Project Outline: Microstructure

One area of our education that we feel we have not explored to its potential is the beauty, craft and design of architectural details.  We wish to acquire not just an understanding of “standard” details/joints/connections, but an understating of the building logic that underpins those details, and to develop a detail based way of thinking.  Although, we understand that there is a precedent for this type of design with in the field of architecture, we believe that by executing this practical design build based project we will develop a working knowledge of detailing.  We want to design and build a small structure.

We will work with one other student on this honors experience / independent study.  By working in a small team we will greatly expand the potential for the project in terms of scale and quality.

We will build a small performance space, designed in collaboration with a playwright, in which the details relate to the structure as a whole and also reinforce the themes of the play.

The project is based around the idea of developing new ideas based on experiential research (through practical carpentry exercises) and an extensive continuous literature review.  The research problem is a direct response to a perceived gap in our education.  It comes from a understanding, developed during my time on co-op, that a lack of understanding of good architectural detail results in problems at all levels of the building project.

My goal is to be able to develop my own details to meet situational needs that will be elegant with their simplicity and creativity.

I would continue to develop my craftsmanship, specifically in wood construction. I would learn not just the mechanics of detailing but also their underlying logic to allow me to create appropriate details for non-standard conditions.  By building the details I was drawing I would gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the difficulties of construction and how to design so that the building can be made in a cleaner, more efficient, and practical way.