I figured this could be a place to give/receive feedback about such concepts - in this case, about the materials needed and the general feasibility.
Only beginning my education on construction materials/technique, blueprint notation, designing for load, etc.
Ideally, it would be something of a laboratory, and I am particular interested in sustainable/efficient construction methodology (reusing discarded materials when possible; perhaps making the insulation, depending on how manageable that is, etc.). I am also inspired by the aesthetics and ideologies of compact architecture.
Regarding structural materials, another aspect, ideally, of this project would be a minimum, if not total absence, of wood. I had in mind using steel beams to construct cube frames in something of a modular fashion. Learning how to weld when necessary, but, if possible, leaving the panels accessible/removable.
In theory, pretty much the whole thing would be metal, part of the reason for which being the location: the desert of San Bernadino, California. Here, fires are to be taken seriously, as well as snakes and various other critters. As far as I can tell, metal would be a higher cost up front, but could very well pay off in the long game.
I haven't gotten to the point of windows, venting, drainage, roof slanting and various other mechanics - I really just have the basic geometry of the structure. Even the size is undecided. Much of it depends on feedback I get from those with experience, as well as what I am able to construct, more or less, on my own.
So, I suppose the questions of focus are:
1 - How large a structure can one person safely and securely erect, even if it takes an unbelievable amount of time?
2 - Could a progressive/incremental approach work? What if I build the short quadrant of the structure first, and merely build the foundation for the other three, perhaps waiting to acquire the funds/materials necessary? The model has a scale of 8'x8'x8' cubes, but I have also been considering 6'x6'x6' - much of this is highly variable, but I am willing to spend long hours designing and long hours building.
3 - The basic philosophy is this: If I have time to learn, and I can learn quickly, how much of this can I do myself? I understand that I will have to approach professionals for soil/ground inspections (?), electrical layouts, footings/foundation, and probably much more - but as long as I get the seal of approval from code-enforcers, can this, in principle, be a one man show?
4 - What are some of the complications of building using only steel? As far as I can tell, the primary downside is the cost, which, while going against the general approach of budget/DIY/sustainability, I am willing to suffer.
5 - What would you recommend for footings? Is this something that can be built on an incline?
6 - Aesthetically, I am going for an industrial / science-fiction look. This promises to work in my favor in terms of interior design - it doesn't need to look polished or even conventionally "livable", I actually like the prospects of exposed metal panels, bolts and beams. What would some of the drawbacks be to this?
Inspiration: Industrial architecture, compact living, sustainability, cyberpunk/rustpunk/desertpunk, Buckminster Fuller, various video games (Destiny, Fallout, Borderlands, probably others), western esoteric tradition, David Thorpe paintings (especially "Covenant of the Elect"), dumpster diving, eclecticism
Wood Guy
May 7, 20 2:09 pm
I think this was really your inspiration:
Wood Guy
May 7, 20 2:10 pm
.
Wood Guy
May 7, 20 2:18 pm
1 - How large a structure can one person safely and securely erect, even if it takes an unbelievable amount of time?
I know a carpenter who built his own 10,000 sf reproduction of the White House, including 7 working fireplaces. Entirely himself, with his wife. It took him three years of full-time work and several years after that to finish. He is an absolute beast. Given enough time, money and inspiration, there is little limit to what you could do. Most owner/builders run out of steam after about 6 months, which won’t get you far.
2 - Could a progressive/incremental approach work? What if I build the short quadrant of the structure first, and merely build the foundation for the other three, perhaps waiting to acquire the funds/materials necessary? The model has a scale of 8'x8'x8' cubes, but I have also been considering 6'x6'x6' - much of this is highly variable, but I am willing to spend long hours designing and long hours building.
Generally called a phased approach. There is always a penalty to deferring part of the project, but the size of the penalty varies with the project. If your design is truly modular, the penalty would be small, but it depends on many variables.
3 - The basic philosophy is this: If I have time to learn, and I can learn quickly, how much of this can I do myself? I understand that I will have to approach professionals for soil/ground inspections (?), electrical layouts, footings/foundation, and probably much more - but as long as I get the seal of approval from code-enforcers, can this, in principle, be a one man show?
Many of us know how to and have built every aspect of a conventional home. Little in construction is truly difficult to learn. But there are many, many things to know; understanding how they all go together takes experience. When you're reinventing every wheel of how a building goes together, it will take longer.
4 - What are some of the complications of building using only steel? As far as I can tell, the primary downside is the cost, which, while going against the general approach of budget/DIY/sustainability, I am willing to suffer.
Expensive, hot, cold, dirty to work with, you will cut yourself A LOT, high embodied carbon, not easy to make changes. Just an hour ago I got a stainless steel backsplash I had ordered with precise measurements. It’s a 1/16” taller than spec’d. It will take me at least an hour with a file to make it fit. (Power tools discolor the steel by overheating it.) That's one tiny piece. You will have 1,000 to 10,000 pieces, each of which will need to be fit.
5 - What would you recommend for footings? Is this something that can be built on an incline?
You are way ahead of yourself.
6 - Aesthetically, I am going for an industrial / science-fiction look. This promises to work in my favor in terms of interior design - it doesn't need to look polished or even conventionally "livable", I actually like the prospects of exposed metal panels, bolts and beams. What would some of the drawbacks be to this?
You’re the designer…
Threane
May 7, 20 2:23 pm
Before I get even more ahead of myself, I think it is worth treating this as an opportunity to learn what the process is and how intensive it gets in which directions. I do have a shallow understanding/appreciation of many of the aspects of this, but I figured it could only help to probe and inquire. I'm pretty much treating this as a theoretical project, learning what to dial back and how much. Who knows - maybe merely the planning/designing of this thing will scratch a certain itch. Good to hear about the "phased approach" - something I can look into. Regarding the tediousness of working with metal, I admit I am far too naive as of now to truly process such warnings, but eventually they will resonate. And I suppose you are right about how much one person can do: not necessarily a limit, but also it may not be wise to frame the anomaly as the standard. Also, I have no idea what embodied carbon is, so thank you for that lead as well.
x-jla
May 7, 20 7:39 pm
“How large a structure can one person safely and securely erect, even if it takes an unbelievable amount of time?” With or without Viagra?
Honestly yeah. The one class in school I enjoyed was design, and much of it involved cutting foamcore into folding shapes and whatnot. Why not live in such a thing?
atelier nobody
May 7, 20 2:24 pm
Yes, that structure would certainly be buildable. Whether it would be buildable by one person working alone would depend on that person's skills and the available tools; realistically, you'd probably need at least one helper.
Metal can be worse in a fire than wood - wood will (usually) only ignite when exposed to direct flame, but metal will get soft with heat even if the direct flame never reaches it. Also, a metal building would be hella hot in the San Bernardino County desert. For fire resistance, you really want concrete or CMU - one "outside the box" material to consider would be rammed earth.
Threane
May 7, 20 2:41 pm
Also, for what it's worth, it snows at this location in the desert. Around 5000 feet elevation, I believe, but I can fact check that. High winds, perhaps flash flood potential, but the heat isn't nearly as bad as other areas of the desert, from what I gather. But still very true - I will need to take the temperature into account, and perhaps insulation won't cut it (?).
Threane
May 7, 20 2:32 pm
Rammed earth and earthbags have been real candidates, especially given the location. I hadn't thought about the metal melting, and I suppose the expansion/contraction might be a factor too, no? I hadn't heard of Concrete Masonry Units, at least as a term. Any thoughts on what molding your own bricks/slabs would be like? Or perhaps integrating CMUs with metal beams/panels? I had figured that the right insulation would mitigate the heat to some degree, combined with building into a hill - but again perhaps I am underestimating these things.
Chad Miller
May 7, 20 2:43 pm
I would look into using sustainably harvested dimensional lumber in a prefab, paneled format that can be built off site and erected on site.
The cladding could be a type of fire resistant rain screen that attaches in the field to the panels. There are a lot of materials that can do this ranging from metal to wood (yes wood).
Threane
May 7, 20 2:47 pm
The prefab idea is a good one - one that I haven't given much thought to. Given the repetitive nature of this (only a few shapes really), it would be relatively straightforward to make, say, a stack of walls and then assemble them.
Also, wasn't familiar with the term cladding - it clarifies my vocabulary a bit.
Threane
May 7, 20 9:22 pm
@jawknee
I found this, and it seems to involve topics that would be of interest, but would you happen to have any more basic material to recommend? Right off the bat, some of the notation here loses me. Anyway, I haven't heard of Lynn Beedle before. Thanks for the lead.
Threane
May 7, 20 9:45 pm
That's one of the things: technically I would be living in it, and in something of a compact and minimal fashion. The only reason this is more than a tiny structure is because I may want to develop it into a laboratory, or some kind of research center. I've been working on the design of it, through various permutations, for maybe half a year.
It began as more of a rounded polyhedron, not sure what the technical name would be. But yeah, it would be, essentially, a framework/cage of steel beams, and the inside would be this kind of steel lattice-like walling that would allow more of a freeform/adaptive/customizable structuring, with a small loft space at the top. Again, conceived in the interest of a place for research, with most other living requirements subordinated to that.
(initial design)
The initial thought here was to make, in effect, one object with a low center of gravity that can be buried.
In addition to the size and shape being altered, I have also reconsidered the function of it. I might have the opportunity at some point to aid in the operation of some kind of residency program, and I think it would be awesome to have a compact and efficient laboratory/study to get work done in.
There would, ideally, be some kind of bathroom - but for the time being, seeing there may be difficulty integrating this structure into the existing septic system, the bathroom in the existing structure might have to suffice.
As for beds, I have no issue with bunking to maximize space - I even like the idea of sleeping in, essentially, large shelf-spaces delineated by panels and beams.
The whole thing is, first and foremost, an exercise in design. I'm hoping to get to the building phase, but not expecting it.
Threane
May 7, 20 9:58 pm
Here is the model if the cubes were 6'x6'x6'
The top left quadrant, which would the be the initial build, if this were to be built in such phases, has a height of 12 feet, and a square footage of 126, I believe. I would, in theory, build the initial, short quadrant, and house that with a bunk, although squeezing in a small bathroom, even a pump-and-hose shower, wouldn't be too consumptive of space, I believe.
Aside from the smaller quadrant, the other 3 quadrants would have 9' to the ceiling, and the quadrant opposite the small one would be overlooked by a thin walkway attached to the second level.
Those are supposed to be people my height (5'8"). The photos can certainly be clearer.
Threane
May 7, 20 11:25 pm
@Rick,
First of all, thank you for the input. I'm looking at the tree house site now, prowling through the FAQ for information on utilities.
And I assume all (or almost all) materials would have to be decided upon before any kind of thorough load analysis can be undertaken? Where would you go to browse prospective materials, in this case metal beams (unless the prefab wood walls is the way to go)? Anyway, it hadn't occurred to me that the load analysis would have to come before the foundation design, but it makes sense to me know.
Regarding permits, is there a comprehensive list of inspections that would be necessary for such a project? I assume the code handbooks/manuals are accessible online.
if you plan to self build all of this, strongly encourage you to make friends with some local builders who can give you some guidance on local practice (and many other things!) it's not exaggerating to say it takes people working full time a couple years to become familiar with construction practices in a certain locality, and every jurisdiction is different, sometimes unpredictability so.
midlander
May 8, 20 12:46 am
look up arcosanti for some other ideas about self-built buildings in a desert climate that you might find inspirational.
Threane
May 8, 20 1:55 am
Already such a wealth of feedback and advice.
I hadn't heard of Arcosanti, but it is now on the list of guiding examples. I might look for some videos/lectures about it.
I've spent the last half hour looking through this site for pdfs of code, but it all seems so piecemeal. Perhaps I just haven't found the right ones yet.
I see what you mean. The rate of familiarization with the locality will almost assuredly be expedited by turning to local professionals for guidance. Those whom I have encountered so far seem a bit more conservative in terms of their project histories, but perhaps I am merely judging the book by its cover. In any case, I assume certain techniques, and expertise thereof, can transfer from orthodox to unorthodox application.
Don't listen to JawkneeMusic - this person is a troll with no experience in architecture, design, or construction. All the jargon JawkneeMusic posts here is nothing more than online 'research' copy and pasted here with no actual understanding of what he/she is typing.
You've been warned.
Non Sequitur
May 8, 20 10:45 am
come'on man... it's fucking freezing here. I need the warmth and comfort of a good dumpster fire to keep me toasty. Also, for what it's worth, Jawknee is not a troll, he's actually serious about this nonsense and has a real stalking problem... not to mention the psychological ones.
Chad Miller
May 8, 20 11:11 am
I don't want to OP to get burned by the dumpster fire. He / she is an innocent. How about I go flame jla-x a bit to keep you warm?
Chad Miller
May 8, 20 11:21 am
Good point about building codes - it is basic knowledge for anyone in our field. However I do not think JM actually understands what he/she is posting - it's just a copy and paste from online resources.
Chad Miller
May 8, 20 11:31 am
Oh and always take the pink pill with sprinkles on it. Or was that doughnuts. Meh, either way.
Threane
May 8, 20 12:04 pm
In any case, I'm getting quite a few leads here, as well as corrections of my preconceptions, etc. Getting an idea of how to be economic with the ambitions: which ones will burn me out, and which ones can I sustain? All of it is very helpful, even more so than I was initially expecting. Even if it involves sifting through the validity of information - because it is information that wasn't even there for me to sift through before.
Threane
May 8, 20 12:25 pm
What about having the bottom few feet of the structure buried, digging down, hillside or not, to pay the foundation? Would that increase the surface area of the connection for loads to be transferred to the ground? Or would it just give rise to additional loads, forces from the sides by the sand/gravel/rocks? Not sure how clearly this inquiry is stated. I just figured, based on what I heard, that this could be an answer to excessive heat, sort of a natural insulation.
Non Sequitur
May 8, 20 12:29 pm
I don't think you have a good handle on how walls are built. Are you suggesting a single material structural panel which has some sort of heat-exchange process with the soil? This is all over-the-place.
Threane
May 8, 20 1:37 pm
I didn't have heat exchange in mind, but my handle on things is definitely loose. I had in mind a foundation that was indented - although I'm sure there's a better vocabulary for this - merely lowered a few feet from the surround ground. The portion of the wall that would be beneath the immediate/local ground level - would that portion receive some kind of additional lateral force from the soil that weighs on it from the side, the soil that would, were the wall not there, spill over into the hole? I just wonder if, even if this introduces such a lateral load, it might come with other benefits.
Threane
May 8, 20 1:40 pm
And let it be known, I am generally all over the place. I tend to bury myself in topics that I don't understand, thus forcing myself to figure out a way to the surface. Sometimes it works, sometimes not - in any case, this kind of in-over-my-head situation is hardly unfamiliar. That said, I do appreciate someone/something giving me a hand every once in a while.
Non Sequitur
May 8, 20 1:48 pm
what is your profession?
SneakyPete
May 8, 20 1:48 pm
You're the type of person who digs straight down in minecraft.
Threane
May 8, 20 2:56 pm
A student, finishing a BA in filmmaking - although I harbor quite the antipathy for my experience in school. It seemingly only drained various topics of their allure, of their inexhaustible pertinence to and viability in life - and at high costs, no less. What really interests me is the notion of all topics weaved together into a sort of landscape, the study of which would be a certain metaphysical topology. Architecture, engineering, sustainability - but a few of the topics of special interest.
Non Sequitur
May 9, 20 7:00 pm
Use smaller words and about 90% less filler jargon.
(not the actual location, but similar terrain)
Hello all,
I figured this could be a place to give/receive feedback about such concepts - in this case, about the materials needed and the general feasibility.
Only beginning my education on construction materials/technique, blueprint notation, designing for load, etc.
Ideally, it would be something of a laboratory, and I am particular interested in sustainable/efficient construction methodology (reusing discarded materials when possible; perhaps making the insulation, depending on how manageable that is, etc.). I am also inspired by the aesthetics and ideologies of compact architecture.
Regarding structural materials, another aspect, ideally, of this project would be a minimum, if not total absence, of wood. I had in mind using steel beams to construct cube frames in something of a modular fashion. Learning how to weld when necessary, but, if possible, leaving the panels accessible/removable.
In theory, pretty much the whole thing would be metal, part of the reason for which being the location: the desert of San Bernadino, California. Here, fires are to be taken seriously, as well as snakes and various other critters. As far as I can tell, metal would be a higher cost up front, but could very well pay off in the long game.
I haven't gotten to the point of windows, venting, drainage, roof slanting and various other mechanics - I really just have the basic geometry of the structure. Even the size is undecided. Much of it depends on feedback I get from those with experience, as well as what I am able to construct, more or less, on my own.
So, I suppose the questions of focus are:
1 - How large a structure can one person safely and securely erect, even if it takes an unbelievable amount of time?
2 - Could a progressive/incremental approach work? What if I build the short quadrant of the structure first, and merely build the foundation for the other three, perhaps waiting to acquire the funds/materials necessary? The model has a scale of 8'x8'x8' cubes, but I have also been considering 6'x6'x6' - much of this is highly variable, but I am willing to spend long hours designing and long hours building.
3 - The basic philosophy is this: If I have time to learn, and I can learn quickly, how much of this can I do myself? I understand that I will have to approach professionals for soil/ground inspections (?), electrical layouts, footings/foundation, and probably much more - but as long as I get the seal of approval from code-enforcers, can this, in principle, be a one man show?
4 - What are some of the complications of building using only steel? As far as I can tell, the primary downside is the cost, which, while going against the general approach of budget/DIY/sustainability, I am willing to suffer.
5 - What would you recommend for footings? Is this something that can be built on an incline?
6 - Aesthetically, I am going for an industrial / science-fiction look. This promises to work in my favor in terms of interior design - it doesn't need to look polished or even conventionally "livable", I actually like the prospects of exposed metal panels, bolts and beams. What would some of the drawbacks be to this?
Inspiration: Industrial architecture, compact living, sustainability, cyberpunk/rustpunk/desertpunk, Buckminster Fuller, various video games (Destiny, Fallout, Borderlands, probably others), western esoteric tradition, David Thorpe paintings (especially "Covenant of the Elect"), dumpster diving, eclecticism
I think this was really your inspiration:
.
1 - How large a structure can one person safely and securely erect, even if it takes an unbelievable amount of time?
I know a carpenter who built his own 10,000 sf reproduction of the White House, including 7 working fireplaces. Entirely himself, with his wife. It took him three years of full-time work and several years after that to finish. He is an absolute beast. Given enough time, money and inspiration, there is little limit to what you could do. Most owner/builders run out of steam after about 6 months, which won’t get you far.
2 - Could a progressive/incremental approach work? What if I build the short quadrant of the structure first, and merely build the foundation for the other three, perhaps waiting to acquire the funds/materials necessary? The model has a scale of 8'x8'x8' cubes, but I have also been considering 6'x6'x6' - much of this is highly variable, but I am willing to spend long hours designing and long hours building.
Generally called a phased approach. There is always a penalty to deferring part of the project, but the size of the penalty varies with the project. If your design is truly modular, the penalty would be small, but it depends on many variables.
3 - The basic philosophy is this: If I have time to learn, and I can learn quickly, how much of this can I do myself? I understand that I will have to approach professionals for soil/ground inspections (?), electrical layouts, footings/foundation, and probably much more - but as long as I get the seal of approval from code-enforcers, can this, in principle, be a one man show?
Many of us know how to and have built every aspect of a conventional home. Little in construction is truly difficult to learn. But there are many, many things to know; understanding how they all go together takes experience. When you're reinventing every wheel of how a building goes together, it will take longer.
4 - What are some of the complications of building using only steel? As far as I can tell, the primary downside is the cost, which, while going against the general approach of budget/DIY/sustainability, I am willing to suffer.
Expensive, hot, cold, dirty to work with, you will cut yourself A LOT, high embodied carbon, not easy to make changes. Just an hour ago I got a stainless steel backsplash I had ordered with precise measurements. It’s a 1/16” taller than spec’d. It will take me at least an hour with a file to make it fit. (Power tools discolor the steel by overheating it.) That's one tiny piece. You will have 1,000 to 10,000 pieces, each of which will need to be fit.
5 - What would you recommend for footings? Is this something that can be built on an incline?
You are way ahead of yourself.
6 - Aesthetically, I am going for an industrial / science-fiction look. This promises to work in my favor in terms of interior design - it doesn't need to look polished or even conventionally "livable", I actually like the prospects of exposed metal panels, bolts and beams. What would some of the drawbacks be to this?
You’re the designer…
Before I get even more ahead of myself, I think it is worth treating this as an opportunity to learn what the process is and how intensive it gets in which directions. I do have a shallow understanding/appreciation of many of the aspects of this, but I figured it could only help to probe and inquire. I'm pretty much treating this as a theoretical project, learning what to dial back and how much. Who knows - maybe merely the planning/designing of this thing will scratch a certain itch. Good to hear about the "phased approach" - something I can look into. Regarding the tediousness of working with metal, I admit I am far too naive as of now to truly process such warnings, but eventually they will resonate. And I suppose you are right about how much one person can do: not necessarily a limit, but also it may not be wise to frame the anomaly as the standard. Also, I have no idea what embodied carbon is, so thank you for that lead as well.
“How large a structure can one person safely and securely erect, even if it takes an unbelievable amount of time?” With or without Viagra?
Spamstreet, here's an article I wrote, essentially about embodied carbon: https://www.finehomebuilding.com/2018/11/02/climate-change-builders-biggest-opportunity.
Honestly yeah. The one class in school I enjoyed was design, and much of it involved cutting foamcore into folding shapes and whatnot. Why not live in such a thing?
Yes, that structure would certainly be buildable. Whether it would be buildable by one person working alone would depend on that person's skills and the available tools; realistically, you'd probably need at least one helper.
Metal can be worse in a fire than wood - wood will (usually) only ignite when exposed to direct flame, but metal will get soft with heat even if the direct flame never reaches it. Also, a metal building would be hella hot in the San Bernardino County desert. For fire resistance, you really want concrete or CMU - one "outside the box" material to consider would be rammed earth.
Also, for what it's worth, it snows at this location in the desert. Around 5000 feet elevation, I believe, but I can fact check that. High winds, perhaps flash flood potential, but the heat isn't nearly as bad as other areas of the desert, from what I gather. But still very true - I will need to take the temperature into account, and perhaps insulation won't cut it (?).
Rammed earth and earthbags have been real candidates, especially given the location. I hadn't thought about the metal melting, and I suppose the expansion/contraction might be a factor too, no? I hadn't heard of Concrete Masonry Units, at least as a term. Any thoughts on what molding your own bricks/slabs would be like? Or perhaps integrating CMUs with metal beams/panels? I had figured that the right insulation would mitigate the heat to some degree, combined with building into a hill - but again perhaps I am underestimating these things.
I would look into using sustainably harvested dimensional lumber in a prefab, paneled format that can be built off site and erected on site.
The cladding could be a type of fire resistant rain screen that attaches in the field to the panels. There are a lot of materials that can do this ranging from metal to wood (yes wood).
The prefab idea is a good one - one that I haven't given much thought to. Given the repetitive nature of this (only a few shapes really), it would be relatively straightforward to make, say, a stack of walls and then assemble them.
Also, wasn't familiar with the term cladding - it clarifies my vocabulary a bit.
@jawknee
I found this, and it seems to involve topics that would be of interest, but would you happen to have any more basic material to recommend? Right off the bat, some of the notation here loses me. Anyway, I haven't heard of Lynn Beedle before. Thanks for the lead.
That's one of the things: technically I would be living in it, and in something of a compact and minimal fashion. The only reason this is more than a tiny structure is because I may want to develop it into a laboratory, or some kind of research center. I've been working on the design of it, through various permutations, for maybe half a year.
It began as more of a rounded polyhedron, not sure what the technical name would be. But yeah, it would be, essentially, a framework/cage of steel beams, and the inside would be this kind of steel lattice-like walling that would allow more of a freeform/adaptive/customizable structuring, with a small loft space at the top. Again, conceived in the interest of a place for research, with most other living requirements subordinated to that.
(initial design)
The initial thought here was to make, in effect, one object with a low center of gravity that can be buried.
In addition to the size and shape being altered, I have also reconsidered the function of it. I might have the opportunity at some point to aid in the operation of some kind of residency program, and I think it would be awesome to have a compact and efficient laboratory/study to get work done in.
There would, ideally, be some kind of bathroom - but for the time being, seeing there may be difficulty integrating this structure into the existing septic system, the bathroom in the existing structure might have to suffice.
As for beds, I have no issue with bunking to maximize space - I even like the idea of sleeping in, essentially, large shelf-spaces delineated by panels and beams.
The whole thing is, first and foremost, an exercise in design. I'm hoping to get to the building phase, but not expecting it.
Here is the model if the cubes were 6'x6'x6'
The top left quadrant, which would the be the initial build, if this were to be built in such phases, has a height of 12 feet, and a square footage of 126, I believe. I would, in theory, build the initial, short quadrant, and house that with a bunk, although squeezing in a small bathroom, even a pump-and-hose shower, wouldn't be too consumptive of space, I believe.
Aside from the smaller quadrant, the other 3 quadrants would have 9' to the ceiling, and the quadrant opposite the small one would be overlooked by a thin walkway attached to the second level.
Those are supposed to be people my height (5'8"). The photos can certainly be clearer.
@Rick,
First of all, thank you for the input. I'm looking at the tree house site now, prowling through the FAQ for information on utilities.
And I assume all (or almost all) materials would have to be decided upon before any kind of thorough load analysis can be undertaken? Where would you go to browse prospective materials, in this case metal beams (unless the prefab wood walls is the way to go)? Anyway, it hadn't occurred to me that the load analysis would have to come before the foundation design, but it makes sense to me know.
Regarding permits, is there a comprehensive list of inspections that would be necessary for such a project? I assume the code handbooks/manuals are accessible online.
on accessing codes online, you'll be surprised how difficult this might be. perhaps that will improve in the near future on this ruling: https://archinect.com/news/article/150195411/supreme-court-rules-that-building-codes-cannot-be-copyrighted
if you plan to self build all of this, strongly encourage you to make friends with some local builders who can give you some guidance on local practice (and many other things!) it's not exaggerating to say it takes people working full time a couple years to become familiar with construction practices in a certain locality, and every jurisdiction is different, sometimes unpredictability so.
look up arcosanti for some other ideas about self-built buildings in a desert climate that you might find inspirational.
Already such a wealth of feedback and advice.
I hadn't heard of Arcosanti, but it is now on the list of guiding examples. I might look for some videos/lectures about it.
I've spent the last half hour looking through this site for pdfs of code, but it all seems so piecemeal. Perhaps I just haven't found the right ones yet.
I see what you mean. The rate of familiarization with the locality will almost assuredly be expedited by turning to local professionals for guidance. Those whom I have encountered so far seem a bit more conservative in terms of their project histories, but perhaps I am merely judging the book by its cover. In any case, I assume certain techniques, and expertise thereof, can transfer from orthodox to unorthodox application.
Most of the US uses this as a baseline for their building codes, but every state is different: https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/irc2018?site?type=public.
To the OP
Don't listen to JawkneeMusic - this person is a troll with no experience in architecture, design, or construction. All the jargon JawkneeMusic posts here is nothing more than online 'research' copy and pasted here with no actual understanding of what he/she is typing.
You've been warned.
come'on man... it's fucking freezing here. I need the warmth and comfort of a good dumpster fire to keep me toasty. Also, for what it's worth, Jawknee is not a troll, he's actually serious about this nonsense and has a real stalking problem... not to mention the psychological ones.
I don't want to OP to get burned by the dumpster fire. He / she is an innocent. How about I go flame jla-x a bit to keep you warm?
Good point about building codes - it is basic knowledge for anyone in our field. However I do not think JM actually understands what he/she is posting - it's just a copy and paste from online resources.
Oh and always take the pink pill with sprinkles on it. Or was that doughnuts. Meh, either way.
In any case, I'm getting quite a few leads here, as well as corrections of my preconceptions, etc. Getting an idea of how to be economic with the ambitions: which ones will burn me out, and which ones can I sustain? All of it is very helpful, even more so than I was initially expecting. Even if it involves sifting through the validity of information - because it is information that wasn't even there for me to sift through before.
What about having the bottom few feet of the structure buried, digging down, hillside or not, to pay the foundation? Would that increase the surface area of the connection for loads to be transferred to the ground? Or would it just give rise to additional loads, forces from the sides by the sand/gravel/rocks? Not sure how clearly this inquiry is stated. I just figured, based on what I heard, that this could be an answer to excessive heat, sort of a natural insulation.
I don't think you have a good handle on how walls are built. Are you suggesting a single material structural panel which has some sort of heat-exchange process with the soil? This is all over-the-place.
I didn't have heat exchange in mind, but my handle on things is definitely loose. I had in mind a foundation that was indented - although I'm sure there's a better vocabulary for this - merely lowered a few feet from the surround ground. The portion of the wall that would be beneath the immediate/local ground level - would that portion receive some kind of additional lateral force from the soil that weighs on it from the side, the soil that would, were the wall not there, spill over into the hole? I just wonder if, even if this introduces such a lateral load, it might come with other benefits.
And let it be known, I am generally all over the place. I tend to bury myself in topics that I don't understand, thus forcing myself to figure out a way to the surface. Sometimes it works, sometimes not - in any case, this kind of in-over-my-head situation is hardly unfamiliar. That said, I do appreciate someone/something giving me a hand every once in a while.
what is your profession?
You're the type of person who digs straight down in minecraft.
A student, finishing a BA in filmmaking - although I harbor quite the antipathy for my experience in school. It seemingly only drained various topics of their allure, of their inexhaustible pertinence to and viability in life - and at high costs, no less. What really interests me is the notion of all topics weaved together into a sort of landscape, the study of which would be a certain metaphysical topology. Architecture, engineering, sustainability - but a few of the topics of special interest.
Use smaller words and about 90% less filler jargon.
wait wait, is that you Stephen Lauf? The Jawnkee
or are these real German artists
Hermann Finsterlin