Timbrel Vaults

P02 Study Guide pt. 1

What is Timbrel Vaulting also known as?

masonry vault

Catalan vault

tiled vault

laminated vault

flat vault

layered vault

*derived from Spanish, French, Italian, and Catalonian descriptions

What is Timbrel Vaulting?

a method of producing arches, domes, and vaults from masonry units (bricks, tiles, etc.)

Timbrel vaulting is a __________ and ___________ method of construction compared to traditional stone vaulting.

lightweight and inexpensive

Timbrel uses ________ material than traditional stone vaulting.

much less

Timbrel vaulting can be built ___________ compared to traditional stone vaulting.

more quickly

The Roman method of arch building relies on ______.

gravity

What does a Roman vault consist of?

a single layer of thick, wedge-shaped stones

Timbrel vaulting was developed by…

Moorish builders near Valencia, Spain (although it quickly spread throughout the Mediterranean region)

Timbrel vaulting is built up…

unit by unit

What is the mortar made of?

2 parts quick lime, 1 part cement, and 4 parts sand

The masonry units in Timbrel vaulting are ___________ that are ____________________ so that they suck in the mortar.

“hot bricks”, dried in the sun

What structures are examples of Timbrel vaulting?

Santa Maria del Mar

Santa Maria del Pi

Cathedral of Gerona

Crypt of the Colonia Guell

Aymerich Amat i Jover in Terrassa, a textile factory built by Lluis Moncunill i Parellada

Celler Cooperatiu de Pinell de Brai by Cesar Martinell

School of Sagrada Familia

Guastavino Vault

When was the Cathedral of Gerona’s timbrel vault rediscovered by Catalonian architects?

end of 19th century, early 20th century

The Catalonian architects that rediscovered the Cathedral of Gerona were part of the __________ movement.

Modernisme

What architect born in Valencia in 1842 improved the centuries-old-technique of Timbrel vaulting?

Rafael Guastivino

What did Guastivino call his revamped version of Timbrel vaulting?

cohesive construction

What was used in Guastavino’s revamped version of Timbrel vaulting?

traditional mortar with rapidly hardening Portland cement

Guastivino’s method of cohesive construction enabled him to build vaults ________________ that the typical size of traditional Timbrel arching.

3 to 5 times wider

Rafael Guastavino’s Career

Came to the US in 1880

Worked for 50 years

Worked on more than 1000 domes, ceilings, vaults, and stairs

Rafael Guastavino’s Projects

Oyster Bar in Grand Central

New York City Hall Subway Station

National Museum of Natural History’s Baird Auditorium

Manhattan Municipal Building

Bridgemarket under Queensboro Bridge

Brooklyn Bridge station entrance

Boston Public Library

Why was cohesive construction popular?

economic

less materials

exploited workers with low wages/cheap labor

improved the efficiency of the Catalan vault

workers would just stand on their vaulting work of the day before to continue building Minecraft style

What are some advantages of cohesive construction?

self-weight and horizontal thrust values are reduced

fireproof

resistant to vermin

sound insulation

flood resistant

What rendered the technique of cohesive construction virtually obsolete?

rising labor costs and the arrival of steel and concrete building methods

Timbrel Vault Ballet School

located in Cuba

1961 to 1965

building materials were scarce, but labor was plentiful

the knowledge was taught by a former mason of Antoni Gaudi