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.
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
inspired by henry david thoreau's hut at walden pond. Translated as a tool for our time tuned to planet earth. A minimum prototype that adjusts to its environment in the sense that a tree does, ie autonomous energy, info, water+food, integrated structure, environmental systems with louvre skins that respond via sensors to temperature, wind, moisture and light. '..THIS FRAME SO SLIGHTLY CLAD, WAS A SORT OF CRYSTALLISATION AROUND ME..' Thoreau.
Search This Blog
wall-raft shelf storage
FOR CLICK-RAFT INQUIRIES
contact chris moller at chrismoller01@gmail.com
Background
How could we dwell on planet earth? What if dwelling was just a minimal enabling tool. A device in-tune with our fragile planet!
click-raft is an economic fabrication architecture – inspired by Thoreau's hut at Walden Pond, the minimalist citroen TPV, and lego. click-leaf architecture is a playful open system which utilizes the qualities of plywood click-leaf’s to form a lattice of structure/networks assembled from standard panels which can be quickly ‘clicked’ together to form floor, wall, and roof click-rafts in different configurations. Structure, cladding, plumbing, energy, water systems, storage and furniture are integrated within the weave of the plywood structure. Alternative configurations respond to a wide variety of different site specific conditions – engaging imagination, and exploration.
