Yes, but to a point.
First, let’s look past the idea that this is addressing just one problem and ignoring any others.
Okay, round geometry would reduce the wind loading on the structure, as long as it is a single continuous curve. Changes to that curve will quickly lose any benefit you gained.
But all you’ve done is reduce the required strength for wind loading. If this was the largest load of the building, great! If not, you haven’t done anything. Also, remember that we tend to build this out of straight lines so curving parts cost more.
Next the roof. During hurricanes, or any high winds, if you lose integrity of your roof you get a massive negative pressure inside your house, then your house probably disintegrates. So, if your roof isn’t up to the task your walls don’t matter.
The truth is that we can build things strong enough that shape really only comes into play in the following scenarios:
- The weight of the building and its contents affects the gravity loads. Shape is less important, but the size of the interior spaces is.
- For earthquakes, the more weight you have further from the ground, the harder it becomes to support the structure. Not shape, but the distribution of weight.
- Lastly, wind. Wind loading is all about surface area. Large flat vertical surfaces act like a sail. Large flat horizontal surfaces like trellises act like a kite. Small surfaces just don’t catch as much wind. So, here shape is important, but really only the surface area in any given direction.
MKDesign 