During milling, inspection and assembly, our wood remained relatively wet, bending easily into its desired shape. It then dries to create the strength and rigidity of the structure. The laths in a grid shell are connected at nodes where they cross; this connection allows the shell to hold its planned shape as there is only one possible set of coordinates that spatially locates each node. However, during erection it is necessary to allow the nodes to move: the node connection has to be fixed in its final location but must slide along the other laths as the shell is lifted into place. We tested lashing as an effective structural connection, something based on a project in which we participated in Iqaluit in 2013 (part of Canada’s pavilion at the Venice Biennale) where the komatix , or sled, has lashed joints rather than mechanical fasteners – lashing responds better to dynamic loading and the uneven terrain a sled must traverse. For us, lashing was an effective way to slide and then cinch the laths during the stages of lifting before fixing the laths in their final configuration. Cheticamp Farmer’s Market. Node exploration — clamping, lashing, bolting; testing each node fastener as lift, lash, clamp, rest, then repeat. As it rests, the wood confodrms to its new curve. The gridshell is erected slowly; this process takes a few days as the oak sets into position with time. Interstitial lath block noeds in their final position a combination of lashing and clamping right: the build up of 3/4” lath members as they approach the bolt connection to the concrete base. The cladding is translucent polycarbonate.
all images:dalcoastalstudio.com
Deciding where and how the shell attaches to a vertical wall determines the visual delicacy of the roof. The clearest solution is a simple bent steel plate embedded in the concrete side walls with a single bolt connection to each wooden lath. The number of single bolt connections from the bent steel plate to the lath can be cut in half if the lath is paired at a node with one going in a perpendicular direction.
On Site review 35 : the material culture of architecture
10
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator