Christopher A. Battaglia and Dillon Pranger: Boardwalk (Bethel Woods Art & Architecture Festival 2022)
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Constructed entirely out of reclaimed lumber, Boardwalk aims to consider the past, present, and future life cycles of construction materials. Designed as a temporary installation, the project is a multifunctional destination serving as an informal gathering space, temporary stage, and viewing platform. Composed of recycled nylon strapping and reclaimed wood members, the 40-foot-long installation uses no adhesives or mechanical fasteners.
The architects were approached by a client with the hopes of developing strategies to maximize material reuse through the disassembly of a former ironworks and foundry building in Ithaca, New York. Working with local contractors to develop methods for disassembling the four-story structure led to the recovery of 7,200 board feet of old-growth eastern hemlock and 6,000 square feet of red oak flooring that was diverted from the waste stream. Wood was categorized based on species and dimensional irregularities (thickness, knots, bolt holes, existing nails, splitting, and hemlock shake) to use the wood in an efficient manner. Having a digital catalog of building materials was used in both the design parameters and construction logistics for the project.
The design of Boardwalk employs a series of initial cuts to separate nail-populated areas of the material from otherwise "clean" areas. Following the initial processing of materials, a series of eight unique wood joinery connections were prototyped and produced using CNC fabrication to assure accuracy and tolerance. These joinery typologies were derived from research into dry fit joinery at both an architectural scale and at the scale of furniture. Techniques of lapping, notching, shimming, and flip milling were explored. Newly processed areas of each element juxtapose the old aging surface characteristics of the eastern hemlock based on one's orientation, bringing into question whether the project is something new or still a relic of the past.
Project Leaders:
Dillon Pranger, Visiting Critic, Architecture
Christopher A. Battaglia, Visiting Critic, Architecture
Design and Fabrication:
Keygan Sinclair (M.Arch. '24)
Maxwell Rodencal (M.Arch. '23)
Marlee Barnes (M.Arch. '23)
On-Site Assembly:
Sophia Chen (B.Arch. '23)
Samuel Castañeda (B.Arch. '23)
Drawings:
Dillon Pranger
Molly Ma (M.Arch. '21)
Exhibition Design and Fabrication:
Christopher A. Battaglia
Photography:
Sophia Chen (B.Arch. '23)
Christopher A. Battaglia
Dillon Pranger
Lucas Hitch (M.S. MDC '24)
Exhibition and Pavillion Sponsor:
Bethel Woods Art & Architecture Festival
Cornell AAP
