SS24

Forests in Germany are being devastated by bark beetles that damage vast areas of spruce trees, one of the most common structural timber species. New ways of construction are needed to get the most out of and revalorize this material.

In this course we will explore units that we can obtain out of diseased logs to create reversible interlocking assemblies informed by fabrication limitations, ease of construction and structural analysis. We will utilize digital and parametric modeling for the design and analysis of complex geometries. Topics will include understanding timber’s structural properties and analysis, digital and physical prototyping, and fabrication, assembly and disassembly processes. 

This course will include hands-on exploration of timber as a primary building material, with both manual techniques and digital fabrication tools such as CNC and robotic milling to produce precise connections and modular units. Based on our design studies and prototypes, we will end with the exploration of structures that can be built with these units. 

Previous knowledge of Rhino and Grasshopper is not mandatory but would be helpful.