ABSTRACT
Local resources and vernacular traditions largely determined the materials and methods of stacked construction. Stacked wood assemblies would be more common in regions where timber is abundant. Stacked masonry systems are an accessible, economical, and easily implemented form of building construction. It is a simple assembly of manageable building modules that do not require fancy equipment. A dry stacked assembly does not use mortar and relies on gravity to compress stacked modules into a monolithic assembly. The mason carefully selects the shape and form of stones to prevent the stone from slipping in the construction. Stacked assemblies are also not limited to walls. Stacked roof structures are possible when bricks are stacked to create arches that span openings. Catalan vaults are constructed using thin veneers of bricks stacked in a multi-layered lamination. In contemporary construction, the role of stacking building materials has shifted. Historically, it was more common that a stacked assembly was a load-bearing structure.
