Patent ID: 7500333

Claim:
A building comprising a plurality of structural ribs, a plurality of beams extending horizontally between adjacent structural ribs in the plurality of structural ribs, a ground floor, and a foundation, wherein each of said structural ribs is formed in an outwardly convex curve as a continuous single member, extending in a flat vertical plane, transmitting bending moments along an entire length of said structural rib, and supporting a portion of the building by extending across a span of the building, each of said structural ribs at least approximately conforms to a geometric profile of an ellipse having a major axis extending above the ground floor and across the span of the building between extremities of the structural rib, with the ellipse being truncated below the ground floor at ends of the structural rib, each of said structural ribs curves back under itself, from extremities of the structural rib to extend below the ground floor to the ends of the structural rib engaged by the foundation of the building, said structural ribs extend parallel to one another, being spaced apart along a length of said building, and each of said structural ribs extends upward to a height substantially less than a width of said span of the building.