Luis Carli and Rafael Passarelli developed an interdisciplinary work between wooden architecture and information design through their research on wood dimensional changes. Known by many, especially in the field of architecture, construction, and design, most of the challenges of utilizing wood involve an understanding of wood-moisture relationships and its influence in wood properties. With this in mind, their work intends to provide a more comprehensive form for visualizing how different climate conditions influence different wood species regarding their dimensional stability. This also aims to provide a design tool for most wood-workers (from architects to cabinet-makers) that could quickly estimate the behavior of some wood species in a specific location along the year and, then, implement necessary design modifications in order to accommodate dimensional changes. More images and their description after the break.
Recently, due to the environmental issues, timber is being increasingly utilised in architecture, from structural purpose to cladding material. But, as many other natural materials, wood is hygroscopic, i.e. it exchanges moisture with its surrounding environment. As a piece of wood losses moisture it shrinks and as wood gains moisture back it swells. Dimensional changes due to moisture exchange in wood can lead to defects, such as warping, checking or splitting, that may compromise the performance of the wood piece or product.
