Hollee Becker | The Catholic University of America (original) (raw)
Papers by Hollee Becker
A personal view on research presented to CUA February 2015.
The average life of a building in Tokyo is six years. The average life of a building in the Unite... more The average life of a building in Tokyo is six years. The average life of a building in the United States is thirty-one years. Buildings are typically replaced for reasons other than the building itself including high operational costs, increased density requirements, or new programmatic needs. Building structures are typically designed so efficiently that little or no upward expansion can be made without a change in the existing structure. Limited resources, climate change and new technology direct changes in design thinking and yet designers still structurally design for present conditions with little thought for resiliency or adaptability.
The environmental impact of renovation or replacement considers the material and operational attributes of a building; a method justifying its replacement in some cases. But, the material impact of designing for future expansion will always be less than demolition and replacement due to the simple fact that no matter the original size or replacement size, the difference between the two scenarios is the embodied energy in the original building plus that in demolition. The question therefore is why don’t developers think ahead? The answer lies in either economics or the uncertainty of future use.
This paper posits that cities will become denser requiring continued addition of height to existing buildings. It investigates the environmental and economic impact of designing for longevity by comparing strategies for the design of structural systems for future expansion to the design of present conditions. This paper speculates on the structural impact of the development of new materials with higher allowable stresses and lighter densities as well as the impact of robotic construction.
A few years ago I read an online article by Adam Jacob Levin titled The Crisis of Architecture an... more A few years ago I read an online article by Adam Jacob Levin titled The Crisis of Architecture and the New Imaginary that was posted in October 2011. He posits that architecture is always in crisis because of its own failure to understand the ever-changing world that inspires design. The post seemed driven by a disdain for -but without the use of the buzzword -Talkitecture and conjured memories of a Grad School studio in which the creation of a new word to impress a jury seemed more important to the instructor than the design. It is true that in attempts to grapple with new technology, new social mores, and an increasingly competitive workplace, many designers resort to iconicism and relegate design to the creation of image rather than creation of space. The question is not so much why as it is so what.
Many cities such as Detroit and Cleveland have been shrinking over the past decades. As cities sh... more Many cities such as Detroit and Cleveland have been shrinking over the past decades. As cities shrink there is a weeding out of inefficiencies in businesses, social venues and in occupied spaces. When growth returns, the perforations in the urban fabric become the spaces for growth opportunities.
Teaching structures to architects is a juggling act between the technical and the creative. It is... more Teaching structures to architects is a juggling act between the technical and the creative. It is not enough to teach statics and strength of materials. Architects are creators of space and as such they must also understand the inherent strength and weaknesses of the vast array of structural systems at their disposal. There are three topics often debated between structures educators. The first is the question of what should be taught first. Can one understand structural systems without first understanding the fundamentals of forces, load tracing, stress, and deflection? On the other hand, can one readily grasp the fundamentals of analysis and component design without understanding the concept of a structural system as an assembly of components working together to transfer all loads safely to the ground? The second topic of debate, stemming from interpretation of NAAB requirements and differing philosophies of architecture education in general, centers on the question of how much structural knowledge the architecture student really needs. The third topic is the integration of structural design in the architecture design studio. It is not so much a question of if the integration should occur as of how the student is expected to apply newly learned structures knowledge to projects in the design studio. This paper posits that the application of structural knowledge in design studio is essential to an integrated design approach and as such, the structures curriculum should be directly linked to individual studio projects. Through analysis of the structural debates listed above, the paper discusses flexible curriculum components and multiple half-term courses to suit the needs of individual student schedules and correspondence to design studios. It also discusses strategies toward developing studio links that reinforce the design of structural systems from the concept phase of a project.
Climate change analysts predict more typhoons and hurricanes will occur due to rising water tempe... more Climate change analysts predict more typhoons and hurricanes will occur due to rising water temperatures, potentially causing damage to housing in areas not typically prone to severe weather. At the same time, the devastation wrought by earthquakes around the globe has raised awareness of the vulnerability of housing to seismic forces. Sustainable goals for housing structures include reducing the embodied energy in the materials used by choosing regional materials, using less material and choosing rapidly renewable materials. The combination of recurrent disasters in many localities combined with a need for sustainable solutions, drive the research of lateral force resistant replacement structures. This paper posits that replacement housing structures must be lateral load resistant, built from regionally manufactured materials, durable, low-maintenance and affordable. This paper will analyse the feasibility of using laminated bamboo in lateral-force resistant framing for prefabricated single family residences.
The problem of flooding on the Ganges Delta is worsening with climate change. When flood waters r... more The problem of flooding on the Ganges Delta is worsening with climate change. When flood waters recede, homes are either destroyed or water damaged. The problem of flooding is intensified in Dhaka due to the rapid population growth rate that contributes to unplanned urbanization. Home is a sanctuary. When a home is lost to a disaster, the psychological trauma can be lessened by a rapid replacement of a permanent home that reconfirms the sense of safety, privacy and belonging to the inhabitant. Likewise, when immigrants leave all they have to seek a better life, the availability of housing and work is essential to maintaining selfrespect.
Climate change analysts predict more typhoons and hurricanes will occur due to rising water tempe... more Climate change analysts predict more typhoons and hurricanes will occur due to rising water temperatures, potentially causing damage to housing in areas not typically prone to severe weather. At the same time, the devastation wrought by earthquakes around the globe has raised awareness of the vulnerability of housing to seismic forces. Sustainable goals for housing structures include reducing the embodied energy in the materials used by choosing regional materials, using less material and choosing rapidly renewable materials. The combination of recurrent disasters in many localities combined with a need for sustainable solutions, drive the research of lateral force resistant replacement structures. This paper posits that the housing structures must be lateral load resistant, built from regionally manufactured materials, durable, low-maintenance and affordable. This paper will analyse and compare lateral-force resistant framing systems in concrete, recycled steel, timber and bamboo and discuss the feasibility of each for application in prefabricated single family residences.
Many subtropical locales are subject to cyclone force winds, earthquakes and floods. Many have hi... more Many subtropical locales are subject to cyclone force winds, earthquakes and floods. Many have high population growth rates and informal settlement aggregation that create problems of safety from lack of infrastructure and lack of adherence to building codes. These same locales are capable of growing bamboo. Bamboo is generally known as a highly sustainable building material due to its rapid growth cycle and high rate of crop yield. By laminating bamboo, it also becomes a material that is stronger than laminated wood.
change. The report summary, based on multiple models, states that typhoons and hurricanes will be... more change. The report summary, based on multiple models, states that typhoons and hurricanes will become more intense with higher peak wind speeds and heavier precipitation. Further, the report predicts cyclone patterns will move farther from the equator making cities as far north as 40 degrees latitude subject to hurricane force winds in excess of 150mph. This means that cities such as Washington, DC, and New York could become sub-tropical cities within the next century.
Digital technology enables architecture students to generate complex forms. The trend in the last... more Digital technology enables architecture students to generate complex forms. The trend in the last decade toward increasingly complex, iconic structures is re-enforced through precedents in design classes. As structural technology and architectural design become more complex, there is a need to prepare architecture students to be capable of designing structural systems that integrate with design concept at a very early stage of design.
A personal view on research presented to CUA February 2015.
The average life of a building in Tokyo is six years. The average life of a building in the Unite... more The average life of a building in Tokyo is six years. The average life of a building in the United States is thirty-one years. Buildings are typically replaced for reasons other than the building itself including high operational costs, increased density requirements, or new programmatic needs. Building structures are typically designed so efficiently that little or no upward expansion can be made without a change in the existing structure. Limited resources, climate change and new technology direct changes in design thinking and yet designers still structurally design for present conditions with little thought for resiliency or adaptability.
The environmental impact of renovation or replacement considers the material and operational attributes of a building; a method justifying its replacement in some cases. But, the material impact of designing for future expansion will always be less than demolition and replacement due to the simple fact that no matter the original size or replacement size, the difference between the two scenarios is the embodied energy in the original building plus that in demolition. The question therefore is why don’t developers think ahead? The answer lies in either economics or the uncertainty of future use.
This paper posits that cities will become denser requiring continued addition of height to existing buildings. It investigates the environmental and economic impact of designing for longevity by comparing strategies for the design of structural systems for future expansion to the design of present conditions. This paper speculates on the structural impact of the development of new materials with higher allowable stresses and lighter densities as well as the impact of robotic construction.
A few years ago I read an online article by Adam Jacob Levin titled The Crisis of Architecture an... more A few years ago I read an online article by Adam Jacob Levin titled The Crisis of Architecture and the New Imaginary that was posted in October 2011. He posits that architecture is always in crisis because of its own failure to understand the ever-changing world that inspires design. The post seemed driven by a disdain for -but without the use of the buzzword -Talkitecture and conjured memories of a Grad School studio in which the creation of a new word to impress a jury seemed more important to the instructor than the design. It is true that in attempts to grapple with new technology, new social mores, and an increasingly competitive workplace, many designers resort to iconicism and relegate design to the creation of image rather than creation of space. The question is not so much why as it is so what.
Many cities such as Detroit and Cleveland have been shrinking over the past decades. As cities sh... more Many cities such as Detroit and Cleveland have been shrinking over the past decades. As cities shrink there is a weeding out of inefficiencies in businesses, social venues and in occupied spaces. When growth returns, the perforations in the urban fabric become the spaces for growth opportunities.
Teaching structures to architects is a juggling act between the technical and the creative. It is... more Teaching structures to architects is a juggling act between the technical and the creative. It is not enough to teach statics and strength of materials. Architects are creators of space and as such they must also understand the inherent strength and weaknesses of the vast array of structural systems at their disposal. There are three topics often debated between structures educators. The first is the question of what should be taught first. Can one understand structural systems without first understanding the fundamentals of forces, load tracing, stress, and deflection? On the other hand, can one readily grasp the fundamentals of analysis and component design without understanding the concept of a structural system as an assembly of components working together to transfer all loads safely to the ground? The second topic of debate, stemming from interpretation of NAAB requirements and differing philosophies of architecture education in general, centers on the question of how much structural knowledge the architecture student really needs. The third topic is the integration of structural design in the architecture design studio. It is not so much a question of if the integration should occur as of how the student is expected to apply newly learned structures knowledge to projects in the design studio. This paper posits that the application of structural knowledge in design studio is essential to an integrated design approach and as such, the structures curriculum should be directly linked to individual studio projects. Through analysis of the structural debates listed above, the paper discusses flexible curriculum components and multiple half-term courses to suit the needs of individual student schedules and correspondence to design studios. It also discusses strategies toward developing studio links that reinforce the design of structural systems from the concept phase of a project.
Climate change analysts predict more typhoons and hurricanes will occur due to rising water tempe... more Climate change analysts predict more typhoons and hurricanes will occur due to rising water temperatures, potentially causing damage to housing in areas not typically prone to severe weather. At the same time, the devastation wrought by earthquakes around the globe has raised awareness of the vulnerability of housing to seismic forces. Sustainable goals for housing structures include reducing the embodied energy in the materials used by choosing regional materials, using less material and choosing rapidly renewable materials. The combination of recurrent disasters in many localities combined with a need for sustainable solutions, drive the research of lateral force resistant replacement structures. This paper posits that replacement housing structures must be lateral load resistant, built from regionally manufactured materials, durable, low-maintenance and affordable. This paper will analyse the feasibility of using laminated bamboo in lateral-force resistant framing for prefabricated single family residences.
The problem of flooding on the Ganges Delta is worsening with climate change. When flood waters r... more The problem of flooding on the Ganges Delta is worsening with climate change. When flood waters recede, homes are either destroyed or water damaged. The problem of flooding is intensified in Dhaka due to the rapid population growth rate that contributes to unplanned urbanization. Home is a sanctuary. When a home is lost to a disaster, the psychological trauma can be lessened by a rapid replacement of a permanent home that reconfirms the sense of safety, privacy and belonging to the inhabitant. Likewise, when immigrants leave all they have to seek a better life, the availability of housing and work is essential to maintaining selfrespect.
Climate change analysts predict more typhoons and hurricanes will occur due to rising water tempe... more Climate change analysts predict more typhoons and hurricanes will occur due to rising water temperatures, potentially causing damage to housing in areas not typically prone to severe weather. At the same time, the devastation wrought by earthquakes around the globe has raised awareness of the vulnerability of housing to seismic forces. Sustainable goals for housing structures include reducing the embodied energy in the materials used by choosing regional materials, using less material and choosing rapidly renewable materials. The combination of recurrent disasters in many localities combined with a need for sustainable solutions, drive the research of lateral force resistant replacement structures. This paper posits that the housing structures must be lateral load resistant, built from regionally manufactured materials, durable, low-maintenance and affordable. This paper will analyse and compare lateral-force resistant framing systems in concrete, recycled steel, timber and bamboo and discuss the feasibility of each for application in prefabricated single family residences.
Many subtropical locales are subject to cyclone force winds, earthquakes and floods. Many have hi... more Many subtropical locales are subject to cyclone force winds, earthquakes and floods. Many have high population growth rates and informal settlement aggregation that create problems of safety from lack of infrastructure and lack of adherence to building codes. These same locales are capable of growing bamboo. Bamboo is generally known as a highly sustainable building material due to its rapid growth cycle and high rate of crop yield. By laminating bamboo, it also becomes a material that is stronger than laminated wood.
change. The report summary, based on multiple models, states that typhoons and hurricanes will be... more change. The report summary, based on multiple models, states that typhoons and hurricanes will become more intense with higher peak wind speeds and heavier precipitation. Further, the report predicts cyclone patterns will move farther from the equator making cities as far north as 40 degrees latitude subject to hurricane force winds in excess of 150mph. This means that cities such as Washington, DC, and New York could become sub-tropical cities within the next century.
Digital technology enables architecture students to generate complex forms. The trend in the last... more Digital technology enables architecture students to generate complex forms. The trend in the last decade toward increasingly complex, iconic structures is re-enforced through precedents in design classes. As structural technology and architectural design become more complex, there is a need to prepare architecture students to be capable of designing structural systems that integrate with design concept at a very early stage of design.