• The strength of any material can be increased or decreased by changing its form
• Weak materials can be strengthened through folding, creasing, layering or other modifications
• Load distribution is key in identifying areas of potential weakness
• Cardboard has a grain that runs parallel to the corrugation inside (determines which direction gives the cardboard the greatest strength).
• The type of joints used to connect the pieces will increase the overall strength of your chair

Corrugated Cardboard

Flutes

Walls

CARDBOARD



Structural in one direction and bendable in the other

Bendable one direction

Stacking

Cross Lamination - When layering multiple sheets together, alternate corrugation direction for maximum strength

Tension vs Compression

Single cardboard sheets will carry higher loads under tension than compression

Tension vs Compression

Single cardboard sheets will carry higher loads under tension than compression

Tube Forms

Reinforce compression loads by making "tube" shapes with the cardboard. The corrugations should run parallel to the compression load.

Structural Depth

Flipping a cardboard beam on it's edge will allow it to carry more weight than a flat beam.

Supports - Hot Glue Welds

Adding a bead of hot glue along a butt joint will give it additional stability.

Add a "Cap"

Adding a cap to an open form will give it more lateral stability and prevent shearing.

Construction Techniques

Stacking

Supports

Beams

Folding

Ribbing

Angle Supports

Achieves thickness and stability

Triangular support braces!

To distribute the weight to side panels

Triangular shapes are the strongest

Use slots to create grid-like structure

Strengthens the joint between two planes

What Construction Techniques

were used in this piece?

What Construction Techniques

were used in this piece?

What Construction Techniques

were used in this piece?

architecture using cardboard

architect Shigeru Ban

https://www.dezeen.com/2022/11/25/farmers-restaurant-thatch-cardboard-shigeru-ban/

architecture using cardboard

architect Shigeru Ban

https://www.dezeen.com/2022/11/25/farmers-restaurant-thatch-cardboard-shigeru-ban/