The Datum

The Datum is an ongoing research project developed within the Design + Make program at the Architectural Association. It serves as a prototype for a structural floor system that utilises discarded roundwood, specifically small-diameter forking branches, which are often overlooked in the timber industry.

The three-dimensional truss system combines Cedar chords, forked Beech roundwood, and a Dyneema rope-tensioning network to hold everything together, without a single fixed joint between the roundwood and dimensional timber.

To define the system’s cell size, we used a custom image processing script to quickly analyse the proportions of forks harvested through high pruning, which preserves trees rather than felling them. To manage natural irregularities, we designed an adjustable cutting jig for a standard bandsaw that enables manual fine-tuning of required cuts, replacing high-tech tools like 3D scanning or robotic fabrication with accessible, scalable methods.

The Datum investigates accessibility in both materials and fabrication technologies. The project employs small-diameter, forking branches, an abundant yet underutilised byproduct of the timber industry and forest management practices, including pruning.

The system relies on widely available tools: 2D images and videos are used to generate proportions best suited to the stock material. These inputs enable the design of bespoke cutting jigs, adaptable to standard workshop machines such as a bandsaw. In this way, The Datum establishes a framework where material accessibility is paired with technological accessibility, bridging environmental responsibility with democratised modes of making.

This research was done as part of the Design and Make program at the Architectural Association.