New Mini Prototype

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 //