The Architecture Puzzler
Created by Dave Guadagni
Solution to Last Week's Puzzler
Architecture Puzzler #461
What anisotropic construction material can have the following flaws: "crook," "cup," or "dote"?
All these flaws can occur in lumber. Crook — a deviation from a straight line from end to end of a board, in the direction perpendicular to the long edge of the board. Cup — a flat-wise deviation across the width of the board. Dote — synonymous with rot or decay.
In case you did not know, an anisotropic material, as opposed to an isotropic material, is a material not having the same properties in all directions. Fibrous materials such as wood are anisotropic.
Dave Guadagni, AIA, is an architect with Robertson/Sherwood/Architects
Quizzical Pursuit is Copyright 2010, Dave Guadagni.
Jean Nouvel's Torre Agbar is clad in an isotropic (not anisotropic) material.
Photo: Flickr user Alex