spatial timber assemblies, a digital timber construction method developed by ETH zurich

“…new method for digital timber construction in a real project for the first time……digitalization has found its way into timber construction, with entire elements already fabricated by computer-aided systems…”

New to whom???

Traditional historic Timberwrights, and other traditional woodworkers have been utilizing CAD modeling of timber frames architecture for over 20 years. This is modernization without soul or true understanding of the materials from an earth based or traditional mindset is pointless. There is little (…to no???) compassion for the materials or internalized traditional cognizance or comprehension of how these materials can actually work together in complete concert. These “machines” are now being asked to treat natural materials as if they are homogenized plastics or alloys, without fully implementing the historic scope and potential of the material that is wood.

“…in the past, this fabrication process came with many geometric restrictions…”

Who’s past???

I, nor those that taught me, ever spoke of “restrictions.” The only limit was within an individuals imagination. If one took it upon themselves to learn and advance their individual skill sets the limits to what could be designed and built with stone, timber and earth was virtually limitless. This was also done without the elements of modernity, and the architecture still exists today. I don’t see what is being built today (or by these “new methods”) lasting nearly as long. So how is it they are superior or better in any way?

“…digital timber construction…expands the range of traditional timber frame construction by enabling the efficient construction and assembly of geometrically complex timber modules…”

It does…how???

These types of definitive statements about “traditional timber frame construction” being offered by those that…are not…traditional artisan nor Timberwrights themselves is simply obtuse.

Timberwrights today, and historically, never worked inefficiently nor where unable to facilitate and assemble extremely complex timber frames. The proof still stands within the vernacular record today, though poorly understood by most, taken care of and often neglected. There is simply no real improvement here with these machines. There is “industrialization” and “modernization,” that is a true statement, of that there is no doubt. Yet, I see very little actual improvement at all. Not until the traditional modalities are fully embraced and understood by the machines designers will technology actual come to full implantation and augmentation to craft and facilitation of timber architecture…

“…unlike traditional timber frame construction, spatial timber assemblies can manage without reinforcement plates because of the required rigidity and load-bearing result from the geometric structure…”

Again, this is simply a false and non-reality based statement.

Timber frame architecture has been in existence for over 4000 years. Timber framing (and traditional architecture) was better understood 100 years ago than it is today. There are only a limited number of practitioners left that fully understand the range and potential of timber, stone and earth architecture, and this knowledge will be lost if not better promoted by educational institutions and society at large. This innate push to employ technology without the fundamental understanding of traditional building materials first is a dead end road. Promotion of the tradtional understanding first is the only truly efficient way technological augmentation will be fully taken advantage of in meaningful ways within human advancements in technology.

according to Matthias Kohler, professor of architecture and digital fabrication at ETH zurich: “…this kind of integrated digital architecture is closing the gap between design, planning, and execution…digital fabrication depends on the tremendous expertise required for craftsmanship… conversely, digitalization can improve craftsmanship and open up new opportunities…”

It can only actually “improve craftsmanship” if the fundamental elements of traditional craftsmanship is fully internalized. I have not seen this demonstrated yet by any program that is “trying” to cut corners with technology…without…understanding the fundamentals completely first.

Jay C. White Cloud

Mar 24, 2018