Hey Bill,
Your last post could have been written by me...Great to read someone else preaching the gospel of our elders wisdom in architecture (et al.) If you have a LinkedIn account we
should link there, as I write professionally for several of the forums, and moderate one for LinkedIn, it would be worth your time. My background is partially listed here in my profile and on LinkedIn as well (or you can just Google me) I would love to do a big project with you in the future...or just consult if I could ever be of service.
On the topic at hand...
The fact that we no longer design/build architecture that last (or should last) several hundred (or thousand) years is a testimonial to our modern throwaway society that the IR (industrial revolution) gave us. Now the "modern royalty" of the Walton (owners of Walmart) just love this behavior as do most GC, Painting contractors, Roofers, etc (and the industries behind them.) By 23 years of age, having ended my apprenticeship with Old Order Amish Barnwrights, I had a deep understanding of "traditional" building modalities. The honor, respect and wisdom of these forms was very obvious. We currently have 3 Japanese Minka farm houses for sale on one of our web sites...the youngest is 150 years old and the oldest is over 400. These have plenty of life left in them, and are a clear indicator that building naturally is the only way to really do it...for both fiscal reasons, and
sustainability...
In your designs are you utilizing below frost concrete footings to support the posts or a more traditional lime/stone found?
I loath OPC for 99.9% of the work that it is used for today...I use stone, lime, and perhaps the "relearned" brilliance of geopolymers.
How do you get a building approved that uses no concrete?
I use my clout with written language, knowledge of "good practice" in design and building, my very keen P.E., and sometimes just plane old confrontation...Works about 90% or more, of the time.
I have restored many homes that are built on stone foundations, laid on a rubble trench, so I feel very confident this system could go 1000 years in our climate, but how to convince the myopic code enforcer.
You just answered your own question on that one...If there is clear historic precedent for a modality, that alone can sway many if articulate and demonstrative about the method. Frank Loyd Wright built many (most?) of his architecture on "gravel trench" methods, having seen the wisdom of this in Asia and the Middle East. Code officials are often just not that savvy and must be lead to
water so they may drink...Most do drink while others just won't...and those we must work around. Like straw bale architecture I will list as "dense core heavy cellulose insulated architecture," and gravel trench and stone as "tectonically stabilized masonry footings." It is often all in the "language" we present our cases to Code folks...and how well we are equipped to be educators on the subject...
I would be glad to help you facilitate your own approach to your projects...just let me know.
Regards,
j