For centuries, most homes were built with wood. But that’s changing… and for the better. AMS has helped bring about this change in the way we build our schools, and with River Vine, we’re helping bring about the same change in the way we build our homes.
When you build schools, you want the strongest, safest building possible. You want a building that will last a long time, require minimal maintenance and hold up to the most adverse weather conditions. And you want a building that is mindful of the environment, using our resources responsibly.
Stronger. Safer. Greener.
It’s easy to make a case for building with steel—in our schools and in our homes. The same building materials and methods that make high-rise buildings safe and sturdy can make our homes more secure and easier and less expensive to maintain over a longer lifespan.
River Vine is one-story, but it’s built like a high rise building, with commercial-grade structural steel components that provide superior strength, durability and resistance to fire, earthquakes, wind, water and pests. Because River Vine uses no wood, the structure is impervious to cracking, rotting, mold and mildew, giving it a longer lifespan than a wood-framed building. Steel won’t rust or corrode and unlike wood, it’s non-combustible. And River Vine’s steel frame is fully recyclable at the end of its useful life, reducing waste without depleting our natural resources.
River Vine’s all-steel moment frame is fabricated to precise specifications in our factory and crane-set on concrete stem walls at the building site, making River Vine a permanent structure that will last for generations. The moment frame’s elasticity allows it to bend to resist the force of wind and earthquakes, then return to its original state, maintaining the structural integrity of the building and providing the greatest protection to those inside. River Vine’s moment frame is one of the most resilient structural systems available, going beyond the basic building code to meet the California Division of the State Architect’s most stringent design requirements.
When building any structure, the health and safety of people is our main concern. But we also look for materials that provide the greatest architectural and design flexibility. The inherent strength of our steel moment frame allows us to incorporate long spans and curves into a functional design that maximizes the amount of usable space and natural light. Because a moment frame supports greater loads, we were able to design River Vine to include different roof elevations, exterior walls up to 48% glass and large shade overhangs that reduce solar heat gain to keep interiors more comfortable. Entries and doorways are taller and broader, ceilings soar 18’ and a wide open floor plan has clear sight lines to window walls overlooking the surrounding vineyards. It’s a home that’s safe and stylish, in harmony with nature and connected to the land.
Not many of us grew up in homes made of steel. But future generations will. The change isn’t just coming—it’s here.
