Kerf Pavilion
The Kerf Pavilion is a compilation of a semester’s research of novel digital fabrication techniques by a team of graduate students in the MIT Department of Architecture. Kerfing is an old technique that involves cutting of wood to add flexibility. This research’s primary focus is to combine the material logic of kerfing, with the flexibility of parametric modeling and the accuracy of a CNC router, to discover other possibilities of wood and alternative farming methods. The parametric modeling integrates all steps of the digital fabrication process to produce patterns that allow the plywood to be bet into desired shapes without using additional resources. This is an interesting anchor point to mention that this pavilion is one that is actively participating in the ongoing, lively discussions regarding the usage and future of digital fabrication and parametric modeling. This pavilion hopes to manifest new possibilities for design and construction due to the common goal of reimaging how architects design and construct things. The social responsibility of an architect is to protect the welfare of the public. With the new challenges of waste within our finite environment, it is important for architects to examine resource distribution by reimagining the way things are designed, manufactured, and installed.
