Architecture Thread

[brian ross]

Luckily we don't have to deal with earthquakes and tornadoes throughout most of Australia and we don't have basements which is an idea I rather like. Nor do most of us have to build with tons of snow in winter in mind, although we do have snow in some areas.

You like the idea of basements or you don't like the idea of basements, Black Orchid?

Snow in Australia is rather lightweight compared to snow in most of the Northern Hemisphere.

My one problem with burying a house is the considerable added expense associated with water seepage. Buildings need to have quite a bit of extra water proofing as a consequence. Rammed Earth buildings offer similar levels of insulation and protection from the elements without that added cost. Another alternative is earth bricks, made with mud, straw and a small proportion of cement. Earth insulated buildings tend to be basically fireproof - a big consideration in Australia which will assume greater importance in the years ahead.

[Black Orchid]

I DO like the idea of a basement.

[brian ross]

I DO like the idea of a basement.

Thanks for your clarification. I suspected that was the case but your language still left some doubt. What is it about basements that attracts you? You are aware of the higher levels of Radon gas present in houses with Basements?

[Texan]

I DO like the idea of a basement.

Thanks for your clarification. I suspected that was the case but your language still left some doubt. What is it about basements that attracts you? You are aware of the higher levels of Radon gas present in houses with Basements?

Basements off energy efficiency. The ground provides a huge head start on heating and cooling. Most Texas soil is no good for basements. The ground shifts too much and you have to over engineer the basement. It's not cost effective.

[Neferti]

Most Americans I know have a basement and use it as their "den" (study - where they keep their computer stuff). One bloke I write to has an intercom and when dinner is ready his wife calls him up the stairs to the dinner table.

[Black Orchid]

I like a large and modern kitchen and bathrooms, wide eaves and deep covered verandahs. Double brick/stone makes for good insulation in summer here. Added to that, reverse cycle aircon for when I am lazy and an open fire for when I want to feel snug and cozy.

[FLEKTARN]

Completed in 2017, McSteen Tan Architects have created the Hawthorn 1 home. Coming in at 358 sq m, the project was a renovation and extension of an existing Victorian brick house, originally made in the 1890s. The family was aiming to keep the original space in tact while expanding it for their expanding family. They also wanted to keep enough of their garden to allow for family-based activities.

https://hypebeast.com/2018/9/hawthorn-1 ... architects

When I think of architecture, I think of personal architecture. Large buildings are beautiful, artistic, and sometimes great feats of engineering, but I'm more interested in something I can live in. I like your example of modern home architecture. I could live there, but Mrs. Texan likes her home to be less modern. If and when we build, it will be a compromise. I want modern materials and efficiency and she wants country styling and comfort. I'm looking at something like this.



I can have sturdy, maintenance free metal with spray in polyurethane insulation, large overhangs to keep the Sun out, and high efficiency air conditioning. My wife gets large porches, cozy stone facades, wood burning stove, and a large and functional kitchen.

I think it really comes down to your location and weather conditions. Concrete is mostly used in Greece and Cyprus because of the burning weather and they have no roofs, it's flat and they just put solars on, and it's wood or brick in Russia. Brick around Moscow and where there's moderate climate, wood in Siberia. Here's brick. In Scandinavia - thin metal and polymers.

The house you posted looks very Swedish, the top part I mean. It's what we call here "Swedish panels."

[FLEKTARN]

Most Americans I know have a basement and use it as their "den" (study - where they keep their computer stuff). One bloke I write to has an intercom and when dinner is ready his wife calls him up the stairs to the dinner table.

I don't think it's very smart. I know they do this but it's not smart. If they have no aspirators down there, there's no ventilation at all and generally a lot of mold.

Here we use our basements only for storage and for washing machines, boilers, etc.

[FLEKTARN]

I like concrete dome homes. They are fire, earthquake, and tornado resistant. They can be covered with all kinds of materials and even buried underground.



This home is partially buried and coated with stones. I think it is 5 domes interconnected. It's not far from my house.



They can be redneck nightmares in the wrong hands, but I like their potential.

How do domes perform compared to normal brick houses in earthquakes 6+ richters?

[FLEKTARN]

I DO like the idea of a basement.

Thanks for your clarification. I suspected that was the case but your language still left some doubt. What is it about basements that attracts you? You are aware of the higher levels of Radon gas present in houses with Basements?

Radon gas? Where does that come from?