The Art and Science of Stereotomy – An Organic Holistic Technology

Summary

Stereotomy is an empirically based method that has been used for millennia in the design and construction in both European and Asian structures such as cathedrals, temples, pagodas, fortresses, castles, and many historically classified UNESCO world heritage monuments. Stereotomy, in France and Japan, has been listed on the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

Stereotomy is directly connected to practical work site issues, that has developed into a genuine intellectual discipline that cultivates the art of solving problems on one's own. In applying the art ad science of stereotomy, one can learn to use full size, or scaled down, working drawings to produce structures. Often, people consider these iconic buildings as being extremely complex and overwhelming because in their experience creating such structures must have involved a great many abstract complicated formulas and numbers. What drawing the stereotomy manually does is make the procedure a concrete visual one rather than an abstract one. By using these working drawings, it makes the complicated abstract math completely unnecessary. Practitioners of stereotomy eventually find themselves designing and producing structures they didn’t think they could by using the exact methods used by the master craftsmen who produced the very architectural masterpieces people admire when they travel to Europe and Asia. No calculators or computers needed! This is the beauty and empowerment of “L’Art du Trait”.People often ask me the question, “Why not just use AutoCAD or SketchUp?” My response is that even the use of this type of software is limited by the capacity of the user. What the experience of practical stereotomy changes are the users themselves. It unleashes their own creative potential by developing their minds, which in turn increases the creativity of their use of such programs, should they choose to use them. If one considers an artist using different media, the artist chooses to use a particular medium because he requires it to express his creative vision. In a similar fashion, when we stimulate the creativity and expand the mental capacity of a craftsman, the technology he employs expresses his vision as well. As such, what he creates is not limited by technology, but rather the technology is at the service of the craftsman. The aim of practicing stereotomy manually is to expand minds and the ability to problem solve. The ways they choose to express themselves can become limitless. They do not depend upon, but rather creatively use technology.

During this seminar we will look at a slideshow that will help illustrate what the Art and Science of Stereotomy is and how it is used. We will examine buildings and constructions that used stereotomy and how it transformed societal architecture in a profound way. You will learn how stereotomy was once taught at trade schools and how each culture uses and identifies with it differently. We will also see how it is used in other areas of construction such as stair building and masonry.

Any questions? Please contact Sereena Kang at [email protected]

Patrick M. Moore, a highly skilled Canadian carpenter and construction manager, has risen to prominence in his profession as a program manager overseeing the development of multiple multibillion-dollar mega structures, at Amor Construction, a reputed construction company. Beyond his primary role, outside his regular working hours, he has garnered international acclaim for his expertise in stereotomy, particularly in the traditional French craft of L'Art du Trait. With over a decade of accredited schooling worldwide, he achieved the notable distinction of being the first person from the English-speaking world to be accepted as a "Compagnon Passant Charpentier" in France. He completed his Master’s with the esteemed La Grande École des Hommes de Métiers en Compagnonnage, an elite academic institution in France often likened to an elite ivy league school. Additionally, Moore holds a degree in construction management, complemented by two diplomas in heritage carpentry and masonry.

Contact Information

Sereena Kang

[email protected]

289-541-7551