I had the pleasure of organizing a workshop with the students of the National Diploma of Arts and Design (DNMADe) from the Joseph Vallot high school in Lodève, north of Montpellier.
The challenge was to design and manufacture a “small timber” frame using only reused pallet wood.
The “small timber” framework technique was invented by the architect Philibert de l’Orme (1514-1570) in the 16th century.
It was presented for the first time in a work entitled “New inventions for building well at low cost” published in 1561, a sort of low-tech manual of construction before its time.
The “small timber” framing technique makes it possible to manufacture long-span frames, using only small curved timbers which form segments assembled with strips and dowels.
A “small timber” frame is without nails or screws, and therefore completely removable.
It allows the recovery of poor quality, curved, too short or knotty wood.
This workshop was an opportunity to raise students' awareness of reuse and the use of traditional carpentry hand tools (blueprints, handsaw and wood chisels).
It demonstrates that the use of reused materials is an opportunity to update traditional know-how associated with heritage, far from the image of pallet construction.
Congratulations to the students for their achievement!
Sources: P. de l’Orme
Images: C. Gaillard