Foundation Wall (Student Affairs Bldg)

Worker using the concrete washout (or lack thereof) after pouring the concrete foundation walls.  This could be a designated concrete washout pit, but what confuses me is the randomness of washing out next to 3 caisson holes that have been drilled (covered with boards).      

Beginning of foundation wall being formed and poured.  Notice the backhoe in the foreground digging a trench for a water main.    

On the floor plan (artist's rendering) located on VT's website (http://www.pdc.facilities.vt.edu/mediawiki/index.php/File:Acad_Stu_Afrs_Aug_09_Page_2.jpg), the area where they are currently forming up and pouring is the service area of the building and possibly part of the dining and circulation area.   

Storage of rebar that will be hoisted over by crane for the foundation wall (previous picture).

Foundation wall form work and finished pour.

New River Bank

House located to the left of Cabo Fish Taco on Main St.  No workers or contractors were located at the site during my visit.  Notice the "No Trespassing" sign on the left.

Rear of the house.  Notice the original concrete foundation wall, with the new addition of CMU's placed on top.  An opening is pictured here, giving me the idea that this may be construction for a basement addition. 

Formwork (snap ties).  Snap ties keep the formwork at a predetermined distance, while also reinforcing the concrete. 

Formwork for placement of concrete foundation wall.

Formwork for foundation wall.  As you can see the house has been jaceked up a good 4-5 feet.

Above is a picture of an old house on Main Street that has been jacked up above the existing foundation.  From the construction, it appears that a basement is being added, possible for more office space.  I was thinking since it is a bank, possibly a vault will be installed and reinforced in the basement of the house.  Also, attached are some pictures to give you a better picture of what is going on.

Antoni Gaudí

Antoni Gaudí, 25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926, was a famed architect from Spain who was known for his unique and highly individualistic designs.  I was reading a recent article in National Geographic and came across a piece on him and his work, one being the Sagrada Familia, which has been under construction since 1882.  Gaudi designed his architectural wonders after nature as described in National Geographic, "He understood that the natural world is rife with curved forms, not straight lines. And he noticed that natural construction tends to favor sinewy materials such as wood, muscle, and tendon. With these organic models in mind, Gaudí based his buildings on a simple premise: If nature is the work of God, and if architectural forms are derived from nature, then the best way to honor God is to design buildings based on his work"

His work stuck out to me because it was unorthodox and out of the box.  Rather than building large quantities of his work, he would rather devote his life to, literally, to few pieces, such as the Sagrada Familia.  Being unorthodox, it is so simplistic that it makes perfect sense.  It follows the laws of nature, which are the most sound designs and structures, while also being aesthetically pleasing and beautiful. 

This is a picture of one of the 18 towers, 12 for the 12 apostles, 4 for the 4 evangelists, one for Mary and one for Jesus.  Notice the lifelike structural tendons and the shear size (men hanging from ropes)

The Sagrada Familia is not supposed to be completed until 2026, a full 144 years after its construction started.  Above is a picture of this wonder.  See <http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/12/big-idea/gaudi-text>