candelabrum 2.0

45 build context The pavilion was ultimately confronted with the historical context of Castelvetro di Modena, Italy. An old castle dating back to 1008 A.D. has been converted into a wine farm during the last century. A complex volume of 900 components and 199 candles provoked a contrast between the old brick walls and ordered wine yards with the complex composition of fragile wooden sticks and dynamic shadow plays. Before the assembly could start, a “ground ﬂoor” plan was used to position the ﬁrst portions located on the bottom. Those fragments, besides being easier to connect, (no need of a ladder) also set up the main alignment for the rest of the structure. This phase was delicate, since the joint system had almost no shifting tolerance and all the elements had to reﬂect the virtual precision of the 3D model. For the alignment of the parts, traditional techniques were used such as tape, squares and rulers to precisely determine the center of every segment. Despite the complexity of the design, no technical drawings where needed dur- ing the assembly phases. A key aspect for the construction of such conﬁguration derived from the deﬁnition of a simple labelling logic that let almost everyone, even if totally unaware of the ﬁnal look of the body, contribute to the building of the canopy. Every component was marked with a unique number and every joint had a code with all the necessary information to self connect to each others. It proved to be an efﬁcient method since all the 900 pieces were mounted in just one day. The ﬂex- ibility of the solution was also demonstrated in the possibility to easily dismantle and reconstruct the wooden mass on an other location. Finally the insertion of 199 candles in every node transformed the wooden exercise into a dialogue with the environment. The luminescent volume blended silently with the historical context. This ignition of the structure engaged with the sounds of the area and smoothly initiated a gathering moment.

candelabrum 2.0

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