The design, development and construction of a digitally fabricated reciprocal timber structure

The design, development and construction of a reciprocal timber structure is pre- sented. The design follows Friedrich Zollinger’s lamella roof of the 1920s. However, by using digital fabrication and high-quality plywood, a new nodal connection is presented. The connec- tion uses a single mechanical fixing, yet provides a highly rigid joint that can be easily assem- bled and dis-assembled. The system was used in the design and fabrication of a temporary roof as part of the London Design Fair in 2016. It was located on the roof terrace of the Truman Brewery in London, which posed a number of challenging constraints. All parts were fabricated in the workshops of the University of Edinburgh and the roof was installed in one day by a team from the university. The system has been shown to be robust and flexible in application.