Geodesic Geometries
ATTENTION: DURING THIS RESEARCH, MULTIPLE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN GENERATED AS A RESULT OF COLLABORATIVE PROCESSES BETWEEN CTRL+Z AND DIFFERENT AGENTS. FOR A CORRECT UNDERSTANDING, I INVITE YOU TO LEARN ABOUT THE OTHER SUBJECTS DIRECTLY INVOLVED THAT YOU CAN FIND ASSOCIATED WITH EACH SPECIFIC PROJECT.
In 1922 Dr. Walther Bauersfeld developed a geodesic dome for Carl Zeiss in Jena, Germany, he can be considered the inventor of the geodesic dome.
In 1949 Richard Buckminster Fuller introduced the geodesic dome to the world, popularizing it in the 1960s and receiving recognition for his creation. Since then, several people have developed these concepts and encouraged the self-construction of these spaces.
Geodesic and three-dimensional structures, despite their efficient use of resources and rapid assembly, have never become popular due to the specific elements that supposedly “need” to be produced for their construction. The products present on the market are very expensive and difficult to find since they are exclusively available from very specialized companies. Normally they are only used in large-scale projects such as sports halls, airports, etc.
This situation is a paradox since the inventors of these systems conceived them precisely during the search for technologies for all with the aim of: “Creating more with less” and making it simple.
In fact, thanks to its versatility, this type of technology has been for many years the icon of alternative architecture and the symbol of the freedom to build one's own shelter. Small cities were built with this system during the 60s and 70s.
This situation is a paradox since the inventors of these systems conceived them precisely during the search for technologies for all with the aim of: “Creating more with less” and making it simple.
In fact, thanks to its versatility, this type of technology has been for many years the icon of alternative architecture and the symbol of the freedom to build one's own shelter. Small cities were built with this system during the 60s and 70s.
After the experiences of Saltillo and Bustamante, in which we consolidated the knowledge of these geometries already started in assemblies with friends, we began to investigate to propose new models that take into account current technologies and that respond to the needs of greater respect for the environment by implementing the recovery and reuse of unused materials or the use of natural and renewable materials.
The first opportunity and pretext to put all this into practice arose in 2011 in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico. After a conference on the work of Ctrl+Z at a local university, we were invited to formulate a proposal for the construction of a butterfly farm in the indigenous community of Choacahui.
The objective was to contribute to the development and preservation of indigenous culture, to promote the values and natural resources of the community, as well as to the use, conservation, protection and restoration of its ecosystems.
The Mayo and Yoreme indigenous people constantly require cocoons of the four-mirror butterfly to make traditional crafts called “tenábaris” (cocoons filled with stones), which are used as part of the attire in the traditional dances of Pascola and Venado, especially in the Yaqui and Mayosen tribes. The indigenous people therefore interfere with the reproduction of the butterfly, damage the blood tree and put their lives at risk since the ever-increasing scarcity of blood trees and butterflies forces them to travel many kilometers into the forest. This is a serious situation, since the day will come when the dancers will replace them with some element foreign to tradition, which would be regrettable.
The Ctrl+Z proposal was based almost entirely on the rescue and reuse of pallets that we found during the previous research we were carrying out to prepare a first list of possible resources to use in the construction of a cultural center similar to elNodo/laTren, an environmental classroom at the service of the community, in the Siglo XXI neighborhood of Los Mochis.
The Ctrl+Z proposal was based almost entirely on the rescue and reuse of pallets that we found during the previous research we were carrying out to prepare a first list of possible resources to use in the construction of a cultural center similar to elNodo/laTren, an environmental classroom at the service of the community, in the Siglo XXI neighborhood of Los Mochis.
The company that had them in storage was willing to donate them and a work scheme could have been organised in which the construction would be carried out in the form of a workshop in which the students of the conference would participate. Many of them showed interest in learning and getting involved in community self-construction projects like this one.
In the end, the project did not see the light of day, since another project had already been agreed upon with a company, but it was very important as it was the pretext to begin to specify and organize some concepts and ideas that until then were in the air and it invited us to evaluate the possibility of using the pallets to build domes.
Back in Seville, we began to further investigate this technology based on reuse for use in emergency situations. Our aim was to propose a solution capable of using the wood from pallets that arrive in the affected areas as a result of other aid actions.
In these scenarios, we often see precarious constructions used as temporary shelters, which are then gradually consolidated and which are based precisely on the rescue and reuse of pallets. This is because they are a material that arrives in abundance (almost 100% of aid arrives on pallets) and, due to their low value, there is no interest in taking them back. They are considered expendable elements and end up accumulating without anyone knowing what to do with them.
We were interested in perfecting and simplifying a construction method that would allow us to cover habitable spaces with small elements that are easier to find, handle and transport and often available on site, without the need to move many materials or tools and even without the need for us to physically travel to the affected area.
A simple system that can be implemented by repeating the basic elements to be built thanks to the use of templates that are easily producible on site. A system that allows serial construction despite the difference in thickness and size of the elements on which it is based, due to the different pallet models, in order to provide the greatest number of shelters in the shortest possible time, a very important factor in the first days of an emergency when the most important thing is to stabilise the situation, for example by immediately protecting from the rain.
All of this looked very nice on paper, so it had to be tested in the real world in order to learn from the experience of materialization and thus be able to continue with theoretical research based on what was learned.
Later in the year, everything seemed to be on track for the construction of the first pilot dome within the framework of a broader urban rescue and reuse project to be developed with a participatory and community process in different cities in Mexico, starting in Mexicali, for the construction of environmental classrooms. However, different situations led to the project being postponed until its final cancellation.
A simple system that can be implemented by repeating the basic elements to be built thanks to the use of templates that are easily producible on site. A system that allows serial construction despite the difference in thickness and size of the elements on which it is based, due to the different pallet models, in order to provide the greatest number of shelters in the shortest possible time, a very important factor in the first days of an emergency when the most important thing is to stabilise the situation, for example by immediately protecting from the rain.
All of this looked very nice on paper, so it had to be tested in the real world in order to learn from the experience of materialization and thus be able to continue with theoretical research based on what was learned.
Later in the year, everything seemed to be on track for the construction of the first pilot dome within the framework of a broader urban rescue and reuse project to be developed with a participatory and community process in different cities in Mexico, starting in Mexicali, for the construction of environmental classrooms. However, different situations led to the project being postponed until its final cancellation.
The construction of Marcello's house was an extremely useful process for advancing research. It showed us that the system works, that it is not complicated to assemble and that the necessary operations can be carried out by non-specialists. In fact, we often hear of solutions that require such specialized work to carry out such precise work that they could almost be described as "goldsmith-like."
In June 2012, with a call from Marcello's father, the one we were waiting for finally came to verify what we had planned. To see the results of this particular experience, click on the photo.
This project was the first of a certain size that we built using the “knotless” system, meaning without any pieces at the intersections between the bars. Its success encouraged us to continue along this path.
In June 2012, with a call from Marcello's father, the one we were waiting for finally came to verify what we had planned. To see the results of this particular experience, click on the photo.
This project was the first of a certain size that we built using the “knotless” system, meaning without any pieces at the intersections between the bars. Its success encouraged us to continue along this path.
The nodes were in fact the most complicated parts and were what caused the most headaches in the geodesic roof of Saltillo. Doing without them means reducing the cost and, above all, the technological level necessary for the construction of this type of structure and allows us to maintain a low-tech profile.
Structures such as “Marcello's house" can be built with just two standard triangles, with a total of just 2 assembly templates and 4 templates for the pieces that make up each one of them, and remains a mobile structure since when disassembled it occupies less than 1 metre cube, making us think of the possibility of establishing a cutting centre from which to distribute easily transportable ‘assembly kits’ to be assembled in the territory.
Following the reflections around spherical shapes, which naturally provide us with better resistance to the elements and greater efficiency in the use of materials, Ctrl+Z research, based on experiences such as this, now follows the path of simplification to improve the system so that it is "appropriate" to the different situations where it can be applied and "appropriable", or independently reproducible by the communities where the pilot projects are installed.
The research is not limited to the simple application of geodesic geometry, but rather to the union between this and many other techniques of reuse or based on natural resources or in any case local ones, such as for example the superarobe, conceived specifically for curved geometries, which have already demonstrated their effectiveness in this type of situations.
Geodesic geometry is not considered essential either, its application is not our objective, but rather a simple means. Our objective is to propose models of architectural production that are applicable, in accordance with and appropriate to the type of situations in which we aspire to develop. It would not be surprising if, later on, it were dispensed with, advocating and experimenting with other models, but ones that are strong on the experience acquired during this first phase.
In our approach, the most important thing is that the local population, regardless of the specific materials, technologies or geometries, can take ownership of the proposed models after an initial phase of knowledge transfer.
This will provide resilience to the social and architectural processes involved, and even if aid initially comes through some dynamics linked to globalization, work will continue along the same lines and with the conviction that improvements can be carried out by local people, escaping from the welfare and paternalism that often accompany this type of action.
Progressive architectural processes and elements that can provide immediate assistance and then become consolidated in local communities.
NOTE
Several workshops on geodesic geometry have been held. Two in 2010, one in Bustamante on the occasion of the construction of the temazcal and the other in Saltillo on the occasion of the Tren/elNodo, both in Mexico; one in 2012 for the construction of Marcello's house in Girona, Spain, and in January 2013 a fourth workshop was held with the construction of a bamboo dome in Piracicaba, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Eme3 International Architecture Festival 2013
Subsequently, in June 2013, Crtl+Z and NosoloPaja, continuing their research, built a new wooden geodesic dome, which before reaching its final destination and becoming part of a specific habitable space, was exhibited in Barcelona within the framework of the international architecture festival Eme3 (Fabra i Coats, Sant Andreu), finally being awarded the 3rd prize of the festival.
This was an improved version of the “Marcello House” in which, thanks to design changes, we were able to reduce the preparation time of the triangles on the 50%.
We would like to thank Geppetto, Georg Ladurner, Beata Szkotak, Carlos de la Barrera, Gabriel Kosowski and Massimo Mazzone for their help during the various stages of the production.
Subsequently, in June 2013, Crtl+Z and NosoloPaja, continuing their research, built a new wooden geodesic dome, which before reaching its final destination and becoming part of a specific habitable space, was exhibited in Barcelona within the framework of the international architecture festival Eme3 (Fabra i Coats, Sant Andreu), finally being awarded the 3rd prize of the festival.
This was an improved version of the “Marcello House” in which, thanks to design changes, we were able to reduce the preparation time of the triangles on the 50%.
We would like to thank Geppetto, Georg Ladurner, Beata Szkotak, Carlos de la Barrera, Gabriel Kosowski and Massimo Mazzone for their help during the various stages of the production.
