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Failure By Design

FAILURE "DESIGN There have been several architectural failures that have led to learning experiences. Learn about some famous and not so famous mistakes throughout history and what we learned from those incidents. BUILT E REPAIRED REBUILT - DESTROYED 1 FAD 27 FIDENAE THE FIDENAE AMPHITHEATRE The Fidenae amphitheatre collapse of the Roman Empire in AD 27. This structure was developed out of wood and collapsed due to the volume of people to see gladiator fights. It also reinforced the need for structures to be solidly built. LESSON LEARNED Account for the weight the structure will hold. 1303 12 ALEXANDRIA .LIGHTHOUSE of ALEXANDRIA The Pharos Lighthouse of Alexandria was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World until an earthquake destroyed it in 1303. From its early creation (estimated around 280 BC), this structure showcased extraordinary architecture with its height (approximately 384 feet or a 42-story building), as well as its ability to withstand the ocean, several previous earthquakes, and wars. LESSON LEARNED Unfortunately, some buildings don't last forever. Evolving technology, will help make some structures withstand the harshest of environmental circumstances. 31173 PISA ATHE TOWER of PISA The leaning Tower of Pisa began construction in 1173 with the height of 60 meters. It was built on marshy land, causing the tower to lean and ultimately require reinforcing the foundation to prevent it from toppling. LESSON LEARNED Making and building on a solid foundation is vital. 1928 4 LOS ANGELES St. FRANCIS DAM The St. Francis Dam was built in 1924 and collapsed in 1928 due to structural and geological reasons. As a result, 600 people died from flooding caused by defective foundations. LESSON LEARNED Continually inspecting industrial structures like dams, bridges, etc., is critical to ensuring public safety. 51940 TACOMA / TACOMA NARROWS BRIDGE In 1940, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapsed in a windstorm, creating one of the world's largest man-made reefs as well as one of the most dramatic failures in bridge engineering history. It changed how suspension bridges were designed from that moment on. LESSON LEARNED Always take into account environmental factors like wind and weather. 1976 16 BOSTON E JOHN H ANCOCK TOWER The John Hancock Tower is a 60-story skyscraper in Boston that was unveiled in 1976. Due to repeated thermal stress to the panels on the building, windows were falling out and crashing to the pavement hundreds of feet below. In the end, 10,000 windows were replaced for $5 million. The building also had a problem absorbing strong gusts of wind, allowing the building to sway too much. This caused occupants on the upper floors to experience motion sickness. LESSON LEARNED Little factors have big implications on buildings as large as skyscrapers. 7 2009 LAS VEGAS I VDARA HOTEL & SPA The Vdara Hotel and Spa in Las Vegas opened in 2009. Its unique curved structure collected solar rays and beamed them to the hotel's swimming pool area. This often raised the temperatures at the pool, burning people and melting objects. LESSON LEARNED Architects wear many hats and must draw upon knowledge from many disciplines, including science. 2009 SHANGHAI LOTUS RIVERSIDE In 2009, the Lotus Riverside residential apartment complex in Shanghai consisted of eleven 13-story buildings. The excavation of an underground garage beneath one of the buildings caused the collapse as dirt was removed from underneath and then dumped into a landfill near a creek. The riverbank collapsed from the weight, causing water from the creek to seep into the ground and turn the building's foundation into mud. LESSON LEARNED Even during renovations, always check the foundation and other important structural components. Structural integrity and public safety are top priority. A BUILT E REPAIRED REBUILT - DESTROYED HISTORY HAS PROVIDED VALUABLE ARCHITECTURAL LESSONS THAT WE DRAW ON TODAY FOR BUILDING AND DESIGN PROCESSES listverse.com | touregypt.net | leaningtowerofpisa.net | lib.washington.edu pulitzer.org| www.mnn.com | blogs.wsj.com www.NEWSCHOOLARCH.EDU NEWSCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN 8

Failure By Design

shared by alexnob on Jul 16
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"Everyone makes mistakes. But when seemingly minor blunders are made in designing and building structures, the results can be catastrophic. http://www.newschoolarch.edu/news-events/FailurebyDesign.htm Enjoy!"

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