Investigating weaving non-planar surfaces with timber

Abstract

Weaving has been traced back to the oldest civilizations, having local evidence from the Neolithic period. Unfortunately, from a thriving craft used for many purposes, it is currently in danger of becoming a lost art. The application of weaving in contemporary architectural= contexts is yet to be observed, raising the question of whether weaving geometry can benefit architecture. If weaving properties are translated from the traditional craft into architecture, the realm of architecture can benefit from a multitude of advantages, including avoiding the design, fabrication, and assembly of mechanical fixing and joining, eliminating unnecessary mass within the structure, and having a system that can be scaled up or down. This dissertation explores weaving, with particular attention to non-planar surfaces, using wood. The mechanical properties of wood are taken as the core of the design process rather than factors that need to be dealt with. The weaving geometry and materiality are tested against scalability. Physical testing is done in an iterative process where every generation of tests has different hypotheses, and the best outcome continues to evolve in the consequent tests, ultimately achieving a material system. Finally, the dissertation finds that weaving non-planar surfaces using timber strips is possible. Results of physical models are analysed and potential applications are described.