Masonry Magazine April 2004 Page. 36
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The beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not understand.
Frank Herbert (1920-1986)
The Craft of Masonry
By Hazel Bradford
Director of Communications, International Masonry Institute
MASONRY DESIGN OFFERS AN INTERESTING dichotomy to the designer. On the one hand, it is among the oldest methods of building, with a rich history of structural and aesthetic attributes. Yet at the same time, the designer gets little or no education on how to understand it, and instead is typically left on his or her own to find out about the system and achieve any degree of expertise.
What we didn't learn in architecture school is that, much like the study of architecture, the study of materials is based on a fundamental understanding of properties and characteristics. Once learned, these free the architect to explore new design possibilities.
The key to unique architectural material solutions and designs is to look beyond the applications to understand the notion of the craft behind it. The key to understanding masonry is to learn about the material much like the craftworker does, with an intimacy that allows for a natural application of the materials.
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Masonry
April 2004
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