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Re: Architect Wanted #8871 11/05/05 12:33 AM
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milton Offline
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Hi Stan:
Well I can imagine that the staff or executive directors of the Timber Framers Guild sent you to the ask the experts Bulletin Board but I would have thought that another division of this venue might have been chosen.

I have enjoyed the discourse but I feel that many more folks would read your request for assistance if you chose another thread. I am not trying to get you to move on, just wondering if you had looked at other possibilities?

Best regards,
Curtis

Re: Architect Wanted #8872 12/12/05 03:11 AM
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Timber Goddess Offline
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Wow... what a trip this forum is...
I've logged on quite a time after the fact, but still, it's entertaining and enlightening.
I wish you all the luck with your search, Stan, and thank all the others for the good advice - out of chaos comes order, they say!
My only personal quam is the use of the words 'guys', 'men', 'group of men', etc.
Being a woman in the feild, I am, of course, used to this. But seeing what a hot topic this particular forum has become I felt it a good oppourtunity to throw in a little PC. Carry on as you are, just be aware that there's at least one female hangin' around these parts!

Thanks! T.G.

Re: Architect Wanted #8873 12/12/05 09:18 PM
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SRC Offline OP
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Dear TG:

Just returned from a long business trip and saw your comment today (12/12/05).

I must beg your pardon: I did not realize that there were any Goddess-types in the forum. No offence intended.

May your grain never runout!

Stan

Re: Architect Wanted #8874 12/12/05 10:37 PM
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SRC Offline OP
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Gentlemen and Goddesses:

I wanted to provide an update on some interesting activities in Japan that might support Jonathan's previous post about his concerns with quality control and abuse thereof.

About the middle of last month, the same day I arrived in Tokyo, in fact, the news media began screaming about concrete "mansions" (RC concrete condos) that had construction defects resulting from 'forged" structural calculations. Apparently, a structural engineer named Aneha had, over a number of years, submitted falsified structural calculations for the design of several tens of buildings in the Tokyo area, including hotels and high-rise reinforced concrete condominiums. He may or may not have been pressured by the contractor and/or developer. Lots of finger pointing in progress.

The result of this falsification was the reduction in the quantity of rebar such that the "experts of the moment" say a building that must withstand a magnitude 7 quake would fail during a 3-5 quake. The first hint of the problem was sagging balconies and unusual cracking. Many people have moved out of their condos in fear for their lives. Three hotels had shut down as well. No buildings in question have actually failed.

The QC issue in all this is that the fact that the government had delegated its responsibility for checking the structural calcs to private companies in order to speed up review/approval time. The parties that should have checked the falsified calcs failed to do so adequately, it is said. Pretty poor QC.

Consequently, hundreds of existing buildings approved under this system are being rechecked for adequacy, and buildings currently under review have been put on hold. The chaos has delayed many building schedules, and is expected to shut down large-scale construction in the Tokyo area for the near future.

My company does a great deal of RC mansion condo development in the Tokyo area, but the services of this structural engineer and the problematic contractor where not employed on any of them. However, new sales have stopped dead, and prices are expected to fall horribly as smaller, weaker developers without the resources to endure for long, go bankrupt and their stock comes onto the market at fire-sale prices.

So here we see an actual case of established QC procedures easily circumvented for the most disgusting of purposes putting human lives at risk and damaging, through association, the reputation of all the members of at least three honorable professions. Were there bribes involved? I don't know, but the potential motives appear limited.

For what it is worth.

SRC

Re: Architect Wanted #8875 12/13/05 10:46 PM
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1
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Springpoint Offline
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Stan,
I've read this thread with interest. It's good to see the spirited discussion it has inspired. But-- have you had any luck finding your architect? I'd like to speak with you about your projects if you are interested.
My experience is with residential design. I've been working in the timber frame industry for 15 years. I have some familiarity with the connection system you describe, and I'm intrigued.

My apologies to the other readers of this board for the gratuitous commercial post.

Andrea Warchaizer
Springpoint, Inc
23 Comstock Rd
Alstead, NH 03602
603-835-2433
springpt@sover.net

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