Week 135 (Trough Drain, Part 1)

“Water cannot be controlled, but it can be trained”

We start this week with some of the wisdom given to me by our construction foreman.  Thankfully, I have never experienced the devastating impact of a flood first-hand, but I have seen the consequences of ignoring the cumulative impact that water can have on an otherwise well-designed and well-kept property.  For this reason, I opted to be extra-careful in addressing potential drainage issues at every step of this project.   By addressing the inclinations of water up-front, we seek to train it to travel where we’d prefer, rather than trying to control its flow post hoc.  And central to that plan is our central drainage strategy: the trough drain that runs between the two buildings:

Since the patio between the two buildings is level along the length of the two walls, the drain is progressive, so that water falls from the patio out into the field.  Here’s a reverse angle that shows how much deeper the drain gets along its length:

And some detail showing the shims to ensure that the top is perfectly level while the bottom drains down:

You can see the markings showing the intended direction of flow, as well as depth indications increasing (following the flow from left to right).

But as impressive as this engineering work is, it’s not the only progress evident since last week.  The North Patio is now almost complete, wrapping around the Utility Room and the Eastern peak of the Music Room:

Here’s a nice little optical illusion for you: note how the diamond appears to be square:

Here’s another fun perspective that is enhanced by our newly defined North Patio:

Kinda looks like you can see opposite sides of the same building!

In the mean time, there has been some progress on the inside as well.  The wires are getting connectorized:

And the ducts for the Control Room have now been manufactured:

Very trapezoidal, those!

It looks like the weather is going to be very hot next week.  That may slow us down when it comes to pouring and finishing concrete, but we’ll continue making good progress of framing, trimming, and installing ductwork, I believe.  I’ll keep you posted!