Designing and building the cork vault: Reflections on a two-week digital fabrication workshop

Thirty-five students took part in a two-week workshop intended to provide a hands on experience with digital tools for the design and fabrication of a 1:1 scale vault. The two instructors focused on theoretical concepts in arches, vaults, stereotomy, and led exercises of physical construction producing 2 arch experiments, 3 vault prototypes made from plywood, and 2 vaults made from expanded cork agglomerate. The final vault was the result of a competition between student groups and was based on an algorithm prepared by one of
the instructors to design a structurally sound, compression-only vault shape with parts that were cut using a 5-axis waterjet cutter. We conducted interviews with the students and report on the resulting themes including reflections on the digital tools, stereotomy and related architectural theory. We recount positive as well as negative outcomes and provide suggestions for other design educators interested in conducting similar courses.