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Greetings! Welcome
to the April 2003 newsletter for Design Forward. Please
take some time to enjoy this month's features.
Quote
of the Month: "When I am working on a problem I never
think about beauty. I only think about how to solve
the problem. But when I have finished, if the solution
is not beautiful, I know it is wrong." -Buckminster
Fuller
| Reciprocal
Roofs |
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"The
structure demonstrates a principle that is fundamental
to life on this planet - a simple natural principle:
All life is connected."- Graham Brown, Out of Nowhere,
Inventor of Reciprocal Roof. The
Reciprocal Roof is a system of equally supporting
beams in a circular form. It must be formed by
a series of 3 or more interlocking beams. The
simple structure is geometrically intricate and
very strong. It has been easy built to span around
60 feet (20 m), but is believed to work up to
360 feet (120 m). All of the dimensional factors:
pitch, diameter, depth of beams are mutually dependent.
The form of the Reciprocal Roof is a direct correlation
to nature. Taken from the structure of the sea
shell, pine cone, or DNA, it models the perfect
forms given to us by Mother Nature.
For
more information, please visit Graham Brown's
website. Reference: www.outofnowhere.com, Yahoo
Groups- SB-r-us. Article in full © Design Forward
reciprocal
roofs... »
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| Design
Forward News |
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Design Forward held a very successful Straw Bale
Framing Workshop this last weekend, April 5-6th
for the Hayes Family in Ocotillo Wells, CA. Check
out Design Forward's website under Projects > Hayes
for pictures on the progress of the Hayes home.
We
will be holding a Bale Raising / Straw Bale Workshop
for the Hayes home this month, please keep checking
the Design Forward website under 'Events', for
the latest information.
Design
Forward has also produced a series of AutoCAD
Details on CD for purchase. If you are a professional
or student using AutoCAD, these CDs are for you!
The following AutoCAD Library CDs are available
for purchase: Straw Bale Details, Residential
Details, Blocks, and Detail & Block Library -
Complete. Please visit the website to purchase
securely with a credit card.
Design
Forward... »
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| Feedback |
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If you have any feedback concerning this publication,
please feel free to send an email or use the form
on the website. If
you would like to submit a fun and/or entertaining
quote about architecture, building, or such, please
use the contact form.
Design
Forward works toward promoting Sustainable Design.
If you know of a project that should be featured,
please send an email to studio@designforward.net.
Contact
Form... »
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| The
Round House |
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| The
Round House, built in 2001, is a great project for
many reasons. First off it was an accomplishment
of pure amateur energy and hard work. And secondly,
it has an amazing roof. The round house is a small
straw bale building on the retreat grounds of Pine
Manor. It was built under the direction of Bob Bolles
and Skip Fralick (www.strawbalehouse.com), with
group of natural building "students." Their task
was to build this 16 foot interior diameter building
in about a week. The
Pine Manor Round House was built from as many
natural and recycled materials as possible. The
roof took on special importance and beauty. The
Reciprocal Roof was a true test of the "students"
work. The Reciprocal Roof, invented by Graham
Brown in 1987 is a geometrical feat. The simple
process of lying one beam on another in an interlocking,
interdependent system that is structural sound
is quite a project for amateurs. (The reciprocal
roof is discussed in depth in the additional article,
'Reciprocal Roof.') The result was perfect. This
small structure is a great example of what even
the most uneducated worker can do with straw bale
and some hard work.
For
more information on please visits Pine Manor's
website. Image © www.pinemanor.com. Article in
full © Design Forward
The
Round House.... |
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