Tag: elevated-plains | ArchDaily

Rethinking the Flat Datum: Designing Space with Incline and Intent

Jonathan Yeung — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Historically, architecture and the built environment have insisted on creating flat, hard surfaces. In earlier eras, walking without paved ground meant mud-caked shoes, uneven footing, tripping hazards, standing water after rain, and high maintenance. Hence, as we shaped cities, we prioritized a smooth, continuous, solid horizontal datum. The benefits are real: easier walking, simpler cleaning, and straightforward programming—furniture, equipment, and partitions all prefer a level base. This universal preference for building on flat ground remains the norm and, for many practical reasons, will likely continue to be.

A Skyward Shift: Exploring the Social Impact of Elevated Public Spaces in Cities

Jonathan Yeung — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 04:00:00 +0000

With escalating land values in urban centers, there has been a growing trend to float public spaces from ground level to elevated locations, such as rooftops or podiums between buildings. From a development perspective, maximizing floor area has become crucial as urban environments expand. Ground-level spaces are highly sought after for retail use due to their strategic location, which attracts foot traffic and potential customers and drives city development and economics.

Oikos Breakneck Gorge / Robert Nichol and sons

Daniel Tapia — Mon, 10 Sep 2018 20:00:00 +0000

Set on a striking elevation just outside Hepburn Springs in Victoria, Australia - Oikos, named after the ancient Greek word for home is an indulgent short-stay retreat. Oikos evokes the red center of this great southern land – it’s dramatic, sculptural form both complementing and disappearing into the rugged precipice on which it stands. The retreat is subtle in scale yet rich in design, offering the best inbuilt architectural form and natural landscape setting.