Assembly

The stage

Assembly is the moment a pile of parts becomes a building. It is also the moment most of the building’s future is settled, one fastener at a time.

What the usual way assumes

That the best joint is the fastest and most forgiving one. Glue, foam and ringed nails are cheap, quick and hide a poor fit. So most of a modern house is, in effect, welded to itself.

What we do instead

We grade every joint on a ladder, from cast-in-place at the bottom to parts that simply lift out at the top. The rule is to use the lowest rung that does the job, and to write down why. The ladder is explained here.

We keep the building’s layers apart. Structure lasts centuries, cladding decades, wiring and pipes a few years. Nothing short-lived may be fastened through something long-lived. More on the five layers.

And we draw the building coming apart as well as going together. If freeing a window takes more than about five steps, the detail is redrawn.

What we don’t know yet

Where the honest limits are. Walls that resist earthquakes and walls rated for fire are tested as exact recipes of nails, boards and sealant. Change the fastener and the rating is gone. We accept those permanent parts, keep them few, and say so plainly.