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Question & Answer:

Responses to questions about program, site, & beyond

Question 1 – 01/20/2023

Q: Should designs include any offset water collection for elevated walkways, mini amphitheaters, or terraced seating around the tree located within the drip line?

A: If anything solid (roof, walkway, glazed skylight, etc.) crosses over or through the tree circle (dripline), in plan, at any level, from ground to sky…that is considered to be blocking rainwater to the roots.  That area must be offset outside the dripline with rainwater collection.  In the eyes of the Building Code, rain falls purely vertical, and stays vertical going through the ground.

Question 2 – 02/14/2023

Q: Do the researchers for the wood lab need to be able to physically touch the tree from the building itself, need to have ground access to the tree, or just be able to see the tree itself?

A: Our intent was for the researchers to have direct access to the trunk from the wood lab level. However, it’s not written very clearly in the program, so we won’t disqualify anyone for not meeting that requirement. As long as you can propose a scenario where the researchers can access the trunk in some way that will be acceptable. All the scenarios above will work, so we’ll leave the final decision up to you as the designer.