Article1 min read
Designing for Seismic Safety
In an earthquake-prone country, early collaboration between architect and structural engineer is the difference between safe and unsafe.
Most Iranian cities sit on active faults. Seismic safety cannot be “added” after the architecture is designed.
Form and behaviour
Regular, symmetrical plans, evenly distributed stiffness and no soft storeys are simple principles often sacrificed to spatial ambition. Working together from the first sketches surfaces these conflicts early.
Historic buildings
When restoring brick buildings, seismic strengthening should be as visually discreet as possible. Concealed ring beams and steel ties are the methods we used in the Isfahan bazaar pavilion.
A beautiful building that is not safe has failed.
At NAM Group, the structural engineer is in the room from the first meeting of every project.
