Cave II
Timber Interpretation by Ummar Rashid and William Wiesner
This proposition was generated through a precise survey of Chiselhurst Caves in Kent. The timber interpretation that has resulted from this process alludes to the radial method that we used to survey the cave and transforms one’s expectations of the quality of light within.
72 vertical and 10 horizontal thick plywood timber fins are combined to create a fractured internal surface. Our proposition is both dense and porous, punctured by light yet dark inside, an ephemeral solidity.
Plywood is a processed natural material whose organic properties are enhanced through human intervention, qualities that formed a dialogue with the design process. It was manipulated in order to slot together in a completely dry form of construction. Each element is integral to the whole: 312 pieces, 720 voids, conspiring to form a single volume.
