As part of the undergraduate program in Architecture at SEDA, Navrachana University, students in first year (second semester) are offered the subject of Building Construction-II. The focus of this subject, as per the curriculum, is on timber as construction material. Starting with the properties of material the course elaborates on various systems of traditional and contemporary framing using timber. The subject is usually divided in theory lectures, case-studies, design projects, and workshop exercises.
The objectives of the workshop exercises are; to make the student aware of the properties of material, to learn the joinery between and within various materials, to learn the construction sequence of various elements such as floor, roof, door-window, staircase, etc.
The first workshop exercise of this subject focuses on timber joinery. The students make following basic types of timber joinery in the workshop.
- Lengthening joint
- widening joint
- Oblique shouldered joint
- Bearing joint
- Mortise & Tenon joint
- Dove-tail joint
- Angle joint
While working with material in the workshop the students realise the difference between working with the grain with respect to against the grain. It helps them realise that timber is an anisotropic material. It has different properties in different directions. They can also relate as to how various forces acting on the joinery determine the size and shape of the joinery. Following are some examples of lengthening and widening joints made by students.
