At the Aarhus School of Architecture, Associate Professor Anders Gammelgaard has erected a solid wood construction, based on traditional craftsmanship. The entire structure is made of heavy oak timber that is joined together using the old techniques of tongue and groove and dowels.
The motivation for the design has been to reflect upon the importance of craftsmanship in relation to the contemporary building culture. Is there any future at all for craftsmanship in a building culture, which in recent years has undergone a major industrialization? Or should craftsmanship left be to a life in open-air museums, as a performing art in front of an audience.
In this article the author discusses the importance of craft and craftsmanship in contemporary architecture in relation to its users.