faulker039

The Weaving Pavillion is now completed at The Village, downtown Beijing, where it will be the main centre for the  NOTCH 10 Art and Culture festival . It is the first weaved structure (no glue, screws or nails) to function as facade, roof, column and foundation. This pavilion wishes to explore the potential of weaving as an alternative method of construction in architecture. While traditional building methods of construction are based on stapling (bricks), casting (concrete) and welding elements (space frames and trusses), weaving offers structural stability without glue, nails or any sort of binding material; the weaving itself and friction is the binding solution.  Made of bamboo or plywood, the pavilion is 100 % recyclable, permitting to unweave and re-use all of its components again. This structure is the result of a two year research project which started by traveling to Japan to learn weaving techniques form the most prominent contemporary weavers. A two year test and mo...

As this pavilion will be constructed each summer, we chose to work with elements that could create a different configuration of spaces each time the structure was erected, basing our concept in simplicity and flexibility. We began with a standard sheet of plywood. By stacking these and allowing each element to become a sliding panel, an infinite arrangement of spaces to suite various exhibitions and gatherings could be created. The location of the panels not only creates interior spaces, but also reflects the inverse space to the outside, inducing a dialogue with the surroundings and defining outdoor areas. The tracking system allows doors to be moved from the centre to the extremity of the roof space, which permits openings all the way along the pavilion as desired. The interior of the building is not isolated from the elements, although the spacing of the boards ensures that artworks can be locked inside when required. This openness enhances the quality of the pavilion as a contrasti...

A four day workshop at Ouro Preto, UFOP School Of Architecture, Brasil, for 1st and 2nd year students, focused on basic structure research and model making techniques. From geodesic domes made out of plastic cups to tensile structures, the students came in contact with alternative model making techniques and a basic language of structural concepts, tested in 1:1 scale. Click here to learn more.

This four day workshop at Ouro Preto, UFOP School Of Architecture, Brasil, for 1st and 2nd year students, focused on basic structure research and model making techniques. From geodesic domes made out of plastic cups to tensile structures, the students came in contact with alternative model making techniques and a basic language of structural concepts, tested in 1:1 scale.

Bamboo has been used as a building material for centuries, however traditional methods of construction with bamboo are generally convoluted, and do not take advantage of the inherent structural qualities of the material. A single culm of madake bamboo can support approximately 1.2 tones of vertical load once fully grown. A bamboo shoot in the right climatic conditions can reach full height of 15 meters in just 30 days. Once bamboo is cut it becomes susceptible to moisture and pests. The biggest challenge in traditional bamboo construction is how to connect the poles to the footings. Nature has already solved this problem with a root system to anchor the plant to the ground. This investigation tries using the structural possibilities of bamboo whilst it is living. The plant is allowed to grow through a grid floor and roof structure initially held in place with scaffolding. Metal plates are inserted into this grid structure where bamboo ‘columns’ are desired. As the plant matures and in...

Techné and Poïesis 
How Do You Design – OS2 Autumn 2008 Open Series’ second year is under the theme of techne and poïesis - the process of design. It explores the ontological question of design and allows reflection, criticism and exposure to relevant questions in design. Techne is often translated as craftsmanship; it is the rational method involved in producing an object or accomplishing a goal or objective and is quintessential to architecture. Poïesis, derived from the ancient Greek term ποιέω, meaning ‘to make’, describes a verb, an action, in its purest sense. Neither technical production nor creation in the romantic sense, poïetic work reconciles thought with matter, and time and man with the world. This pair of techne and poïesis are extremes in architecture but are essential and together create a tension field which is explored through the agenda of OS2. The series invites and encourages inspiring architects, thinkers and designers to express and debate their views through thi...

INTRODUCTION In 1973, the small settlement  of Qullissat was closed down due to the demise of its mining industry. Its population migrated to Ilulissat and took an important part of the community with them; their meeting space, their church. Today, this building stand as a symbol of how meeting spaces are of vital importance to a community. Movement and migration have been and are an intrinsic aspect of the Greenlandic culture. A MANIFESTO We propose a masterplan alternative, based on people as a resource, all kinds of people. Those who live there, and those to come. Capitalizing on density and the migrating community, whether it be for one day, one season or one lifetime, this strategy aims to promote “meeting” as a resource for growth and economic sustainability. We suggest 4 interventions, where architecture can be the catalyst for “meeting” and a more cohesive Ilulissat. It is the present and future Greenlander, where ever they may come from, that will eventually form the Illul...