[Greenbuilding] Re; The 500 year old house

[David Bergman]

At 02:49 PM 8/23/2007, Ken Beiser wrote:
>  I also believe that adaptable designs are important and will be 
> even more so in the near future.  A timber framer colleague (Tedd 
> Benson of Bensonwood Homes) is designing his floor systems and 
> overall homes so there is easy access to the mechanical systems 
> (plumbing, electrical, ducts) for changes and upgrades.  Stewart 
> Brand in his book, "How Buildings Learn" gave a favorable nod to 
> timber frame structures since they can be designed to be easily 
> adapted to future requirements.   I have been trying to keep that 
> in mind in my projects.


In a similar vein, here in NYC, pre-war (WWII, that is) buildings are 
much more flexible in terms of renovation than are post-war buildings 
because the thin slab construction of the newer buildings makes 
moving floor outlet plumbing (and less critically) ceiling electrical 
nearly impossible. We used to be able to carefully do a little of it, 
but now most buildings' managements don't allow it all.

The result is that these buildings are much less flexible in how they 
can adapt to changes in living styles and technology. I suspect they 
will be gone before their older pre-war brethren.

David
DAVID BERGMAN ARCHITECT / FIRE & WATER LIGHTING + FURNITURE
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