Masonry Magazine April 2004 Page. 53
"Masonry Variations"
LAST YEAR, the International Masonry Institute (IMI) and the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC) launched "Masonry Variations," a masonry exhibit that investigates the future potential of stone, brick, terrazzo and aerated autoclaved concrete (AAC). An exhibit of four installations created by collaborative teams of designers and craftworkers, "Masonry Variations" used the combined knowledge to produce the unimaginable.
Bringing creativity to classic masonry materials is much more than an intellectual exercise. While masonry's virtues are many, there is also the risk of being overlooked by the creative architect seeking an exciting challenge.
With this in mind, Stanley Tigerman, FAIA, created what he calls an exercise in "structural adventurousness" an exhibit on masonry's future at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. Convinced that masonry has still more creative value to offer the architect, Tigerman challenged four architects -Jeanne Gang, Principal, Studio Gang: Carlos Jimenez, Principal, Carlos Jimenez Studio; Julie Eizenberg, Partner, Koning Eizenberg Architecture; and Winka Dubbeldam, Principal, Archi-tectonics to go beyond masonry's comfortable design state, and instead explore tension in a traditionally compressive material. Bringing creativity to classic masonry materials is much more than an intellectual exercise.
Good masonry projects are not just the creation of a talented architect, but instead, depend on collaboration between those who design and those who build. So four recognized master craftsmen, each an expert in his own masonry craft, were added to the mix.
Together, the teams moved through the design, development and construction of masonry "buildings" that are translucent, float, move and make music.
Ironically, the oldest of building materials have also provided the greatest amount of innovative potential. They are by nature evolving and cutting edge materials that can challenge, inspire and even frustrate the innovative designer. For example, one relatively untapped area for exploration is masonry as structural systems. The potentials suggested in "Masonry Variations" include self-supporting lightweight construction, post-tensioned structural systems (that allow for greater spans), the use of reclaimed materials, and a flexibility that can extend masonry materials past traditional rectangular geometry.
Stone
FOR JEANNE GANG, AIA, the immediate challenge was the floor load restrictions. Gang also wanted to make her installation the lightest of the four. That challenged the issue of per-square-foot weight characteristic of stone design. Her design solution was to turn her back on the floor, and instead hang the installation from the ceiling in tension, as a stone "curtain" consisting of over 600 uniquely shaped puzzled pieces. Gang and her collaborator, IMI Special Projects Coordinator and stone instructor Matt Redabaugh, went through a selection and testing process to find a marble material strong enough to be self-supporting while also thin enough to be translucent.
The typical armature substrate for the 3/8" thick stone installation was replaced by a structural redundancy system made of fiberglass mesh. The mortar joints were replaced by structural silicone that allows each water jet laser-cut flat puzzle piece to become part of a cantenary shape. "There was no line, no plumb, no square, no use of a tape measure," says Redabaugh, who has worked with stone for two decades." It's been so exciting to explore a material that I thought I knew."
Both collaborators believe that stone's future is lightweight, translucent and self-supporting. Getting there will also require further understanding of the technology used by engineering consultants, testing labs and material manufacturers to achieve other unique configurations in an economical method.
Brick
CARLOS JIMENEZ'S greatest challenge was related to the great designs and precedent already existing in brick design. "I wondered what one could add to this ancient material that had not already been done," he says. "I wondered if our brick might want to be freed, if only temporarily, from its innate obedience to gravity and stability."