Re-Frame: form-finding within the constraints of mutually supporting assemblies

Abstract

This research is an investigation into the concept of the reciprocal frame as a means of generating sculptural architectural form within the limits of modular unit design. The development of expressive form involves a balance of various influences. One of these is the process of rationalization, where ideas and images are considered as material artifacts that must be built using available resources and technologies. The concept of the reciprocal frame presents an intriguing case for accommodating the limitations of a construction method in the development of form. This thesis explores the range of aesthetic variation available in axially connected reciprocal assemblies by means of experimentation with pattern, physical prototyping, and iterative geometric optimization. The project develops a workflow from form-finding to fabrication within the rigid constraints of this assembly logic, while striving to remain faithful to the tectonic elegance for which this structural concept has historically been valued. Conclusions of this investigation are that the state of axial tangency defines a class of reciprocal assembly which, while constrained to a distinct range of form, offers benefits in tectonic rationality and scalability over other sub-families in this area of structural design.