Designing a Small Studio with a Complexly Curved Roof

Fred Bartels' Practicum Project Proposal

for

Yestermorrow's Sustainable Building & Design Program

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I blame it on leaves...

If I had to say where my obsession with creating complexly curved roofs came from I'd say from a love of leaves.

My first designs with curved roofs all involved leaves.

Here is one using Maple leaves.

I gradually abstracted away from actual leaf shapes to complex curves.

Some of these designs became quite involved.

Eventually I wondered if these designs could actually be built.

I started playing around with various approaches to implementing the underlying structure.

It quickly became clear that there were many challenges involved with curved roofs.

I began building prototypes to explore these issues.

I've been experimenting with hubs...

green roof components...

ways to "shingle" curved roofs...

ways to smooth out the triangulated roof surface...

...and, ways to support the roof.

For my practicum project I would like to do a complete design for a small studio with a complexly curved roof.

The design will be as complete and realistic as possible. It will incorporate sustainable design practices and elements throughout.

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Parts of the design will be prototyped but at this time I don't have the resources to build a complete structure.

I'll close with a work called "Sacred Sugar Maple Leaves." Wonderous things, leaves.