Reciprocal frame
Encyclopedia
A reciprocal frame is a class of self-supporting structure made of three or more beams and which requires no center support to create roofs, bridges or similar structures.
roof, has been used since the twelfth century in Chinese
and Japan
ese architecture
although little or no trace of these ancient methods remain. More recently they were used by Architects Kazuhiro Ishii (the Spinning House) and Yasufumi Kijima, and engineer Yoishi Kan
(Kijima Stonemason Museum).
Villard de Honnecourt
produced sketches showing similar designs in the 13th century and similar structures were also used in the chapter house of Lincoln Cathedral
. Josep Maria Jujol
used this structure in both the Casa Bofarull and Casa Negre The reciprocal roof was independently developed by Graham Brown in 1987 and is becoming a popular roof construction technique for eco self-build community and particularly for modern roundhouses
.
Construction
A reciprocal roof is assembled by first installing a temporary central support that holds the first rafter at the correct height. The first rafter is fitted between the wall and the temporary central support and then further rafters are added, each resting on the last. The final rafter fits on top of the previous rafter and under the very first one. The rafters are then tied with wire before the temporary support is removed. The failure of a single element may lead to the failure of the whole structure.History
The reciprocal frame, also known as a MandalaMandala
Maṇḍala is a Sanskrit word that means "circle". In the Buddhist and Hindu religious traditions their sacred art often takes a mandala form. The basic form of most Hindu and Buddhist mandalas is a square with four gates containing a circle with a center point...
roof, has been used since the twelfth century in Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
although little or no trace of these ancient methods remain. More recently they were used by Architects Kazuhiro Ishii (the Spinning House) and Yasufumi Kijima, and engineer Yoishi Kan
(Kijima Stonemason Museum).
Villard de Honnecourt
Villard de Honnecourt
Villard de Honnecourt was a 13th-century artist from Picardy in northern France. He is known to history only through a surviving portfolio of 33 sheets of parchment containing about 250 drawings dating from the 1220s/1240s, now in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris...
produced sketches showing similar designs in the 13th century and similar structures were also used in the chapter house of Lincoln Cathedral
Lincoln Cathedral
Lincoln Cathedral is a historic Anglican cathedral in Lincoln in England and seat of the Bishop of Lincoln in the Church of England. It was reputedly the tallest building in the world for 249 years . The central spire collapsed in 1549 and was not rebuilt...
. Josep Maria Jujol
Josep Maria Jujol
Josep Maria Jujol Gibert was a Catalan architect.Jujol's wide field of activity ranged from furniture designs and painting, to architecture. He worked with Antoni Gaudí on many of his most famous works.-Biography:...
used this structure in both the Casa Bofarull and Casa Negre The reciprocal roof was independently developed by Graham Brown in 1987 and is becoming a popular roof construction technique for eco self-build community and particularly for modern roundhouses
Roundhouse (dwelling)
The roundhouse is a type of house with a circular plan, originally built in western Europe before the Roman occupation using walls made either of stone or of wooden posts joined by wattle-and-daub panels and a conical thatched roof. Roundhouses ranged in size from less than 5m in diameter to over 15m...
.