ABSTRACT
Thin veneers used to simulate the appearance of load-bearing masonry walls may now be a commonplace construction strategy, but it removes the responsibility and integrity of the building module. The module no longer has to bear weight and the stacking pattern does not have to help transfer the weight of the assembly. In thinking about stacking materials, questions regarding lateral stability, height limitations, texture, porosity, and weight emerge for us. These issues impact design decisions and challenge people to reimagine stacked assemblies. In the stacked assembly, each module bears weight on each other for structural strength, but a primary concern when stacking is lateral stability. If each module is small in dimension, the stacking orientation and pattern easily accommodates variation in the surface plane. The Church of Christ the Worker in Atlantida and the San Pedro Church in Duranzo are examples of stacking small modules appearing to defy the laws of gravity.
