The purpose of this piece is to serve as an aid for the creation of new areas, with the possibility of being removed and replaced in different spaces as many times as the user wants. Based on the model of the Belgian company Gablok, in which the objective is “to allow anyone to build their own project” (Gablok, 2022, para. 22).

Wooden brick in OSB, in which only screws are needed for when there is a fit with another type of structure, each piece is entirely recyclable. The decision to choose the material to manufacture the pieces took into account resistance and longevity, being a good thermo-acoustic insulator, being fully recyclable and in economic terms, as it is a low-cost material (Budgets in civil construction, 2022) .

The block measures 0.33mx0.30mx0.27m.

The “matrix piece” is made up of four elements that fit together without the need for nails, screws or glue. The elements that make up the “matrix piece” are two exterior lateral pieces in the shape of a “dovetail” and two other transversal ones, to the previous ones, which are located in the inner part of the piece, creating a void that can be filled (with insulation, cable routing...).

In all, the pieces are: 1 – matrix, 2 – sill, 3 – female side, 4 – male side, 5 – upper, 6 – beam, 7 – lintel, 8 – parapet, 9 – span structure. Pieces 7, 8 and 9 only happen when there is a gap. Pieces 3 and 4 expand as necessary, in situations where the union of the pieces does not measure up to the frame space. The structure resulting from the fitting between the pieces has acoustic, thermal and anti-seismic properties.

The exterior does not need any type of coating, and if the user is interested it will only be for aesthetic purposes. The pagination formed by the union of the pieces resembles a brick facade created by the gaps between pieces, the result does not only have the objective of visual impact, but also to facilitate the fitting of the pieces and to avoid pathologies, as they are individual pieces, it reduces the probability of the pathology to propagate between parts and facilitates the identification of its origin.

More info:

https://casasparaumplanetapequeno.fa.ulisboa.pt/ENG/projects-and-thesis/33_seixal.html

Image: Jamaica Block, (source: from the author, 2022)