ABSTRACT
Every site is different, with differing advantages or disadvantages. The size of the building will depend on the size and shape of the site available and the wishes of the client or developer, as well as the local regulations. Traditionally, European buildings were predominantly made of massive solid heavy materials like blocks of stone or a matrix of smaller units mortared together like bricks. The invention of the steel column and beam system changed everything as a means of constructing buildings and allowed architects and builders to do away with solid load-bearing walls. The advice of the Geotech Engineer will help the Structural Engineer design the foundation system and decide whether or not the building requires piles. For most buildings, assume that for every column, there will be at least one pile directly under the centre of the column, reaching deep into the ground.
