ARCHIMEDE INSTITUTE

DUTCH ANTILLES - The Guana Bay Condos - Pairs of condos

Again this project does not take advantage of all the possible groupings afforded by the tessalation possibilities of the rhombic dodecahedron geometry. Sutton did a much better job at this. However, the three-dimensional aspect was well integrated into the landscape and plantation, making a promedade around the resort quite enchanting. It is possible to glimpse at the sea around and under most condos, with openings between the stilts providing nice surprises to the walker.

CANADA - Mont Ste Anne QC- Ski Resorts on High Columns

Another interesting grouping, but this time with more identical units than the Sutton project. This 1984 project however is one of the highest, with the living modules well up into the braches of several large maple trees, providing exquisite views of the mountains all around.

CANADA - Sutton QC- Ski Resorts on Stilts

These condos built in 1983 are owned by The Club Archimede Vacation Club They are very popular, allowing 'ski-in/ski-out' access by simply skiing to your front door on the ground floor, with paths taking the shorter route UNDER other condos. The unique injected panels are sealed to each other along the edges of what are rhombododecahedral shells with incredible rigidity. The cavity under the floor is pressurized with warm air so that all floors are warm, the bathroom being the warmest of all because of the proximity of the electric furnace. An interesting design detail is that holes are drilled trough that floor into which short lengths of pipes are inserted. Over these pipes ski boots are inserted to have them warm and dried.

The lower level is where are stored skis and where the clothing is shed with cold air and snow remaining there before the skier goes upstairs to a snug and warm environment. The acoustic walls between units are built with a scientifically designed wall that only allows a few decibels to seep through, not enough to make the sounds identifiable. This great feature and the fact that the groupings on the ground naturally follow contours, flowing around large trees and forming lively clusters, the multiple views in each condos, all of it gives the entire place a vacation feeling that is well appreciated by a large return clientèle of families. In the summer, the condos are mostly fully rented, sometimes to groups like the Bar Association of Quebec.

Our Mexican Wall and Roof Paneling System

The wall and ceiling/roof panels are revolutionary and quickly spreading around the world. These Styrofoam core panels have a built-in steel mesh forming triangulated trusses within and a grid on both facings, apt to receive on inch of concrete on both sides. Thus a fireproof and 'rock-solid' panel is achieve, capable of high resistance to both lateral (hurricanes) and axial loads (earthquakes). A remarkable early application of these panels is the Tijuana-San Diego project of 1990 by Habitat for Humanity and Jimmy Carter. These 100 robust social houses were built by volunteers with as only tools pliers and tying wire.

They were then concrete finished by a single Gunnite applicator. They can be seen today, still rock solid and pretty almost 20 years

later.
Although we mostly endorse the concrete finished wall panels, two alternates exists that we use for areas without an adequate supply of concrete or concrete finished. These are the fiberglass 'Golden" sheets and the fibercement panels.

MEXICO- Primo Tapia BC - The Paraiso Prototyping Hill

Great news, bloggers, we have acquired hillside lots to allow prototyping of our newer models, testing them for human and physical interaction. This will allow confirmation of processes, costing, environmental resistance, but also as a way to confirm new ideas and try them out. Since none of these lots will be electrified for a few years, we are considering the use of a solar package in at least one of them.

Sincve we need to test our solutions in real-time, we have acquired lots where we will be building several portotype houses, each proving out a few of the newer techniques. One of these involves the Mexican polystyrene steel concrete shell technology as integrated in our own panel making ways. Some of these houses will eventually be sold when the utilities are brought in, the profits reinvested in the Institute for further development.

SINT MAARTEN - Guana Bay - Beach Condos that Successfully Weathered a Devastating Force 5 Hurricane

A pleasure it was to build in the sunny islands, with grateful owners and rental users year round. The unique geometry with the near absence of right angle corners inside and out still gives pleasure to thousands of visitors as can be seen in these web sites by owners.

VIETNAM - Nha Trang Projected Beach Retirement Community

Retirement clusters spread on a grand set of dunes by a lovely beach. On top, north American clusters where each owner is fully isolated from his neighbors in spite of the fact that they share a common plumbing and utilities core connection. Very economical, they provide privacy and comfort without wasting land use and grounds utilities.

In that project, the same basic arrangement is treated in the local idiom by simply changing the roof for synthetic grass over a membrane, also using local craftmen to decorate the panels prior to their erection. These are confined on a small island in the project were artists are invited to stay to create a restful haven for tourists and retirees, having flute players and teachers of Tai Chi and martial arts do demonstrations.

USA - Los Alamos NM- Ski Lodge From Our Oversized Panels

The Los Alamos Ski Club gave us a chance to try out a simple 3 story steel structure of our design and completely enclosed, roof and wall, with panels injected in our large presses. This p

lant of ours in Los Alamos innovate in several areas of machinery, methods and product. In the commercial construction field, steel shells are very suitable and popular. This building is still used very effectively 20 years later and its cost was an amazing $17 per ft2

Remarquably, this structure does not need any heating after 9AM in ski season. The body heat of skiers and cooking kitchen with the sun showing up through the large plate glass is more than enough to keep the shell toasty inside till late in the afternoon. R36 wall and roof panels along with supertight joint guarantee that result, along with properly oriented windows.

None of this is really surprising if one studies this text concerning steel clad urethane panels used since the late 40's. Their longevity and sustainability is simply amazing.

ARCHIMEDE INSTITUTE