Abstract
A minimal making grammar comprising a single, easily manufacturable element that allows for the assembly of 3-D structures entirely through friction, and without the need for nails, fasteners, or adhesives, is introduced. The grammar and its 3-D design and fabrication space are described through procedural descriptions, material studies, structural analyses, and prototypes. It is a novel minimal making grammar comprising a single element, and a series of rules for its articulation into physical 3-D structures. The framework adopts Shape Grammar to present how a single seed element is assembled, using two types of rules: Configuration rules (Rc) and Tectonic rules (Rt). By refining the fabrication grammar through computational methods, the demonstrations using varied plywood thickness were tested. Four objects created following this grammar were presented and evaluated. The results show that the grammar can be used to make objects which are structurally sound and spatially complex. A computational tool for 3-D form finding based on structural analysis will support the creation of complex design in future work.