Final Portfolio

WOOD
STRUCTURAL MATERIALS RESEARCH

STUDIO 703
ARCH 3501 - ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN STUDIO 4
LAURA LOPEZ + JOSE SANCHEZ

COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE
TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY - FALL 2008
WOOD
In order to better understand the properties of wood and its uses, we researched different types of wood as well as wood
TYPES + PRODUCTS
products & by products. Wood is made up of 50% carbon, 44 % oxygen, and 6% hydrogen.
There are two different categories of wood, softwoods and hardwoods. Under these categories there are many species and
even more sub species of wood. Dependent on the species, or subspecies, wood is used in construction, as fuel, as
commerical products, or as food.
species of wood
Hardwoods
Maple Beech Oak Teak Dark Red Meranti
Grow approximately 10-40 meters tall Grows approximately 20-35 meters tall Grows approximately 18-55 meters tall Grow approximately 30-40 meters tall Grows up to 84 meters in height
Grown in Asia, Europe, North America, Grows in North America & Europe Grown in Northern Hemisphere Grown in South & Southeast Asia Grown in Malaysia, Indonesia, &
& Northern Africa Used primarily for framing & flooring Highly resistant to fungal & insect Used for flooring & veneer Phillipines
Hard maple is used in bowling pins, al- Tough but dimensionally unstable attacks High class joinery, frames, & doors
leys, cue sticks and butcher blocks
Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

Laura Lopez + Jose Sanchez
species of ood
Hardwoods
Merbau Robinia Ekki
Grows up to 50 meters in height Grows approximately 4-25 meters tall Grows 16-24 meters tall
Grown in Southeast Asia & Islands in Grown in North America & Northern Grown in tropical or subtropical moist
the Pacific Ocean Mexico lowland forests
Very durable & termite resistant Used for making fences, railroad ties, & Used primarily for railway track ties
posts

species of wood
softwoods
Douglas Fir Spruce Scots Pine European Larch Pine
Grows approximately 20-120 meters tall Grows approximately 20-95 meters tall Grows up to 25 meters in height Grows approximately 20-120 meters tall Grows approximately 3-80 meters tall-
Grown in North America, Mexico, & Grown in Northern temperate climates Grown in Euopre, Asia, Great Britain, Grown in Europe, Alps, Carpathians, Grown in Northern Hemisphere
Eastern Asia Used primarily in paper manufacture Spain, & Siberia Poland, & Lithuania Used for high value carpentry items
Withstands high loads well Used for general construction work Used in fencing

species of wood
softwoods
Fir Western Hemlock Western Red Cedar
Grows approximately 10-80 meters tall Grows approximately 50-70 meters tall Grows approximately 50-75 meters tall
Grows in North and Central America, Grown in North America Growns in North America & Canada
Europe, Asia, & North Africa Used in timber & paper production Highly resistant to decay
General timber use

Solid Wood Products
Board Solid Structural Timber KVH Four Piece Beam Trio Beam Solid Softwood Section

Solid Wood Products
Solid Hardwood Section Rod Glue Laminated Timber Profiled Boards

Wood Based Products
3 Ply Core Plywood 5 Ply Core Plywood Plywood Structural Veneer Lumber Laminated Veneer Lumber

Wood Based Products
Blockboard Oriented Strandboard Particleboard Wood-Wool Slab Hardboard

Wood Based Products
Medium Board Porous Wood Fibreboard Bitumen Wood Fibreboard Plasterboard Cement Fibreboard

WOOD
Reciprocal frame structures are three dimensional used primarily in roof structrues. It consists of radiating beams supported
RECIPROCAL FRAME
by a ring beam, cloumns, or an external wall. As a result of this structural composition, the outer edges of the neams form an
outer polygon or circle.
Early examples of reciprocal frame construction include Eskimo tents, Indian tepees and Hogan dwellings. Over time as
mathematics developed, more possibilities were provided for the use of reciprocal framing.
RECIPROCAL FRAME
reciprocal frames
The reciprocal frame is a roof structure where each beam both supports and is
suported by other beams in the roof structure. A minimum of 3 breams is required
to create a recirpocal roof. As each beam supports the next in a reciprocal manner
no internal support is necessary.
Only the outer end of each beam requires supprot which will normalyl be a post
used for the wall. The roof loads are transferred to these posts and in turn to the
supporting foundation.

RECIPROCAL FRAME
plan & elevation plan & elevation
Inner radius of 1 Inner radius of 2

RECIPROCAL FRAME
plan & elevation plan & elevation
Inner radius of 3 Inner raidus of 4

WOOD
A truss is composed of triangles because of the structural stability of that shape. A triangle is the simplest geometric fig-
ure that will not change shape, or angles, when the lengths of the sides are fixed. In comparison, both the angles and the
TRUSSES
lengths of a square must be fixed for it to retain its shape.
The depth of a truss, or the height between the upper and lower chords, is what creates an efficient structural form. For a
given span length, a deeper truss will require less material in the chords and greater material in the verticals and diagonals.
An optimum depth of the truss will maximize the efficiency.
FLAT HOWE
FLAT WARREN
TRUSSES
FLAT PRATT
LOW SLOPING

TRUSSES
CANTILEVERED MANSARD DOUBLE CANTILEVERED WITH PARAPET
TOP HUNG FLAT SLOPING PARALLEL CORD

DUAL SLOPE
TRI BEARING
TRUSSES
CLERESTORY
DOUBLE CANTILEVER

KINGPOST
POLYNESIAN
TRUSSES
GAMBREL
QUEEN POST (fAN)

FAN
FINK
TRUSSES
HOWE
MODIFIED QUEEN

DOUBLE FINK
MODIFIED FAN
TRUSSES
TRIPLE FINK
DOUBLE HOWE

H3201
HOWE SCISSORS
TRUSSES
H2202
DOUBLE HOWE SCISSORS

M32 MONO
TRUSSES
MONO SCISSORS

WOOD
In researching wood products and byproducts, we researched engineered wood as a possible material type. Engineered
wood is also known as composite wood, man-made-wood or manufactured wood. Products of engineered wood include a
ENGINEERED WOOD
range of derivative wood products which are manufactured by binding together the strands, particles, fibers, or veneers of
woods, together with adhesives, to form these composite materials.
Engineered woods offer a wide variety of uses, dimensions, and applications. As a result, engineered woods have
revoluntionzed the wood industry.
ENGINEERED WOOD
LAMINATED VENEER LUMBER
Laminated veneer lumber (LVL) is an engineered wood product that uses multiple board, and edge-forming material. The I-Joist is a product of LVL. These joists
layers of thin wood assembled with various adhesives. It offers several advantages work similar to solid woods, yet provide a stronger support system while using less
over typical milled lumber: it is stronger, straighter, and a lot more uniform. It is material. These joists are similarly installed as solid wood products.
much less likely than conventional lumber to warp, twist, bow, or shrink due to
its composite nature. Produced in a factory under controlled specifications, LVL
products allow customers to reduce the on-site labor.

It is similar in appearance to plywood without cross bands, and is typically rated by
the manufacturer for elastic modulus and allowable bending stress. Common elastic

moduli are 1.8, 1.9, and 2.0 million psi, and common allowable bending stress
values are at 2800 and 3000 psi.
Laminated Veneer Lumber products are typically used for headers, beams, rim

ENGINEERED WOOD
PARALLAM
Parallam is made from nearly all of the wood on the log using veneer strands, which
are aligned parallel for maximum strength. The end product is a rectangular beam;
that which is longer, thicker, and stronger than the conventional solid-sawn lumber.
Similar to Laminated Veneer Lumber, Parallam woods are often used as beams,
headers, columns, and posts, among others uses.

ENGINEERED WOOD
GLULAM SHEFFIELD WINTER GARDENS
Glued laminated timber, also known as gluelam or glulam, is a type of structural Sheffield, England
timber product composed of several layers of dimensioned lumber glued together.
By laminating several smaller pieces of wood, a single large, strong, structural The building has background frost protection to minimum of 4 degrees Celsius
member can be manufactured from smaller lumber. These structural members and it is one of the largest Glulam buildings in the UK. The wood used is Larch,
are usually used as vertical columns or horizontal beams, often in curved, arching a durable timber which will turn a light silvery grey color over time. The larch,
shapes. which derived from sustainable forests, requires no preservatives or coatings. This
reduces the use of solvents and also avoids the use of chemicals that could kill the
Glued laminated timber, like other engineered wood products, represent an plants inside.
efficient use of available timber. With an increased demand for lumber worldwide,

the amount of solid timber available has steadily declined. Glulam structural As seen on the images above, two glulam beams are used to complete the entire
members thus make use of smaller and less desirable dimensions of timber, yet are spand of the structure. Not only do they provide the structural support, but they are
engineered to be stronger than similarly sized members comprised of solid wood. aldo incorporated into the design.

WOOD
Woodworking involves joining together pieces of wood to create furniture, structures, architectural details, toys, and other
WOODWORKING + JOINERY
items. Some wood joints employ fasteners, bindings, or adhesives, while others use only wood elements. The character-
istics of wooden joints, strength, flexibility, toughness, etc., derive from the properties of the joining materials and from how
they are used in the joints. Therefore, different joinery techniques are used to meet differing requirements
WOODWORKING
Woodworking involves joining together pieces of wood to create furniture, response to humidity, usually much less so longitudinally than in the radial and
structures, architectural details, toys, and other items. Some wood joints employ tangential directions.
fasteners, bindings, or adhesives, while others use only wood elements. The
characteristics of wooden joints, strength, flexibility, toughness, etc., derive from Japanese and Chinese craftsman have mastered and have led the usage of
the properties of the joining materials and from how they are used in the joints. woodworking techniques; whether it be used to make furniture or for architecture.
Therefore, different joinery techniques are used to meet differing requirements Both cultures have woodworking traditions that include hundreds of types of joints,
many of which do not use glue or nails to hold in place.
Many traditional wood joinery techniques use the distinctive material properties of
wood, often without resorting to mechanical fasteners or adhesives. Many wood

joinery techniques either depend upon or compensate for the fact that wood is
anisotropic: its material properties are different along different dimensions. Wood
is stronger when stressed along the grain (longitudinally) than it is when stressed
across the grain (radially and tangentially). Wood also expands and contracts in

WOODWORKING
BUTT JOINT HALF LAP JOINT DADO JOINT MORTISE & TENON JOINT BISCUIT JOINT
Joinery technique in which two Material is removed from each of A slot or trench cut into the surface The end of the first member, called the A mortice is cut on each member, each
members are cut to the appropriate the members so resulting joint is the of the first member to match the end tenon, is usually narrowed with respect located the correct distance from the
length and are joined by simply butting thickness of the thickest member. of the other. A dado is cut across, or to a hole of the second piece. The first face of the joint in both members. A
them together. Reinforcements must Most commonly in half lap joints, the perpendicular to, the grain and is thus member is inserted into the hole of the biscuit is then inserted with some glue
be used, such as dowels or nails, even members are of the same thickness differentiated from a groove which is cut second member, called the mortise. and the members brought together,
so, it is the weakest of all the joints. and half the thickness of each is with, or parallel to, the grain. The joint may be glued, pinned, or aligned and clamped. The biscuit
removed wedged to lock it in place. absorbs some moisture from the glue
and swells up in the mortice, creating a
tightly fitting joint.

WOODWORKING
MITER JOINT BRIDLE JOINT DOVETAIL JOINT RABBET JOINT MILLED CORNER JOINT
Joint made by beveling each of two Similar to a mortise and tenon; a tenon Consists of a series of pins cut to Consists of a recess or groove cut Similar to a Dado and a Mortice and
parts to be joined, usually at a 45° is narrowed on the end of one member extend from the end of one board, into the edge of one member. The Tenon joints. Groves are cut precisely
angle, to form a corner of a certain and a mortise is cut into the other to interlocking with a series of tails cut position of the rabbet cut depends on on both members in order to interlock
angle. A mitered joint may be accept it. The difference is that the into the end of the second board. The where someone wants the half-section or slide together. The milled corner
reinforeced with a spline, which works tenon and the mortise are cut to the full pins and tails usually have a trapezoidal of grained end to appear. With this joint creates a corner with no end grain
similar to a biscuit in a biscuit joint. width of the tenon member. shape, allowing the dovetail to be joint, the grained end of one member is visible. One of the stronger joints.
great in tensile strength. Once glued, completely hidden.
a wooden dovetail joint requires no
mechanical fasteners.

WOOD
ARCHITECT’S + WOOD
In order to understand the limitations of wood, we researched specific architect’s projects in wood including Shigeru Ban,
Tado Ando, and Kengo Kuma.
TADAO ANDO
JAPAN PAVILION EXPO ‘92
Seville, Spain
Japan presented at Expo 1992, a pavillion considered the largest wooden building
in the world. It was a proposed four-storey building with wooden beams and
columns. On the outside Iroko wood, from Africa, was used, while the interior is
combined with Canadian fir ceilings covered with teflon and steel. Visitors would
come into the second floor crossing a bridge, intended to symbolize the transit
between the bank of Japan to the traditional bank of the modern era. From the top
floor visitors descend through several exhibition halls.

Ando wasnted to highlight the term "kinari" (Nature in origin), as a beginning and the
source of the Japanese culture. It was represented as a reproduction of the Azuchi
Castle, when Japan made its first contact with European civilization.

TADAO ANDO
MUSEUM OF WOOD
Mikata, Hyogo, Japan laminated wood columns, which rise to a height of 16 meters, are arranged in a
manner that recalls the forest.
Isolated in a solitary position in the heart of the Mikata-gun forest, the Museum of
Wood was built to celebrate the National Tree Festival.
The museum is a declared homage to the huge task of reconstruction of the forest
resources of which Japan is now justifiably proud, and the fact that it is constructed
almost entirely out of wood demonstrates the Japanese veneration for this product
of nature that underlies the country's traditional concept of what architecture is.

Built of wood with a steel frame and reinforced concrete, the museaum features a
ring-shaped exhibit hall with a 46 meter outer diameter and a 22 meter void within.
Locally milled Hyogo cedar was used for the posts and beams. The enormous

KENGO KUMA
“You could say that my aim is 'to recover the place, the place is a result of nature and time, this is the most
important aspect. I think my architecture is some kind of frame of nature with it we can experience nature
more deeply and more intimately. Transparency is a characteristic of japanese architecture, I try to use
light.” ---Kengo Kuma
GREAT (BAMBOO) WALL
Beijing, China
The purpose of this project was to re-discover and re-express the true essence
of Japanese architecture through bamboo as both a structural and non-structual
element. The use of bamboo was based on the fact that bamboo, as a piece of raw
material, denies to be processed compared to other wood products.
In contrast to that, however, bamboo is used in a manner of original form.

Therefore, bamboo is a material and a product at the same time. The project talks

about disposition of the material (particles) rather than processing of the material
that creates a piece of architecture. It is by coincidence that the particles of bamboo
are positioned with some order in this case. These particles can easily retrieve their
true essence once the order is scattered around as in a natural environment.

KENGO KUMA
YUSUHARA TOWN HALL
Yusuhara, Takaoka, Kochi Prefecture, Japan
The town of Yusuhara, known for its urban development using “Japanese Cedar”,
has a new starting point for its community with the “Kino-machi Hall” (Town Hall),
the largest scaled “Wooden” town hall in Japan.
Local Japanese cedar was used fully to the regulations, which made possible to
create a double lattice girder structure with an 18 meter long span. While making
it possible to visualize how cedar structural parts sustain the structure, as seen in

the images, this building aims to build an architecture capable of making people
reconfirm the excellence of Japanese wooden structures.

SHIGERU BAN
PAPER CHURCH
Nagata-ku, Kobe, Japan form a continuous, unified space between the interior and exterior.
This community center was built by church volunteers whose house of worship
was destroyed by Kobe earthquake in 1995. Materials were donated by a number
of companies, and construction was completed in only five weeks by the 160
volunteers.
The plan(10 x 15m) is enclosed within a skin of corrugated, polycarbonate sheeting.

Within this, 58 paper tubes (325mm in diameter, 14.8mm thick, and 5m high), were

placed in an elliptical pattern. The eclipse is based on those in Bernini’s church
designs, and the space between the eclipse and the outer edge of rectangular-
shaped site formed a corridor and provided lateral support. At the entrance to the
eclipse, the spacing of the paper tubes was widened, and the facade fully glazed to

SHIGERU BAN
PAPER TEMPORARY STUDIO

Paris, France in width. The circular vault space is entirely covered in its length by a waterproof
membrane and panel system that is supported on a system of cylindrical ribs.
The temporary structure is conceived as one whole continuous space. The different These are made of 29 semi-circular arches, equal in length, and a network of
zones are created by partial partitioning formed by tall shelving units. The space transversal wind-bracing elements. The arches are at 1.2 meter intervals. The ribs
is sub-divided into successive areas: reception hall, conference room, work space, are made of paper tubes, inside 120 mm diameter, 760mm external diameter.
rest zone and model workshop.
The whole structure, vault and base, is covered by a system of external membrane
in PTFE (Poly Tetra Fluoro Ethylene) in strict accordance with current fire

regulations that provides the water-proofing. The two lateral facades and gables
are in timber structure and infill panels.
The temporary structure is a tubular space of 34.5 meters in length and 4.4 meters

SHIGERU BAN
"It is a very interesting contrast, the Roman stone bridge and the paper bridge. Paper too can be perma-
nent, can be strong and lasting. We need to get rid of these prejudices," ---Ban
PAPER BRIDGE
Nimes, France The bridge was opened to the public for six weeks, which then was dismantled for
the rainy season.
Placed over the Gardon River in southern France, half a mile from the Pont du
Gard, it reaches over the water to a sandy islet mid-river. Designed by Architect
Shigeru Ban, two dozen French architecture students and three from Japan built the
bridge as a month-long project.
The cardboard-tube bridge was load tested with balloons filled with 1.5 tonnes of
water, calculated to be strong enough to carry 20 people at a time. Weighing at 7.5

tonnes, the bridge is made from 281 cardboard tubes, each 11.5 centimeters (four
inches) across and 11.9 millimeters thick. The steps are made of recycled paper
and plastic and the foundations were wooden boxes packed with sand.

WOOD
Starting with miniature models, we experimented with basic reciprocal frame structures, making woodworking joints and
DESIGNS & TRIALS
began to work on a larger scale. Using information gathered from the study of trusses, previous experiments with different
types of materials, and lessons from failures, we began to construct the first model of Shigeru Ban’s paper bridge.
This chapter shows the progression from miniature preceding experiments through the final model.
TRUSS STUDY
HOWE SCISSORS
MINIATURE TRIALS
DOUBLE HOWE SCISSORS

joint work
bridge STUDY
trials

DESIGN & TRIALS
Materials used: 63 cardboard mailing tubes, 25 pvc connections, and nearly 150 of their sides, with exception of one side which had two on each side for a stronger
nuts and bolts. joint.
The following images show the types of connections used. PVC was glued together
with Wings-n-Things glue, containing Cyanoacrylate. Each tube had a bolt on each
DESIGN & TRIALS
Zip-ties were added to strengthen the join connection.

DESIGN & TRIALS
Section twists as seen on following images, this twist is made of 16 triangular

sections.

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WOOD

STRUCTURAL MATERIALS RESEARCH

LAURA LOPEZ + JOSE SANCHEZ

Maple Beech Oak Teak Dark Red Meranti

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

Merbau Robinia Ekki

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

Douglas Fir Spruce Scots Pine European Larch Pine

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

Fir Western Hemlock Western Red Cedar

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

Solid Hardwood Section Rod Glue Laminated Timber Profiled Boards

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

Blockboard Oriented Strandboard Particleboard Wood-Wool Slab Hardboard

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

plan & elevation plan & elevation

Inner radius of 1 Inner radius of 2

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

plan & elevation plan & elevation

Inner radius of 3 Inner raidus of 4

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

CANTILEVERED MANSARD DOUBLE CANTILEVERED WITH PARAPET

TOP HUNG FLAT SLOPING PARALLEL CORD

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

QUEEN POST (fAN)

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

LAMINATED VENEER LUMBER

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

Laura Lopez + Jose Sanchez

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

GLULAM SHEFFIELD WINTER GARDENS

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

Laura Lopez + Jose Sanchez

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

Laura Lopez + Jose Sanchez

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

JAPAN PAVILION EXPO ‘92

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

Laura Lopez + Jose Sanchez

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

Laura Lopez + Jose Sanchez

In contrast to that, however, bamboo is used in a manner of original form.

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

Laura Lopez + Jose Sanchez

YUSUHARA TOWN HALL

Yusuhara, Takaoka, Kochi Prefecture, Japan

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

Laura Lopez + Jose Sanchez

The plan(10 x 15m) is enclosed within a skin of corrugated, polycarbonate sheeting.

Structural Material Research Catalog: WOOD

Laura Lopez + Jose Sanchez

PAPER TEMPORARY STUDIO