CLICK-RAFT

PUKE ARIKI 'COTTAGE TO CUTTING EDGE' EXHIBITION

2011-12-08T01:32:00.002+01:00

In the spirit of MOMA's 'Home Delivery' exhibition, Puke Ariki Museum in New Plymouth New Zealand are hosting 'Cottage to Cutting Edge" together with Wellington's Victoria University Architecture School and PrefabNZ - to open in December 2012, which is great news as it will allow sufficient time to get click-raft sorted with suppliers and partners on board. Lots to do yet to get this project properly resourced, but we're very much looking forward to producing a beautifully crafted 1:1 click-raft along with a series of 1:10 scale kitset models for kids of all ages to explore, test out and play with - it would be really nice to entice people to invent their own, perhaps even launch a competition for alternative click-raft designs ... for details see http://www.prefabnz.com/Events/Upcoming-Events/National-Prefab-Exhibition/

FUTURE SCHOOLS COMPETITION, AUSTRALIA - SUSTAINABILITY AWARD

2011-11-28T05:06:00.003+01:00

CMA+U and team have just won a special award for Sustainability in the Future Proofing Schools Competition in Australia - based on the click-raft. This is both a huge surprize and very exciting news. Competition panel images are included. It was an awesome team effort including Jaap Dankert, Luke Engleback and his team at Studio Engleback, Patrick Arnold and his team at eCubed, we also had wonderful advice from Matt Jackson, Liz Kingsford, and Chris Winwood including an intense crit session with Chris at the end to give the submission the necessary kick in the butt - which clearly made an important difference - thanks and congratulations everyone ! Next stop is the ceremony in Melbourne on 12th December to receive the Award and also the opening of the exhibition. A full list of the winners can be found on www.msdincubator.com/gallery

2.5m Cube in Friesland

2011-08-26T11:22:00.000+02:00

Jaap has been exploring new prototype developments in his 2.5m cube pavilion which is being tested on the beautiful lake edge in Friesland

Hum Salon Coffee Kiosk

2011-08-11T00:43:00.002+02:00

While Jaap is recovering from his self build workshop in the netherlands (see new mini prototype post below), I've been continuing to work on a 10m2 click-raft outdoor coffee kiosk we have been asked to do for Hum Salon, a new rather cool and different kind of community centre / cafe / meet and greet space for creatives located in an old villa right next to Grafton Bridge in Auckland between the hospital and universities. We are doing this project together with Gary and Emile from Stanley Modular see http://www.stanleygroup.co.nz/page/137-modular who are fabricating the project in their Mata Mata factory (checkout their live webcam), the plan is to locate it under the tree on the corner so people can still drop in while the house is being restored. The team at Hum are promoting the project via their website, and are going to make a time-lapse video of the assembly process on site - for more on Hum Salon see http://www.humsalon.co.nz/

larger structures

2011-08-04T09:13:00.006+02:00

click-raft is about how to achieve low cost, super fast alternatives for small scale live/work environments in the minimalist spirit of Thoreau or Citroen 2CV, but its value also lies in its open additive building system approach which is akin to mechano, or current generation Lego assemblies that are so easily added to or adapted... and this approach is also possible for larger scale structures (see below the post on Click-Raft TYPE03 - business/retail unit).
The images above show a two level structure which wraps around two courtyards providing a base building which unites a series of smaller pavilions within, larger buildings above (not shown), a cool densely planted court, and a hard open sunny court. This diversity of environments is woven together into a coherent but fluid synergy of inside and outside spaces which extend and blur the choices and range of comfortable places to be depending on the time of day or changing weather conditions.

time is right for a radical economic enabling device

2011-08-03T07:35:00.003+02:00

“how should we dwell on planet earth?” If a computer can be made for $100 (think how absurd this would have sounded 20 years ago) - then why not a building? It is time to drag architecture kicking and screaming into being an accessible, super inexpensive enabling tool. A device that is in-tune with our fragile planet !

New Mini Prototype

2011-07-19T08:44:00.004+02:00

update from the Netherlands:

1) prototyped low-tech production facility on-hold.

2) prototyped medium-tech production facility is a SUCCESS. manufactured and assembled a click-raft-cube within one day, with just one person...

- table-saw, set to 200mm
- measurement board for quick marking the holes
- fixed drill
- saw with custom sliding jig for cutting the click-joints

3) now trying some weatherproofing ideas and am about to test the unit in the field, 21st to 25th, by sleeping in it.

This approach continues to search for and refine minimal production processes. However it is good to reflect on the consequences of not fabricating all those 'potential' click-joints...

1. without click-joints there is less flexibility to change or adapt the structure later

2. without click-joints there is reduced opportunity to utilise the structure as integrated storage/shelving.

3. without click-joints there is less potential to (re)use it for other things or upgrade/improve over time

4. without click-joints there are no integrated fixing points for cladding systems, furniture options etc.

This prototype offers a new type that is even more minimal, while its trade-off reduction in click-joints reduces adaptability, it offers hugely valuable cost/time advantages.... so much so that one person can fabricate and assemble an entire click-raft in one day.

CLICK-RAFT video's

2011-07-16T08:12:00.004+02:00

I have just uploaded a series of video's, which you can view by clicking on the youtube images to the right. Some of these were taken in 2010 at the FabLab in Groningen, the Netherlands while producing 1:10 scale cnc laser cut and fabricated pieces with Jaap Dankert. Another of the youtube video's 'click-raft city:globe:octopus' is a clip taken from the project "The City, The Globe, and..." Scenario's of real growth for future cities, part 1. filmed and produced by Pavlov Medialab - special thanks to Nathalie and Thuur, Gerard, Carla and Alex, Janet, Ringer and Mo.
Together, these video's provide some insight into the thinking behind click-raft, show how they are fabricated, and how incredibly quick and easy click-raft is to assemble.

PREFAB EXPO - Puke Ariki Museum, NZ

2011-06-29T06:09:00.001+02:00

Click-Raft has been selected for a special Prefab Exhibition to be held at the Puke Ariki Museum in New Plymouth (home town of Len Lye). Being organised by PrefabNZ (Pamela Bell) with Victoria University School of Architecture (Mark Southcombe) and Puke Ariki (Gerard Beckingsale) is based on the very successful 'home delivery' Expo at the Museum of Modern Art in New York exploring the latest developments in fabrication design - see http://www.momahomedelivery.org/
The Project Team includes Jaap Dankert Alistair Scott & Chris Moller, fabrication and assembly by Stanley Modular (Gary Caulfield) , plywood generously supplied by Plytech (Craig Floyd), and support from Paul Mather and his students at Weltec Petone. A full scale Type 02 will be assembled in the Museum, along with click-raft workshops in click-weave fabrication and assembly techniques at 1:10 - to enable kids of all ages to play and explore this new approach to architecture

Click-Raft website - http://click-raft.com

2011-06-29T02:24:00.003+02:00

http://click-raft.com/ is the newly launched website address - currently the focus is on the TYPE02 range with three offerings currently available - the Mini 10m2 unit (02B-M01), Basic 30m2 (02B-P01), and Extended 30m2 (02B-L01).

Next up will be the larger TYPE03 Business/Retail structures - see previous post below.

Click-Raft TYPE03 - Business/Retail Unit Launch

2011-06-29T01:50:00.004+02:00

This week was the BuildNZ/Designex show in Auckland, along with PrefabNZ Event - so a perfect moment to launch the new TYPE03 Click-Raft. Together with Stanley Modular, the Click-Raft Team have been super busy putting together a proposal for a temporary 200m2 retail unit for Queens wharf. The project can be inexpensively and quickly cnc machined in the Stanley Matamata factory then delivered as a flatpack to site for rapid assembly....
.... especially for those last minute projects that need to be delivered "just in time" !

FabLab Click-Raft Workshop

2010-10-23T08:21:00.006+02:00

Dear Chris,

It was great fun being out in public with click-raft. I'm so in love with this system. I like acting as a kind of embassador to this open-source self-fab material and explaining the possibilities to people. It's not "my project", as most other designers were presenting, it's a community thing. Most were interested and impressed, as i'm sure you know. The 1:10 table-top construction game is very inviting, and people who sit down and try hard, are surprized at the strength you get when weaving correctly.

Christian Friedrich was there with the project he named clickFab. It's about workflow, streaming, collaboration, intuitive design, I think :)

There's some pictures here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fablabgroningen/. I'm also attaching some pics with this mail. All in all, people were happy with us being there. Some leads to possible smaller jobs involving click-raft, and one order for a boxed set of about 100 click-leafs to play with.

The specific developments (evolutionary steps) we made during the day were interesting. I will have to detail the steps to you later, because it's kind of messy and i have a very clean numbering system / version control in mind.

Jaap

click-weave space-time sketching

2010-04-16T04:01:00.003+02:00

for those that are interested I have been asked to give a talk at the pecha kucha on Monday 19th at the Wellington Downstage theatre. Here are the details and the line up for the night... on my ol' favorite topic the click-raft, but with a broader twist.. titled "click-weave space-time sketching" all are welcome, hope to see you there,

Peter Wilson // artistic director // capital e national theatre for children // www.capitale.org.nz //
Fifi Colston // author / illustrator // the birth of velvet, a wearable art piece // // http://fifisart.blogspot.com //
Spencer Levine // designer // www.spencerlevine.co.nz //
Gerbrand Van Melle // media designer / intercept > decipher > participate // www.gerbrandvanmelle.com //
Roger Walker // architect / car enthusiast // dancing with the cars //
Sam Trubridge // performance designer/director // drawing: the perfoming page //
Briar Monro // arts consultant // connecting creativity //
Chris Moller// architect // click-weave space-time sketching // http://click-raft.blogspot.com/ //
Tommy Honey // director film school // street crime //
Ravi Kambhoj // photographer // urban fusion // www.urbanfusion.co.nz //
Lorenzo Buhne and Kedron Parker// musicians / about the bite of the tarantula /
Tom Beard // urban designer // about a sentence by Baudelaire //
Eric Dorfman // eklektusinc. // the affair of the diamond necklace, an interactive theatre event //Marcus McShane // designer // self-powered stuff and being good //

Louvre Development

2010-03-31T00:57:00.004+02:00

We are currently exploring further refinement and development of the louvre systems. One of the more interesting options operates more like a fish-gill through bending the louvre rather than opening it. This rather elegant solution offers some very interesting advantages such as reducing the number of moving parts and also keeping the ends of the louvre sealed against the plywood click-beams to reduce unwanted drafts or leaking.

Click-Raft Proto02 recent developments

2010-03-07T08:41:00.008+01:00

Proto02 is still under development and is starting to shape up well.
Based on the maximum height of 3m and plan area of 30m2 this live/work studio pavilion with 3 pods (kitchen pod/ shower wc pod/ store pod) is designed to side step full planning permission, similar to that of a garden shed, greenhouse, or garage and thus reduce costs and time radically.
Traditional cladding systems can be easily and inexpensively used instead of the louvre systems shown with plenty of scope for good insulation within the depth of the click-raft structure. A range of wall and roof material choices will also be available.
We have been exploring new metal connection details, in particular the louvre joint and design development of the click-leaves.
Jaap Dankert produced the images in 3d-studio with mental-ray on 64-bit. The publishing to web-3d is with google's o3d platform.

Pre-Fab Workshop

2010-03-07T08:15:00.003+01:00

I attended a wonderful Kiwi Pre-Fab workshop last week, organised by Pamela Bell of Victoria University which involved many of the diverse players in the industry including industry, contractors, policy makers, designers, suppliers, and clients such as Housing New Zealand or Habitat for Humanity. It was a completely full house, with many more turned away. There was an extremely optimistic atmosphere for new beginnings in the industry with a clear agenda to reach a much broader public with more accessible, less expensive and higher quality solutions for Housing in the future. A range of examples especially from Europe and North America including the work and writings of Kieran Timberlake, and their involvement with other players from Europe and Australia at the MOMA exhibition with especially designed and built prototypes. Similar initiatives from LA were also shown, and a range of machinery and systems outlined. German, Austrian and Swiss examples were also shown with very impressive CNC factory production and equally impressive resulting buildings.

Pamela Bell's full 'Kiwi Prefab' thesis is available online at
http://researcharchive..vuw.ac.nz/handle/10063/1111?show=full

Satish Kunar

2009-11-19T21:05:00.006+01:00

Heard of Satish Kunar before? - have a listen to this - http://www.gleeds.tv/index.cfm?video=268 Search the site for the rest of the presentation.

this seems very timely right now... and then interestingly there is a very strong link with Satish Kunar's thinking and that of the click-raft. The link is via Mahatma Gandhi, and what Kunar calls Gandhian philosophy. Gandhi's philosophy was deeply influenced by Henry David Thoreau's writing which i have in my hand as i write this.... 'Walden and Civil Disobedience'. The idea of non-violence via the indian principle of 'Satrik' or 'truth' that a building should do no violence to others in terms of equality, ie not taking more resources than necessary, and to inspire joy... hmmmm.
Kunar suggests that because we are not able to solve the big problems of the world like global warming, or how to live in harmony with each other and the earth, or how to solve poverty.. that it is not cleverness that we need or simply technical solutions but rather wisdom, we need a compass - he suggests that compass is to do things with 'Satrik', so that everything you do, the food you eat, the clothes you wear, the architecture you design, the business you run, is done honestly with integrity, with fairness, and with joy.... to tread the earth lightly.

Home Ideas Centre - talk

2009-11-17T01:09:00.008+01:00

I was asked to give a presentation to the Lower Hutt Branch of the New Zealand Institute of Architects at the Home Ideas Centre
Below is their CPD review of the click-raft project -

... Truly an 'Elegant Shed'... the sophisticated, complex, elaborate and yet simple idea of carefully thought out components to be ‘assembled’ together with minimal fuss and fixings, to create sophisticated building forms that a layperson could understand and assemble… So simple it’s brilliant and it completely makes the bureaucracies overwhelming codes, rules and regulations obsolete... It’s quite possibly the future…

Wellington Museum Talk - 23 August

2009-08-22T01:03:00.004+02:00

The Wellington Museum of City and Sea have very generously asked me to give a talk on the Click-Raft - 23 August, at 5.00pm for those interested.

While it seems that the worst of this tough recession is largely over, the challenges of global warming are not. Both are having a huge impact on how we live on this fragile planet, which raises the urgent need for a different approach towards sustainable shelter (not just housing).
I am basing the talk around two wonderful sources of inspiration. Henry David Thoreau's experiment in minimal living at Walden Pond and the development of a radically spatan minimalist and inexpensive car - the citroen 2cv.

So how could we learn to lead a more simple life? How could we do more with less...or as Thoreau pointed out in Walden...

"... I would rather ride on earth in an ox cart, with a free circulation, than go to heaven in the fancy car of an excursion train and breathe a malaria all the way.
The very simplicity and nakedness of man's life in the primitive ages imply this advantage, at least, that they left him still but a sojourner in nature. When he was refreshed with food and sleep, he contemplated his journey again. He dwelt, as it were, in a tent in this world, and was either threading the valleys, or crossing the plains, or climbing the mountaintops. But lo! men have become the tools of their tools.
The man who independently plucked the fruits when he was hungry is become a farmer; and he who stood under a tree for shelter a housekeeper. We now no longer camp as for a night, but have settled down on earth and forgotten heaven. We have adopted christianity merely as an improved method of agri-culture. We have built for this world a family mansion, and for the next a family tomb..."

Thoreau's is a radical philosophy, yet in the late 1920's and early 30's a similar approach was developed at Citroen. Enlightened boss Pierre Boulanger introduced a radical re-questioning and returning to 1st principles to develop a minimal vehicle, a Toute Petite Volture (TPV the Citroen 2CV prototype). As writer LJK Setright noted many years later on reflection - the TPV philosophy goes something like this...

"If you cannot get at anything, it is not there. If it is not there, it is because it was unnecessary; and if it was unnecessary why should the poor customer have to pay for it, maintain it, bear its burden, endure its interference, and possibly - oh the bitter irony of cultivated consumption, in due course replace it."

It is this spirit that has driven the adventure, and development of the click-raft, returning to 1st principles, and a minimal approach to shelter, yet one that is appropriate to 21st century living.

Thoreau's Hut at Walden

2009-08-22T00:53:00.002+02:00

prototype 02 C

2009-07-15T05:57:00.014+02:00

the click-raft concept is also intended as an open, extendable and flexible building system capable of wider applications at larger scales. Prototype 02 C explores an architecture which can adapt to difficult urban sites, and is able to create opportunities under, through and around existing structures. Its fluid forms can help to define and mediate between the tough, noisy and polluted nature of urban streets and more pleasant inner environments such as courtyards which are more condusive for outside activities such as cafes, or extended work/live environments. The example posted here was developed for Tolaram Capital as a third building which sits below the office and hotel buildings above combining their separate services and facilities into an integrated innovation campus at one-north, singapore - refer to the fusionopolis video adjacent

Prototype 02 B - house addition unit

2009-06-01T02:46:00.013+02:00

The design of prototype 02 is now being developed for house addition/ independent units (version 02B). The images show a 30m2 independent living unit. This includes three mini plywood modules for kitchen, bathroom and storage units. All services are independent of the grid, including compost toilet, underfloor water storage, 12 volt electrical systems run off solar panels with integrated eutrac beams for all data and power throughout. The roof and wall systems are polycarbonate transparent louvres and plywood panels (other lightweight materials can also be used). Not shown are the transparent bi-folding doors and fold down hatches in front to provide outside decks.

Prototype 02 A - pavilion

2009-05-31T08:07:00.016+02:00

Prototype 02 A: explorations into next step developments on the click-raft are slowly starting to emerge. I have been exploring the design of a new prototype click-raft together with jaap dankerd.

The CLICK-LEAF Pavilion is an inexpensive, personal fabrication
architecture – inspired by nature of leaf design – a playful accessible open system has been invented (big lego for big kids).
Click-Leaf architecture utilizes the qualities of CNC cut plywood in click-leaf’s and click-beam’s to form a lattice of structure/networks assembled from standard panels which can be quickly ‘clicked’ to-gether to form floor, wall, and roof click-rafts in different configurations
Click-leaf’s are assembled into Y-frame pairs and clicked into 3 transverse click-beam’s which together integrate structure, cladding, power/data networks, plumbing, energy, water systems, storage and furniture within the weave of the plywood structure.
The system’s flexibility offers many alternative open ended con-figurations to enable user/builder to respond to site specific conditions. Construction is generated by an assemblage of click-components which can be tuned on site – engaging user input, imagination, and exploration.
An outer skin of PV powered louvers provides shelter, which is tuned via a dance of self-adjusting robotic sensors & servomotors. Robotics, data, power, switching and lighting can be plugged in where necessary, distributed throughout the click-beam structure.

minimal design, delight, ambient composition, and serious construction system.
Play: Rather than ‘design’ on paper or computer, you can explore/play directly with click-leaf components. Like lego, the click-leaf is a tool to explore a world of possibilities…
“traditional tools of plan and section to design a building are not
really relevant…who knows what you’re going to make…you explore, and along the way discover …”
Minimal Design: minimum material to create shelter, just as the citroen TPV (2CV prototype) was for automobiles. TPV research
explored a minimal architecture from 1st principles to achieve an umbrella on wheels. Each component reduced to its bare essentials.
Delight: “I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey work of the stars..” Leaves of Grass, Walt Whitman
Ambient Composition: ‘...you imagine a territory rich in possibili-ties and try to think of how you might get to it..and then suddenly one day you look around and realize that you have been there for quite awhile..’ AMBIENT 4 - ON LAND, Brain Eno
Construction System: ‘click-leaf’ construction system enables real time feedback loops at 1:1 scale, relevant to the real parametrics of real materials on a real site, in the rain. (ie its time for the computer to leave the design office, and head for the building site).
Click-Leaf: 2440x240x18mm plywood click-leaves are assembled into Y-frame pairs clicked into 3 transverse click-beams.
Click-Beam: 2440x300x24mm plywood beam with integrated eutrac data/power beam to provide a flexible network for lights, switches, sensors, micro-processors and servo motors to be freely located.
Click-Joint: (or search-joint) a negative joint to connect click-leaves and click-beams, also called a search-joint to provide multiple click-able opportunities – there are 21 click-joints per click-leaf.
Click-Raft: Assemblage of multiple click-leaf’s woven into Y-frame pairs on 3 click-beams. This can form a floor, wall or roof.
Click-Louvre: 2400x250x16mm polycarbonate louvre slotted into click-joint’s to form robot-operated roof or wall membranes.

crystalisation: light, materials, sequestration

2009-02-14T19:53:00.000+01:00

crystalisation, sequestration, materialisation... exploring realisation through material that captures light and carbon in its structure and growth system... timber and polycarbonate click-leaves http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_sequestration

recent photos

2008-12-31T22:32:00.001+01:00

time to add some recent photos showing the transparent qualities of the outer skin, reflecting the changes in light level and surrounding sky colour. When the sun comes out, the shape and material of the inner structure glow from within. The inter-relation between plywood & polycarbonate is very satisfying... of solid and transparent, material & immaterial, silence and light...

Roof assembly

2008-12-31T22:26:00.000+01:00

I have begun to explore the assembly of the roof. This will consist of three elements; two small side gutter roofs either side of the horizontally spanning louvres across the 2m width along the entire length of the click-raft roof. This will enable a fully openable roof-skin, which will be operated by lego mindstorms robots with light, and temperature sensors.

construction update - outer skin

2008-12-31T21:42:00.000+01:00

Time to update the blog at the end of 2008. Many small details have been further developed and refined.
Included amongst these was to finally choose to go for an asymetric mono-pitch roof structure which required taking off all of the roof beams again and re-cutting the click-joints to achieve this. (see construction photos)
The other work being carried out over the last period has been the realisation of the outer skin.
In the end I decided to realise both long side walls in 2500 x 1250 x 10mm vertically assembled polycarbonate panels rather than horizontal louvres.
See the sequence of shots showing their assembly - took a bit of fiddling around to get the right technique going, but with the help of a cake of soap my time per panel came down to 20 mins/panel (incl cutting and assembling joining pieces, the panels and the 200mm stainless steel rod fixings). In the long term with different kinds of fixings this technique could be radically refined and streamlined. For now this is a cheap and straight forward to achieve closure of the entire outer envelope.

Frame completed, cladding skins under development

2008-11-18T16:26:00.000+01:00

Sunny weather with the last of the autumn leaves made it possible to finally complete the click-raft structure. I'm continuing to explore and develop options for the roof and wall cladding skins. The long term aim for the roof is a fully openable louvre system. However for now it is much cheaper and quicker to realise a simple flat skin of polycarbonate. I have been experimenting with different slopes, one version based on a shallow arch held down along the edges and lifted at the centre with additional props. This has a pleasant symmetrical quality to it however would drain water to both sides requiring two sets of gutters and tanks. So the option I am working on is asyemmetrical with only one gutter to the back wall (east) requiring less material, and only one water tank. (not unlike the Citroen 2CV prototype minimal approach).
The wall skins will differ, the east wall will be 2500x1250mm vertical polycarbonate panels, while the west will be three sets of 2000x250mm horizontal louvres with rubber seal joints between. The challenge is to get all of the details sorted to work just as well thermally in winter with no gaps or drafts, as they do in summer with openable vents and louvres. Once these things are sorted out and realised, then I can move onto the ends.

Winter Sun

2008-10-31T13:45:00.000+01:00

A magic morning of winter sun after so much rain and wind.
The plan for the weekend is to finish the roof, cut the final click-leaves and assemble the last roof panels.
Next will be the back wall panels, and then the louvres need to be re-glued with silicone.
I have been thinking through the end door hatches yet again. Contemplating a new lighter solution inspired by the TPV/2CV. My initial thoughts came from studying the TPV window, but this is too heavy so the idea is to learn from the roof and its folding mechanism. The difference is that it is super light, and tensioned fabric across aluminium tubes.

rain, rain, rain

2008-10-06T12:29:00.000+02:00

continuous rain, and high winds prevented any useful work on the click-raft this weekend... had taken these photos of autumn leaves before the big winds kicked in...

Click-Raft thinking

2008-10-03T16:17:00.000+02:00

The click-raft principle unlocks a whole series of raft like architectures which could inform new ways of realising much larger structures in a way which is more similar to basket weaving. Here are some explorations by Chris Winwood showing how it could be used in an arcade like structure between inside and outside which is a great place to be regardless of the weather, good for meeting and greeting, simply watching the world go by or informal brainstorming networking etc.

louvre assembly

2008-09-28T20:56:00.000+02:00

Finally a building that loves nature, sings in the late sunbeams of the morning, receives the rain with praying hands, grasses weave happily between and spiders weft their yarns across its Y-frames. I sit delerious between 14 pairs (x2) of praying hands watching the cathedral of light unfold in oscelation with the shadows. A robin red breast drops in to say hello, two black birds dance high in a berry tree beyond and a woodpecker provides the back beat. Finally this poem to the genius of our wonderful planet is arising - a prayer to celebrate our existance in this miracle called life, bending structures that reach and resonate, that hum with natures vibrations. Autumn is definitely on the way, and leaves have been gathering between the click-leaf hands.
Saturday was spent chilling in the sun after a very slow start and a heavy fog, so didn't have much time left this weekend to build. Sunday was another slow start, but finally got my act together to start on the louvres. Getting all the holes lining up properly and threading the first pvc tubes through. Testing the 1st trial louvres which you can see in the photos. Still around 20 louvres to complete, including fixing the aluminium/rubber seals and the stainless steel threaded rods to complete the west elevation. The east elevation will be fixed polycarbonate panels orientated vertically, and for now the roof will remain in simple panels.
The relationship between the plywood and polycarbonate continues to grow on me, there is something rather beautiful about this synergy of different materials.
A 6.0x2.5m dwelling will seem perfectly normal in future because this space like a like dr.who's tardis will be an integration of structure, services, storage, systems, information and furnature that is flip away or fold out. It will work more like a multi-tool. Like a leatherman or swiss army knife, a house in future will be required to be durable, excellently crafted and useable for 1001 tasks which right now are impossible to imagine.

OPEN-SOURCE INVITATION / LEGO MINDSTORMS

2008-09-27T11:16:00.000+02:00

OPEN SOURCE EXPERIMENT
The click-raft is an on-going experiment which i am keen to invite all who are interested to participate in an open-source experiment to help evolve a completely new kind of autonomous live/work mini architecture. This is no easy or simple task and will take numerous 'design hackers' to try out different options or configurations...
... I'm interested especially in students (young + old), people who like to tinker, universities, research institutions, and companies willing to explore the click-raft concept and to really push this thing around, to see what might be possible with this way of thinking... its time for architecture to become more useful and accessible, cheaper, quicker, lighter, and smarter, its time for architecture to be completely re-invented !

LEGO MINDSTORMS ROBOTICS
For example, what i didn't mention until now regarding the concept is that it is much more than simply based on standard CNC panel flat pack self-assembly potentials that are interesting in the click-raft...
.... it should be understood like a lego kit. You can build it like the instructions suggest or you can see all the bits as an open system that enables a huge range of possibilities.....
.... I have already given the click-raft two very different kinds of shapes... the one you see here is just one...

.... like super large lego pieces the idea is to add lego mindstorms robotics into the mix, to operate and manage the click-raft's weather skin, energy use, water use etc using the mindstorms nxt software (which 10 year old kids can operate) to program sensors to respond to light, temperature, windspeed and so on then to use the micro-processors to instruct the servo motors to adjust the louvres, screens and blinds to open or close, orientate to the sun or away just as tree leaves can do and thus enable the click-raft to respond just as plants do to the changing conditions around it of night and day, summer and winter, rain or shine, cold or hot through providing different degrees of transparency, openness, ventilation, humidity etc.

... this clickable dwelling could learn to adjust with the seasons, to close up at night, and open to a sunny morning, even to dance, breathe, or simply flap its leaves

latest site photos with roof

2008-09-25T12:19:00.000+02:00

with the structure almost complete, it is time to put part of the roof up for a work space to continue construction out of the rain. Next task is the louvres which I'm still refining, and may yet have to change the detail owing to huge differences in expansion rates between the aluminium/rubber strips and the polycarbonate. The challenge is to make slot joints for the stainless steel rods which connect through to the pvc tubes (these slot into the click-raft joints that you see on every part of the plywood structure). The detail also has to enable expansion and contraction over 2m's which works well, but I still haven't found a suitable rubber based adhesive which is flexible enough to cope.

how much does a Click-Raft cost?

2008-09-23T12:52:00.000+02:00

The aim of the Click-Raft is to produce a compact autonomous live/work unit for $10,000.
This price would include the timber structure, polycarbonate louvre cladding, furniture (shelving, table, beds etc), kitchen/ wc/shower with underfloor watertanks , solar powered 12v battery data+electric systems, to run autonomous electricity for lights, switches, and sensors (with micro processors + servo motors) to adjust the louvre systems.

Two variations

1.0 Flat-Pack CLICK-RAFT (goal $10,000 target price)
a flat-pack with all the elements of structure (plywood click-leaves) and cladding together with fixings, furniture etc as mentioned above. The building can then be assembled in a day and finishes selected as desired. (currently this option is not available, I'm still at prototype stage, but if there is enough interest then I will look options to develop it)

2.0 D.I.Y. CLICK-RAFT (design fee + materials costs + your own labour)
For a small design fee, you could download the digital drawing, give it to your local timber mill to CNC the plywood panels. Additional drawings for the louvre design, furniture, kitchen, etc would be provided so that these could be made by you or fabricated locally.

completing the 6m raft structure

2008-09-21T22:22:00.000+02:00

today was a big step forward... to achieve good roof cover to enable work out of the rain.
With help from fellow kiwi chris winwood, we managed to complete both 6m wall-rafts and 2/3rds of the roof (would have finished that too, but the final pieces need still need adjusting from earlier details - such is the challenge of prototyping - think I have about 10 different click-leaf details now).
The weaving structure starts to hover and dance with its new habitat... it begins to feel like it belongs here.
We celebrated the days work with a good meal and red wine at chris' place to chill for the evening.

2008-09-14T22:32:00.000+02:00

Finally, a free day with really good weather !
After having sorted the glitches in the floor-raft to ensure levels were even, it was time to set up the wall-rafts, and get a section of roof on so that I would have cover in the wet - ideally I would have liked to achieve two sections (4.0m) but there are still some click-leaves without drill holes in the right places (and now I need a battery powered drill - there is no power at picardhof)
I had some competition for building materials as Luka and Titus decided they would build their own fort.
As you can see from the 1st photo, today was a special moment, not only did we have a picnic lunch, but i decided to cook and eat dinner on the click-raft....
aroma of bbq'd steak on my primus , rocket, marinaded olives + garlic cloves, tomatos.. hmmm
aroma of freshly stained and oiled timber,
a candle glows as the light fades, click-leaves reaching for the night sky dancing gently in the breeze in unison with the trees above.

Broader Thoughts...

2008-09-06T14:03:00.000+02:00

I guess this should have been said before (today its raining so its time to write) the intiatives of Neil Gershenfeld's FABLAB's is also the essence of what this experiment is all about. My aim was to make a work/live dwelling that could function like a tree (or simple computer) that would be less than $10,000 to build. In fact until now I have only spent $2,000 on materials (including some expensive lexan which i may never use) so its about how to open the door to a completely different design and production process that is ridiculously cheap.

This is also the reason that the building elements are simple cut 300x2440 pieces from standard plywood sheets (1220x2440 or 8'x4') which are then simply clicked together like lego.
The panel design is such that a computer controlled routing machine could easily produce them.

The polycarbonate louvres are much the same size, based around the length of standard aluminium/rubber door seals which I'm using for double seal between louvres. These are then screwed into pvc tubes (normally used for household wiring) and the tubes are threaded through the click-joints in the plywood 'click-leaf' panels. Once refined the whole system will be extremely simple and quick to assemble. Ideally the whole thing should be able to be fabricated in a Fab Lab. Then D.I.Y (do it yourself) constructed on site.

links to FABLAB's
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/neil_gershenfeld_on_fab_labs.html
http://www.fablab.nl/
http://fablab.blip.tv/#387069
http://www.waag.org/project/fablab

Picardhof Site construction start

2008-08-13T13:39:00.000+02:00

much has happened over the preceding months, the development of click-raft prototype01 has been steady but slow. The prototype has been enlarged to 3 times its original size to a 6.0m long unit, which has just received permission to be located in a garden village within the city park of Groningen. Work on site has just begun and the foundation and floor-raft have been set up.

Additionally : -

NEW VIDEO – 3 part documentary interviewing a range of experts in developing trends in how cities might look in the future titled ‘The City, the Globe, and ...’. I am interviewed about the click-raft and there is a sequence which shows setting it up and the principles of it. If anyone is interested in the DVD 'The City, the Globe, and...' let me know and I will see if I can arrange one from Pavlov Medialab who produced it.

extended 6.0m raft

2008-06-23T17:49:00.000+02:00

17.06.08 sun's out approx 20 degrees
a bright and sunny morning after a cloudless and star filled night - i choose to sleep out on my new six meter long click-raft base. Simply in bag on a camping mattress and had a perfect nights sleep.... waking only a couple of times to observe the earths turn against the stars...
... what a magic miracle we live in ...
.. and then to awake to the sun's warm rays and the leaves of my click-raft reaching upwards to the sky like unfurling fern fronds.. or leaves of flax or grass... my water bottle is cold and dew covered - its contents delicious, the birds are singing and i feel a great sense of freedom and calm here... ahhhhh
i sense directly that i will have to find another material that lexan for the click-raft ends it's too heavy, and just doesn't feel right...
all i need to do is make strong aluminium frames and cross brace with tension wires then i can choose a very light transparent membrane to stretch over these frames.

I have managed to get the first 20 click-leaves to each wall-raft up , only to discover that the levels weren't right .. what to do?
Finally realised that a small detail change to the panel design could help solve this. Instead of a simple hole at the bottom for the bolt fixing, this should be a slot joint which will then enable on site ajustment vertically... and of course this means alot of undoing, and drilling and then fixing them all again - such is the nature of prototyping !

KEY IMAGES

2008-06-04T16:08:00.000+02:00

CLICK-RAFT - description

2008-06-04T16:01:00.000+02:00

Global Warming is one of the biggest challenges facing humanity yet politically correct sustainability is a symptom of a deeper underlying problem of resistance to change. Innovation is critical in our time, it requires continual open enquiry and rigorous testing to tackle the challenges on the planet. With such large scale challenges many still continue to follow tradition. For example the building industry which remains conservative, slow, and inefficient. The building industry requires a radical shift to address CO2 production, but more importantly it needs to open to fundamentally new forms of construction.

My strong belief is that mini-prototyping can be used as a strategic instrument to help unlock new ideas quickly. It is an effective and inexpensive method to test and implement low impact construction processes and products into the building industry. The yacht building industry provides a useful parallel, which has been successfully catalysed through a stream of radical innovations from mini-prototyping in competitions such as the ‘Mini-Transat’ which have significantly affected standard boat production. A similar low cost bottom-up approach for the building industry with ‘many starts’ could catalyse the industry towards new methods, approaches, materials and technologies to initiate openness to real innovation.
From traditional construction… To MINI-PROTOTYPE construction
- a limited few big companies to many SMALL (DoItYourself) builders
- expensive to CHEAP
- difficult to EASY
- hi-impact (heavy) to LOW IMPACT (light)
- energy dependent to ENERGY INDEPENDENT
- one off site specific to CLICKABLE COMPONENTS(site adaptable)
- fixed in place to RE-LOCATE-ABLE
- non-recycle to RE-CYCLE / RE-ASSEMBLE
- limited resources to RENEWABLE resources
- services dependent to SERVICES INTEGRATED
- structure + network to STRUCTURE IS THE 'electronic' NETWORK
- traditional shelter to SELF EDUCATIONAL ENABLING TOOL

Housing the humanity of the planet requires many different and varied solutions, however a dwelling system that can tap into natural resources and maximize their benefit for its occupants to provide essential needs very inexpensively could be a huge force for change.

MINIMAL LIVING
The essential needs for minimal dwelling now go well beyond the experiments of Henry Thoreau’s hut at Walden Pond. Today even a favela citizen must be digitally connected for survival. Shelter now includes ones ‘electronic being’ whether for off-shore sailor, mountaineer, favela citizen or student. With the rapid advance of alternative sources of energy such as solar power, it is now possible for renewable energy to be completely ambient. By this we mean the energy source can be fully integrated into the building structure and components.
Digital technology is seen as an integrated part of the structure – The structure is the electronic network or ‘dwelling as computer’. Thus a CLICK-RAFT could enable its inhabitants to operate and process energy, water, food and information. Such a dwelling becomes an enabling tool – skill enabling, education enabling, and income enabling. Just as the project for the $100 computer, a digital house would be equally useful, where the dwelling becomes an autonomous electronic live-work unit.

DESCRIPTION: “CLICK-RAFT” MICRO LIVE-WORK UNIT
The Goal is to realize a very cheap (under $10,000), easy to distribute (materials available globally), quick to assemble (max one day), low maintenance autonomous work-live unit. A new form of RAFT architecture which utilizes the structural qualities of plywood 'CLICK-LEAF' panels to form a network of structure made from standard panels which can be quickly assembled or ‘clicked’ together into RAFT's to form floors, walls, and roofs. The raft architecture weaves insulation, cladding, plumbing, energy, water systems, storage and furniture into the structural fabric of the building. The building touches the ground lightly. But the system's flexibility offers many open ended configurations which can be explored by the user/ builder to respond to site specific conditions. CLICK-RAFT's are perfectly suited for temporary, difficult or fragile ecological sites through the choice of materials, autonomous systems, mini-size, and click-able elements to minimize disturbance. But they can also be used as emergency shelters, backyard workspace or studio, mini-flat or rooftop extension and they can be networked or extended.

INNOVATION ASPECTS
• CLICK-RAFT component building system
• integrated Plastic Fullerene solar cell technology
• technique of assembly only requires one person to build +assemble.
• deliverable flat-pack 'LEAF' panels pre-cut from 2440x1220 plywood sheets
• CLICK-LEAF panel provides many fixing options for (dis) assembly
• autonomous clickable energy, water, and waste systems.
• lightweight, rapidly deployable (classifies as temporary dwelling).
• integrated clickable electronic and energy systems
• clickable component software to compliment the hardware system

HARDWARE MATERIALS:
• 2440x300 pre-cut plywood 'CLICK-LEAF' panels
• a range of external 'LEAF' cladding materials are being explored, eg insulated polycarbonate honeycomb sandwich, and thermal membranes.
• powered by thin film fullerene-based ‘plastic’ (ongoing developments allowing) solar cell technology.
• various insulation material options include warmcell cellulose fiber (recycled paper), sheepwool batts, hemp recycled cotton batts or hi-tech sandwich panel systems
• 12 volt ‘Eutrac’ electrical system for light, switch, micro-processor, & energy management systems integrated into the CLICK-BEAM components
• roof water re-cycled to integrated hydroponic and water storage systems
• organic toilet/ packet toilet systems being explored.

IMPLIMENTATION
The first CLICK-RAFT prototype is under development as an immediately realizable and fully test-able prototype. Construction includes first generation components which are intentionally rudimentary to get the project running with a minimal budget to the basic concept and systems.
The plan to implement the research project is based on developing the CLICK-RAFT to next level refinement of the panel components can be developed with fully integrated systems. All additional parties are development partners involved to develop next generation component research and development.
An important factor during the next stage will be to see how best to grow the product locally and globally. My feeling at this stage is that bottom up open-source seeding rather than large scale market branding will be more appropriate for a product of this kind as many will be self-built, and it will be more important to keep costs to a minimum budget. However strong PR will be necessary to raise consumer market awareness of the exceptional value, usefulness and quality of the product.

All initial investment costs in design development, materials and component research are privately funded. Additionally the first CLICK-RAFT prototype 01 is under construction with first generation components within a minimal budget. The realization of the project is funded personally, but additional organizations are providing support, advice and research + development resources to provide an important network to keep the project viable.
To take the concept development to the next stage will require research and development of a series of next generation components such as the panel development and solar technology. This work will require additional funding for design development, component, materials and systems research together with production methods/costs, market strategy and viability.

NEXT STAGE DEVELOPMENT AREAS
1.0 refinement and optimization of CLICK-LEAF panel system and production process,
2.0 design development and production research of lightweight skins or 'CLICK-LEAF' Louvre systems
3.0 integratation of (fullerene-based ‘plastic’) thin film PV technology with outer 'CLICK-LEAF' cladding system.
4.0 integration of energy, waste, water and hydroponic research and development
5.0 Cybernetic clickable systems software research to manage energy, waste, water and information management systems.
6.0 clickable market research, and PR strategy.

TEAM: -

Architect and Team Leader:
Chris Moller - Architect & Urbanist
responsible for research, design development and project management.

Fullerene Solar Panel Research
Professor Kees J.C. Hummelen:
Professor in Chemistry at the University of Groningen. The Netherlands. He is also CSO of the fullerene products company Solenne B.V. The last ten years, his research activities have been in fullerene chemistry and development of plastic photovoltaic (PV) technology. Currently he is world #3 cited PV author .

Cybernetic Systems
Prof John Frazer:
Head of the School of Design at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Brisbane, Australia. and international research co-coordinator for the Gehry Technologies Digital Practice Ecosystem. Author and pioneer of ‘An Evolutionary Architecture’. Prof Frazer will develop clickable software to enable the building to manage energy, waste, water and information management systems.

SUPPORT

Christophe de Jongh - Developer + Entrepreneur
Managing Director of Vlasbloem Project Development with specialist knowledge in housing in both the private and public sectors. He is responsible for delivering 2 new mini-dwelling concepts to open market.

David Inden – Entrepreneur + Engineer
Indirectly connected to the project as joint founder of the City On A Roof Foundation which initiated development of a new platform to encourage rooftop mini-prototyping for the creative industries and innovation environments. Additionally David is also an enthusiastic professional observer being both engineer and entrepreneur.

Sascha Haselmeyer – Innovation Expert
As an innovation expert and consultant Sascha has been invited as a partner through his ‘Living-Labs’ network to be involved in the City On A Roof initiative. From this perspective he is interested in the development of the CLICK-RAFT in relation to appropriate architectural environments conducive to innovation.

2008-06-04T14:59:00.000+02:00

Initial Ideas

2008-04-12T21:49:00.001+02:00

The early ideas for the click-raft concept came out of several questions I have been thinking about for a long time.
• How to enable myself and others to unlock the huge potential of do it yourself architecture?
• How to accelerate the feedback loops in architectural experimentation
• How to explore completely new domains of architecture such as the rooftops or roof-topes (upper level ecologies)
• How to shift from dependent buildings to autonomous buildings
• How to move from boxes (ala filing cabinet architecture) to something more fluid, adaptable and flexible
• How to explore an architecture not through drawing or design but rather by creating seeds (components) and exploring/growing these...
• How could such structures therefore facilitate more fluid inter-relationships between people, organisations, activities to facilitate new forms of innovation and creativity?

Strangely most of these questions led me to very similar conclusions: -
- mini-prototyping (is small, cheap and quick)
- fabrication of simple components for much more complex structures
- discovering that the elements can be used instead of a pencil or computer ie a new form of physical spatial sketching.
- evolutionary architecture is still a deep seed and inspiration in all of this (thanks to my friend, long time collaborator and mentor John Frazer)

The architectural questions I was busy with at mini scale could also be connected to other issues I have been working on for some time, namely mixed use urban design and how this could be grown or seeded by many D.I.Y. players rather than simply by a few large players. Also the potentials of this way of thinking to create new approaches for innovation environments or interaction between different creative industries. In other words, could the principles of what I was exploring be useful at a much bigger scale and in relation to a whole range of other concerns in the realisation of cities. This first initial experiment came out of exploring alternatives to Bucky Fuller's octet truss space-frames, shifting the focus from space-frames to alternative flexible geometries of framing-space. Developing this experiment into a serious mini live/work architecture, and real building prototype has been a purely solo effort, all ideas, time and resources have been my own.