Adoration of the joint : investigation and translated application of jointing methods

Abstract

This research project is an investigation into the aesthetics and craft of traditional timber jointing techniques. It is an endeavour to grasp the essence of the timber joint and the craft by which it is produced and to develop it architecturally in the form of a pavilion for the general public in a national park. Traditional timber jointing techniques were productions of culture ; wrote learned, copied, and gradually refined over time. They have been widely used both structurally and decoratively and predominantly carry a high sense of craftsmanship and romanticism. Due to the need for highly skilled craftsmen and a rather time consuming production method this process has become largely attenuated through time. Nowadays, buildings with finely detailed timber joints are very rare because of the high cost involved in terms of time and labour; there are much quicker production methods that are generally more favoured. This thesis will explore the joint and discuss the merits of the discourse with craft in the wider context and considers the relevance of this, not just as a way of tradition. This will be outworked through the synthesise of this methodology with a design for a timber pavilion that translates some of the concepts of jointing that Mies van der Rohe used in the Farnsworth House with steel. An investigation of different joints through physically crafting them is a fundamental aspect of this process. The performance of the outcome can be marked by a successful integration of craft into the architectural design, which conveys the attitude of thoughtful correspondence between craft and design. Moreover, it completes the narrative of architecture as an edificatory process. SITE: Torrent Bay, Abel Tasman National Park, South Island, New Zealand.