At your feet are desert flagstones forming plateaus and ramps throughout the principal workspace. The upside-down truncated cone of bathroom I gives an expansive feeling to an otherwise confined space. Indoor plants hang from this light well. The truncated cone shape is an excellent form for earthquake resistance. It is economical in its use of materials, has a high strength to weight ratio and is simple to erect.
All materials are waterproof.
Much of the floor, at ground level, is painted a sky blue to express a sense of expansiveness. In-floor glass blocks are lit by hidden bulbs. The floor design is formally integrated with the overall scheme. Just as all of nature's creatures and their habitats are a continuous whole so the individual elements of human design are essential as constituent parts of a structural whole. Every structural element of the Tsui Design and Research building is a continuous extension of those parts that support or are supported by it.