Parhelia - The Big Tent

This project was funded by UWE through the Built Environment Society (BES), with a brief to create a flatpack and movable outdoor classroom, that used only natural materials in the construction. The solution to the brief was a modular CNC-cut plywood frame canvas tent with a solid floor, the structural system utilises a novel, and traditional, joint that requires no metal fixings, only wooden dowels and pegs.

Ash Robinson was the lead designer, carpenter and project manager on this project and completed it as an extracurricular activity during his third year of university.

 Development & Design

Models were a fundamental tool in the design process of the Tent, a laser cutter was used to create scale versions of the tent and structural system, this process modelled the actual process in several ways since the same CAD drawings scaled up would be used for the CNC cutting process.

The adaptability of the structural system was also explored since the two main variations, angled sides and vertical sides, were created with the same components.

 Manufacturing

The main structural components, dark hardwood ply, were cut with a CNC, the other additions, the floor and subfloor structure were all cut by hand.

The design and modular nature of the structural system meant that manufacturing processes were simple and repeatable and could be completed by students with basic carpentry skills