Week 1

In week one’s tutorial,

we are told to use the

MDFs to build a tower

as tall as we can

without using too much

of them. This tower has

to have a gate that can

allow the toy dinosaur

to go through.

As a beginning, we

decided to use a

triangular shaped base

for the tower as a

triangle forms truss

bond, which is

probably the strongest

structure. After

deciding how the base

is like, we start building

the first six layers using

stretch bond to make

the base stronger. The

picture below shows

the sketch of the

structure.

When we think the

base is strong and

stable enough, we start

using header bonds

instead of stretch

bonds. We made this

change because the

structure is already

very stable. The sketch

below shows the

header bonds we used.

As we built the tower

taller and taller, it is

time for us close off the

opening in front of the

tower. In order to make

the top of the gate

strong enough to bear

the weight of the MDFs

above, we cannot use

any of the above bonds

as they are not strong

enough. So we used

about ten to fifteen

MDFs and hold them

together using a rubber

band. The sketch

below shows how

many tied the MDFs

together to form the top

of the gate.

Above the gate, the

MDFs are put in the

way shown in the

picture below for about

five or six levels.

In this case, there will

be more gravity force

coming from above so

that the structure will

become stronger and

not easy to collapse.

Unfortunately, I left

early in that tutorial that

is why I did not have a

chance to witness the

complete of the tower.

The sketch and the

diagram

below shows the

progress of the tower

when I left.

Melbourne’s bluestone, Dr. Margaret Groves, Landscape Architect

Week 2

In week two, we are

given thin wooden

sticks and told to build

a tower with them. As

we have built the tower

using a triangle base in

week one, we decided

to use the same shape

as the base of this new

tower. In the first level,

we made a triangle and

attached three wooden

sticks up straight on

the three points of the

triangle. A sketch and a

diagram are shown

below.

After that, we repeat

the same structures for

three times and it is still

pretty stable.

At last, we build a three

level tower with a

semicircle above it.

We attached three

wooden sticks in each

of the squares to make

the tower more stable.

As a conclusion, I

would say it was a

success as the tower

did not collapse even it

was built up to two

meters tall. But if it can

be modified in any

ways, I would probably

attach some more

wooden sticks in each

of the squares to make

it even more stable.

Below is a photo of the

tower when it is

completed.

This task is more

challenging than the

last one as the wooden

sticks are light and thin,

not like the MDFs. We

faced more difficulties

throughout the task,

especially as we went

up.

In the e- learning materials of week two, I understood the basics of structural

systems and forms, why the buildings can be build the way it is and what other

factors people need to consider before they start building something.

E- learning materials