Parametric Interlocking Elastic Wooden Plate Joint for Complex Structures

Interlocking wooden joints are a material driven traditional structural method that is used in complex wooden structures. Nowadays they are frequently used in computationally designed and digitally fabricated structures and pavilions. The present research contributes to the understanding of advanced technologies' impact in revitalizing the use of traditional practices and contemporary applications of an established craftsmanship in a digital environment where the interlocking wood joinery is the main connection type. An explorative case study was defined to develop elastic wood joint for complex geometries of plate components using parametric modeling. The goal was to fabricate a physical prototype from wood to test the applicability of the developed elastic joint. The result led to the development of digital and physical prototypes of a wooden shell pavilion with a parametric interlocking elastic wooden plate joint.