"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."
"What's less recognized is that making a truly flat surface is surprisingly difficult-and many well-executed "flat" floors aren't perfectly flat at all. They are often gently sloped, calibrated to precise gradients for drainage. While interior spaces do not always require this, many ground floors and wet areas do incorporate subtle inclines as a safeguard-whether for minor flooding or to manage water that overflows from the street or plumbing when one of the discharge systems is malfunctioning."
Architecture and the built environment have long prioritized flat, hard surfaces to enable easier walking, simpler cleaning, and predictable placement of furniture, equipment, and partitions. Historically, unpaved ground caused mud-caked shoes, uneven footing, tripping hazards, standing water, and high maintenance. Many finished floors are not perfectly level; they are often gently sloped and calibrated to precise gradients to manage drainage. Interior spaces sometimes do not require slopes, but many ground floors and wet areas incorporate subtle inclines as safeguards against minor flooding or overflow from streets and plumbing. The preference for flat ground remains dominant and will likely persist for practical reasons.
Read at ArchDaily
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