Ribbed tile vaulting - Innovation through two design-build workshops

Block P., Bayl-Smith M., Schork T., Bellamy J. and Pigram D.
FABRICATE 2014
Zurich
2014

Traditional tile vaults are typically constructed springing off walls or from straight arches built from support to support on falsework. From these, the vault’s surface can be built in space with no or minimal guidework. Building on previous research, focused on continuous surface expression, representing fully three-dimensional equilibrium surfaces in compression, this research explores the design potential of fully three-dimensional networks of structural ribs, made possible by new funicular form-finding approaches. This new structural typology for tile vaults was investigated and tested through two intensive, design-build workshops in Australia, at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) in October 2012, and at Monash University Art Design & Architecture (MADA), Melbourne in May 2013.