Constructing  environment  

Week  3  studio  journal  

Jianpeng  deng,  657598  

This  week  we  are  introduced  to  have  a  site  visit;  it  is  to  get  to  know  the  four  

different  constructions  in  Melbourne  Uni.  It  is  a  rush  visit  as  there  is  limited  time  

spent  on  each  site.  The  word  I  have  got  for  this  week’s  studio  glossary  is  “soldier  

pile”.  

   

This  week,  the  studio  activity  is  held  in  a  workshop,  there  is  a  mister  who  gives  

introduction  about  the  tools  that  are  normally  used  in  workshop.  As  soon  as  we  

are  done  getting  to  know  the  tools,  we  are  then  split  into  groups  to  make  

structures  with  real  construction  material  -­‐-­‐-­‐  pines  and  hip  nails  etc.  The  

purpose  is  to  make  a  structure  that  could  bear  as  much  weight  as  possible.  The  

materials  we  are  assigned  are  two  42  x  18  pines  and  two  so-­‐called  straight  grain  

pines.  The  ideal  structure  we  tend  to  make  is  a  triangle-­‐shape  structure  where  

the  tip  pointing  upwards.  The  idea  is  to  divert  the  force  from  upwards  to  a  larger  

area,  so  that  it  can  bear  more  weight.  As  shown  in  Sketch  1.  

   

Sketch  1  

The  tools  we  use  are  only  some  screws  and  battery  drill.  For  the  main  foundation,  

we  place  one  thick  pine  vertically  on  the  other  horizontally-­‐placed  thick  pine,  as  

a  T-­‐shape  structure.  As  shown  in  Sketch  2.  

 Sketch  2  

Then  using  the  battery  drill  to  drill  about  five  screws  into  the  pines  so  that  they  

could  be  firmly  attached.  As  shown  in  picture  1.  

   Picture  1  

We  also  attach  the  other  two  thin  pines  to  both  sides  of  T  structure  in  the  same  

way,  drill  screws  to  hold  them  tight.  Here  is  the  finished  structure  and  it  looks  

triangle.  As  shown  in  picture  2  &  3.  

     

Picture  2                                         Picture  3  

 

 

Here  are  pictures  of  the  other  two  groups’  work.  

 

  All  finished  structures  come  to  the  test  to  destruction,  place  a  big  wooden  lump  

above  the  structure,  and  then  keep  screwing/pushing  at  a  point  until  it  breaks  

apart.  Our  group’s  piece  doesn’t  work  well  compared  to  others,  only  seven  

rounds  and  a  bit  then  the  whole  structure  breaks.  As  we  conclude,  the  two  pieces  

of  straight  grain  pines  cannot  bear  much  weight  because  it  can  be  much  stronger  

if  we  place  it  upfront;  in  contrast,  this  kind  of  position  seems  to  be  the  weakest.  

For  the  T-­‐shape  pines,  they  not  only  cannot  bear  the  force  equally,  but  in  fact  it  

actually  speeds  up  breaking  the  structure  as  larger  pressure  is  applied  on  the  

bottom  pine.  Here  is  the  photo  of  our  group’s  structure,  it  is  put  upside  down  to  

show  where  it  cracks.  

 

Picture  4    

 

Here  it  introduces  the  other  groups’  structure.  They  use  truss  frame  to  make  the  

structure,   this  works   pretty  well   to   bear  more  weight   as   the   force   is   diverted  

somehow.  And  it  somehow  enhances  the  middle  part  so  that  it  could  withstand  

the  force  to  the  tip.  Eventually  the  structure  cracks;  we  are  told  that  the  breaking  

area  is  always  the  area  where  there  is  a  nail/screw,  it  helps  to  connect  pines  but  

also  weakens  them  at  the  same  time.  As  shown  in  Image  1-­‐3.  

 Image  1  

   

Image  2  

 Image  3  

 

This   group   tends   to   enhance   the  middle   area   to   resist   the   force   from  above,   it  

works  pretty  well  though,  but  miscalculate  it  does  not  help  much,  the  two  short  

pines  eventually  become  a  burden   to   the   long  ones  before   the  whole   structure  

breaks.  As  shown  in  Image  4-­‐6.  

 

 

Image  4  

 

Image  5  

 

Image  6  

Tutors   conclude   that   pines/timbers   are   good   construction   materials   because  

when   there   is   they   are   faced   certain   huge   destruction/force,   they   don’t   break  

instantly   due   to   the   nature   of   flexibility.   Therefore,   to   some   extent,   the   house  

may  not  easily  fall  apart.