at different times of their lives. In New Zealand, future-proofing is a commercial phrase, commandeered by a group of companies providing HVAC and a few other services for homeowners ... »»»