Foundation-Based Architecture: A New Approach for Realizing Infrastructure From the Ground Up

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is recognized globally as a testament to resilience in that it has been leaning from early in its 800-year existence and yet is not considered a failure from many, if any, perspectives. If one asks the question, "Could foundation-based architecture have prevented it from leaning from the outset?" then one has to first ask "What is foundation-based architecture?" If you are intrigued by these questions, read on. The word architecture is inherently associated with the portion of a structure that is visible above ground. This is both an omission and a missed opportunity to recognize that the foundation of a structure can contribute as much, if not more, to the realization of a structure. As our planet faces significant growing challenges due to natural hazards such as sea level rise, elevated temperature events, increased precipitation events and more severe wind events, the importance of considering the architecture of a foundation system is likely to become even more critical when the con- sequences of natural hazards such as drought, wildfires, landslides, debris flows, floods, glacial lake outflows and tsunamis, among others, are mani- fested. The above ground physical and societal aspects of infrastructure and the increased demand for below- ground space will require creative problem-solving solutions and con- siderable foresight. Foundation-based architecture will unquestionably play a critical role in helping society adapt to and survive natural hazard stressors that are at best ill-defined and often poorly understood.