凹陷和凸起：用弯曲的木材进行设计
Concave and Convex: Designing with Curved Wood

由专筑网邢子，小R编译

曲线一直激发着建筑师对自然界的美感、流动性、动态性和复杂性的探索的热情。然而，要应用这些形状并不是一件容易的事。从它们的二维或三维表现到它们在最终材料中的使用，都存在着巨大的困难，需要技术的专长和大量的知识来实现，思考用天然材料生产有机形状的新方法更为复杂。

此外，像木材这样的天然材料有其自身的特殊性。诸如木材的种类、生长的场地、所处的气候、切割的时机、切片的方式及干燥等因素，还有许多其他变量，在很大程度上影响着最终的结果。但是，其他材料很难与木制表面给建筑环境带来的美感和温暖相比。如果使用适当的工艺，木材可以弯曲并保持所需的形状，澳大利亚公司Sculptform正在完善此类技术。

Curved shapes have always sparked architects' fascination for evoking nature's beauty, fluidity, dynamism, and complexity. To replicate these shapes, however, is no easy task. From their two- or three-dimensional representation to their execution in their final materials, this represents an enormous difficulty, which requires technical expertise and a great amount of knowledge to achieve strong results. Thinking of new ways to produce organic shapes from natural materials is even more complicated.
In addition to this, working with a natural material such as wood carries its own set of peculiarities. Factors such as the species of wood, where the tree grew, what climate it faced, when it was cut, how it was sliced or dried, among many other variables, largely influence the final result. But it's hard for other materials to compare to the beauty and warmth that wooden surfaces bring to the built environment. If the appropriate processes are used, wood can be curved and remain in the desired shape - and for this, there is a number of known techniques which Australian company, Sculptform, has perfected.



Sculptform专门开发用于墙壁和天花板的弧形木制板，使建筑师和建筑商能够为他们的弧形概念创造出可实现的解决方案。当在商业规模上使用弯曲的木材时，根据预期的效果，需要考虑的因素是木材的种类和密度，所需的曲线半径，以及施工中所使用的简单直观的紧固方法。

Sculptform specializes in developing curved wooden Click-on Battens for walls and ceilings, enabling architects and builders to create buildable and affordable solutions for their curved concepts. When working with curved pieces of timber on a commercial scale, the factors that need to be considered depending on the intended application are wood species and density, the desired curve radius, and which easy and intuitive fastening method should be used for the construction.



有以下两种方法可以创造有机形状：

• 蒸汽弯曲：当用蒸汽加热时，木材会获得一种可塑性，并在冷却后保持所需的形状。
  

Two methods are used to create the organic shapes:

• Steam Bending: When heated with steam, wood obtains a malleable quality and remains in the desired shape after cooling.
  

• 开槽：这个过程包括在木板的背面切割小的凹槽，使木材能够围绕着下部结构进行弯曲。这些木片在现场提供预钻孔，长度笔直但灵活，适用于有遮挡的室内和室外空间。
  

• Kerfing: this process involves cutting small notches in the back of a wooden batten to allow the wood to be curved around a substructure. These pieces are supplied pre-drilled on site in straight but flexible lengths and are suitable for sheltered indoor and outdoor spaces.
  

每根木制Click-on木条，按照项目预见的形式，在其澳大利亚工厂成型，背面有一个凹槽，作为支撑木条和Click-on连接的接口。正因为如此，在现场只需将木条安装到位，就能快速实现复杂部件的组装。

Each timber Click-on batten, with the form foreseen for the project, is molded at their Australian factory with a groove in the back that serves as an interface between the support batten and the company's patented Click-on connection. Because of this, the assembly of complex parts is achieved quickly on site by simply clicking the batten into place.



一个令人印象深刻的案例是由Woods Bagot设计的Sculptform的墨尔本设计工作室。为一个品牌设计空间是一个复杂的挑战，无论是办公室还是概念店，建筑师必须对公司、需求、产品和美学有充分的了解。Woods Bagot的负责人Bruno Mendes指出：“我们的目标是创造一个沉浸在Sculptform的产品和精神中的空间，以展示公司的制作理念。在形式上，工作室的建筑将参观者带入Sculptform的工艺流程中，展示完全可见的车间空间，即Co-lab，它位于设计的核心。它可以满足许多不同规模的需求，是一个通过综合空间特征（如礼堂座位和隐蔽的屏幕）来展示设计的空间。”

An impressive case study is the design of Sculptform’s Melbourne Design Studio, designed by Woods Bagot. It is a complex challenge to design a space for a brand - be it an office or concept store - and it is essential that the architect has a good understanding of the company, its demands, products, and aesthetics. Bruno Mendes, Principal at Woods Bagot, points out that “The ambition was to create a space to immerse in Sculptform's products and ethos, showcasing the company’s hand-crafted philosophy. In form, the studio’s architecture takes visitors on a physical journey through Sculptform’s processes – showcasing the fully visible workshop space, the Co-lab, which sits at the heart of the design. Catering to groups of many different sizes, it is a space to host Melbourne’s design community through integrated spatial features such as the auditorium seating and concealed screen.



“我们的意图是创造一连串的流线，当人们自然地在空间中行走时，感受各种内部空间。美国白橡木的材料被用在地板、墙壁和天花板上。使人联想到被这种独特的木材所包围的体验。作为一个导向元素，木材的涨落象征着穿过展厅的路径，延伸到公共空间。这条路通向第三个空间，用于合作或协作会议。这些空间以对比鲜明的材料和饰面为重点，而这个路线是围绕着Co-lab进行的，这是一个用于Sculptform的创意孵化的工作室，也是创造设计原型的地方。一面玻璃墙使Co-lab的活动清晰可见，给展厅带来了一种戏剧性。会议室和休息空间位于木板门之后，以保持曲线形式的连续性。工作空间结合了灵活的方法，包括多功能会议空间、站立会议区和构思桌。”

"The intention was to create a sequence of events revealing the various interior spaces as people looped naturally through the space. The material of American White Oak is used on the floor, walls and ceiling – conjuring the experience of being enveloped by the distinctive timber. As a wayfinding element, the rising and ebbing tide of timber signifies the path through the showroom, looping back around to the communal space. The journey opens out to third spaces for focused work, natural light or collaborative meetings. These spaces are highlighted in contrasting materials and finishes. The physical loop hinges around the Co-lab, a workshop for the creative incubation of Sculptform’s processes and where prototypes are created. A glazed wall makes the Co-lab’s activities visible, bringing a theatricality into the showroom. Meeting rooms and breakout spaces lie behind timber-battened doors to maintain the continuity of the striking curved form. The workspaces incorporate agile methodologies with versatile meeting spaces, stand up meeting areas and an ideation table."



“该项目是一个与Sculptform合作密切研究木材可能性的机会，Sculptform也建造了该空间和所有定制的细木家具。设计过程探索了木材的潜力，超越了其传统形式。Sculptform进口了澳大利亚以外的设备，并开发了新的蒸汽弯曲木材生产和应用技术，以实现这一创新概念所要求的横断线条。”

“The project was a chance to collaborate on a close study of timber's possibilities with Sculptform, who also constructed the space and all the custom joinery. The design process explored timbers potential beyond its conventional form. This resulted in Sculptform importing equipment unavailable anywhere in Australia and developing new steam-bent timber production and application techniques to deliver the sweeping lines demanded by the ambitious concept.”





该项目也引发了更多的新产品的创造，这些产品后来都被纳入了公司的产品目录。根据Bruno的说法，“凭借他们在产品工艺方面的专业知识，以及被推向新的极限的热情，Sculptform使用了蒸汽弯曲技术，创造了一个新的枢轴夹系统，已经成为他们产品的一部分。特色木材作品展示了Click-on Batten系统，工作室的设计促进了蒸汽弯曲木材新能力的发展，从而创造了弯曲的特色隔板”。换句话说，技术、工艺和创意需要携手并进。

The project even triggered more innovations and the creation of new products that would later be included in the company's product catalog. According to Bruno, “With their expertise in craft of product, and an enthusiasm to be pushed to new limits, Sculptform used steam-bending technologies and created a new pivot clip system which is now part of their product offering. The featured timber work showcases the Click-on Batten system, with the studio design leading to the development of new capabilities in steam-bent timber to create the curved feature bulkhead.” In other words; technology, craftsmanship, and creativity walking hand-in-hand.







图片： Peter Bennetts，Cortesia de Sculptform