J. Jih

Close

Postured Assembly

  • Residential
Boston, MA
2016

Posture and posturing are central to this roof deck in a historic Boston neighborhood. An overloaded brief causes the deck itself to swallow the program, with seated and lounging postures woven in as warp and weft, allowing users to transition between postures with a single turn. To overcome onerous historic approvals, the deck postures as furniture. Modeled after a xylophone, wood elements assemble entirely without screws or fasteners, instead assembling (and disassembling) by hand with sequentially interlocking joints. Furniture masquerades as ground, and ground becomes furniture, sidestepping permitting altogether.

Fig. 1–2

Roof deck

Fig. 1

Roof deck

Fig. 2

Roof deck

Fig. 3–4

Seating postures

Fig. 3

Seating postures

Fig. 4

Seating postures

Fig. 5–6

Assembly diagram

Fig. 5

Assembly diagram

Fig. 6

Assembly diagram

Fig. 7

Seated posture

Fig. 8

Warp and weft of a traditional bench and chaise lounge

Fig. 9

Chaise lounge and side table
  • Team: J. Jih
  • Photos: Chuck Choi
  • Milling: Polyfab
  • Carpentry: J. Jih