Art of Construction

Unit 14: Barrels, Dishes, Butterflies, Bicycle Wheels and Eggs

"The simple fact that curvature gives stiffness and strength to thin sheets
of material has made possible a whole family of curved roofs in exciting
shapes and of economical design that are called thin shell or membrane
roofs."

p. 119 Art of Construction

Dish Roof: step 1
Dish Roof: step 2
Dish Roof: step 3

Click to see how a dish roof is built

next page

Unit Navigation Unit 1: From Cave to Skyscraper Unit 2: Building a Tent Unit 3: What is a Beam? Unit 4: What Do We Build Structures With? Unit 5: The Floor of Your Room Unit 6: A Steel Frame Unit 7: Part of a Building You Don't See Unit 8: What Tornadoes, Earthquakes, and Temperature Can Do Unit 9: How to Fight Tornadoes and Earthquakes Unit 10: Ropes and Cables Salvadori Center Unit 13: Shape and Strength Unit 14: Barrels, Dishes, Butterflies, Bicycle Wheels and Eggs Unit 12: Strings and Sticks Unit 11: Sticks and Stones Unit 15: Balloons...and Back to the Tent