A wooden bridge commissioned by a private Azerbaijani that saw its completion after being designed about a decade ago by Israeli architects, thanks to the entrepreneurship of Francesco Carullo. The latter assembled a team that with a year of work, created this important work in the Baroque style
This is a crosswalk bridge placed in a private villa in Baku, capital of Azerbaijan, on a cliff in the Caspian Sea. The bridge has a steel structure provided directly by the client on which wooden parts were designed for decking and decoration .
The stylistic study and concretization of the work
Through the study of Professor Angelo Catano, an art historian, the work was brought to fruition in the Baroque style in its best sense.
The definition and continuum of the decorative apparatus, the solution of details not covered in the project, the study and implementation of a digital program generated through CAM software capable of driving the numerical control in the machines on the farm were prioritized in the preparatory chapter for the challenging phase of setting up the Construction site for carpentry and cabinet making.
After viewing with the designers the design part and that on the possible problems of the process of making and adapting the forms, the stylistic and historical research on the volumes and sculptural lines was carried out.
The parts were designed in a real digital sculptural process with organic modeling software by Simone Rasetti, a digital sculptor. Technical/artistic verifications of the created decorative parts are essential for structural feasibility, allowing the created 3D model to be prototyped without errors. At the end of the creative part, the digital sculptor has complex Mesh on his software, these make three-dimensional file management difficult on the production stage of prototyping.
The choice of materials and the engineering of the work
Phenolic okumè plywood, which is widely used in the marine industry, was chosen for the realization of thepadding, marrying excellent performance in mechanical strength and stability over time withhigh resistance to degradation. Padding means a load-bearing substructure that had a threefold function: to improve the degree of tolerance of the structure, to constitute a mask with unambiguous references, and to serve as an anchoring structure for teak components.
The decorative parts were made of Burma Teak wood, a material that withstands temperature fluctuations, humidity, salt attack and weathering very well.
Decorative elements cover the supporting structure in every part and are attached to theembankment by taking advantage of the component face that remains hidden; consequently, all fastenings are not visible.
Components decorated with fish scale and bubble textures were made from okumé plywood panels.
The entire work was designed, with the help of CAD software, by CAD designer Simone Carullo in order to optimize it as best as possible. The bridge consists of 1143 components.
From drawing to numerical control
3D digital models of the project, in solid model formats,
Nurbs surfaces
and mesh, were imported into Alphacam CAD-CAM software. The purpose of this software is to generate tool paths by taking advantage of the strategies provided for programming.
More than 850 hours ofmachining time were required for the fabrication of all components in the machine. Given the large number of components, systems for clamping parts on the machine table were designed that would minimize downtime but at the same time ensure decimal accuracy of the components.
This stage of processing was performed by Francesco Carullo, master craftsman and business owner, who through his skills and 30 years of experience in the CNC machine sector, has managed to create machining strategies congruent with the all new requirements of work that no one in 10 years had been able to accomplish.
The finish
At the end of sanding, a finishing coat was applied by brush, using specific oil for teak. The oiling operation should be carried out about every 6 months, so as to preserve the preservation and natural design
wood effect
o.
Laying
Upon completion of processing and test assembly at the company premises, all components were carefully packed and stored inside fourteen wooden crates prepared for road transport.
Francesco and Simone Carullo traveled to Baku and assembled the work on site. Within a fortnight, the entire bridge was reassembled at its final destination, also completing the final touches related to painting and caulking of the joints.
The work is set in an elevated artistic context, surrounded by mosaics and marble workings; it also fits into an equally interesting naturalistic setting: in fact, the bridge serves as a link between the villa’s green spaces and the outbuilding set on the cliff, overlooking an inlet of the Caspian Sea.
From the project came the publication
“Fishing House Bridge. A Bridge from Italy to Azerbaijan.”
The volume, published by D’Abruzzo Edizioni Menabò, contains the story of two years of work told through the texts of the designers and an extensive photo gallery.
In charge of the editorial and stylistic design of the book was graphic designer Francesca Carullo, who personally oversaw every stage of the project. His work highlighted every aspect of the work, paying homage to a work that is an expression of artistic craftsmanship and Made in Italy.
All steps, from design to installation, are defined in detail in the text. The photos shown help one to understand the majesty of the work accomplished, but also to appreciate the operational difficulties, the skill, and the craftsmanship of the workers.
The volume is aimed at professionals in architecture, engineering and art history , but also at enthusiasts interested in learning about what lies behind such an important work. The book can be purchased at www.dabruzzo.it/Fishing_House_Bridge and at the Mondadori Point bookstore in Orsogna (CH), Piazza Mazzini No. 35.
