These rice dumpling casings are made by weaving two coconut

ketupat
These rice dumpling casings are made by weaving two coconut leaves together. It is
usually made to celebrate the Muslim New Year, and it can be served with a variety
of dishes. The dumplings are made by adding rice to the casings and then boiling
them until the rice grains are compacted into a dumpling, after which the leaves are
cut away and the dumpling is cut into pieces. The woven case facilitates the cooking
of the rice, the draining of water from the freshly-cooked dumpling, and the transport and storage of the dumpling after cooking. The origin of the casing is thought
to be the sea-farers’ need for a portable, long-lasting source of food on board a vessel. The numerous ways of weaving a ketupat casing show how weaving craft in Indonesia is also present in cooking in addition to textiles and basket weaving.
The casings are partially filled with rice grains and then boiled for five hours. The
grains expand and compact inside the casing.
After boiling, the casing is cut and the rice is
sliced into cubes
There are numerous ways of weaving the casing, each resulting in a different shape:
1
2
3
4
1
2
together
Each casing shape is made by coiling one coconut palm around each hand, and then weaving the coils through each other.
The path that each strip takes:
Each casing geometry can also be made with a single surface:
1
2
3
4
1
2
:
“Hard” Edge:
when weaving intersects
an edge at 90 degrees
3
“Soft” Edge:
when weaving doesn’t
intersect an edge at
90 degrees
c
There are two
“soft” edge types
one “softer”
edge type
d
b
two ways of forming a vertex
three possible dimensions
for a “hard” edge
f
e
vertices connect to each other by using
the coordinates 0, 1, 2, and 3 only,
but never (0,0), (1,1), (2,2), or (3,3)
b
c
a
a
d
c
g
c
g
a
e
b
a
d
f
d
a
a
b
b
d
g
e
e
f
a
g
f
c
f
b
c
d
c
b
e
d
2
1
e
a
d
e
e
f
c
b
3
4
2
4
0
2
8
0
4
4
2
4
0
4
2
0
4
2
2
4
1
5
2
0
3
2
Soft:
The casing geometries are all composed of a vocabulary of edges; those where the weaving intersects the edge at 90
degrees form a sharp transition between faces, and those that cross the edge at a different angle form a softer transition.
1
2
3
There are two
“soft” edge types
one “softer”
edge type
three possible dimensions
for a “hard” edge
casing
shapes:
shapes:
Strip 1
Strip 2
(the opposite
of Strip 1)Strip
Strip 1
Surfaces:
Surfaces:
d
b
a
e
d
c
a
a
e
a
b
a
b
d
b
c
f
g
g
b
a
f
g
g
a
c
f
e
d
a
e
a
b
c
f
e
d
b
c
d
f
g
d
c
f
e
d
a
0
2
Edges:
Edges:
0
4
8
Soft Edge
Softer Edge
Softer Edge
0
2
2
4
0
a
5
1
4
2
2
5
0
Number
Number
ofofEach
Each
Edge
Type:
Edge Type:
0
2
0
when weaving intersects
when weaving doesn’t
intersect “Soft”
an edge Edge:
at
90 degrees
when weaving doesn’t
intersect an edge at
90 degrees
:
“Hard” Edge:
when weaving intersects
d
c
d
3
4
2
0
3
2
8
0
when weaving intersects
:
“Hard”
Edge:
an edge
at 90 degrees
when weaving intersects
edge at 90 degrees
“Soft”anEdge:
when weaving doesn’t
5
“Soft”
Edge:
intersect
an edge
at
when weaving doesn’t
90 degrees
5
intersect an edge at
90 degrees
0
8
0
1
There
are two
one “softer”
1
“soft” edge
edgeone
type
Theretypes
are two
“softer”
“soft” edge types
edge type
The numerous ways of weaving a ketupat casing
2 share similar dimensions4 and types of edges0
“Soft” Edge:
an edge at 90 degrees
c
4
4
The numerous ways of weaving a ketupat casing share similar dimensions and types of edges
when weaving intersects
an edge at
90 degrees
:
“Hard”
Edge:
e
b
2
4
1
4
0
8
:
“Hard” Edge:
e
b
4
f
a
:
“Hard” Edge:
8
0
b
f
g
c
4
4
2
g
c
a
As a surface, the path of each strip can be followed over the underlying geometry
Hard Edge
2
Soft Hard
Edge Edge
4
0
8
a
c
As a surface, the path of each strip can be followed over the underlying geometry
2
b
ba
f
b
d
0
g
e
b
d
0
f
d
c
b
e
4
g
e
d
c
e
e
4
d
a
g
f
e
e
a
g
e
f
e
d
d
f
a
b
g
a
c
b
c
The strip as it passes
around each face of the geometry:
e
b
c
d
b
a
d
f
e
e
f
c
a
a
d
e d
d
c
b
c
The geometry can also be constructed
surface
a
c
b from a single
a
b
Together
The geometry can also be constructed from a single surface
c
b
2
(the opposite
of Strip 1)
c
f
Together
2
: Edge:
:
“Hard”
Edge:
“Hard”
4
2
0
1
1
1
1
2
8
2
th
0
8
0
2
1
2
2
:
“Hard” Edge:
1
1
2
whenwhen
weaving
intersects
weaving
3
3 3
whenintersects
weaving intersects
1
2
3
: Edge:
:
an edge
at 90“Hard”
degrees
Edge:
an “Hard”
edge
at
90
degrees
2
:
an edge “Hard”
at 90 degrees
Edge:
2
whenwhen
weaving
intersects
weaving
intersects
3
3 3
when weaving intersects
“Soft”
Edge:
3
“Soft”
Edge:
an
edge
at 90 at
degrees
“Soft”
Edge:
an
edge
90edge
degrees
an
at 90 degrees
whenwhen
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doesn’t
weaving
doesn’t
when weaving doesn’t
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at
“Soft”
Edge:
“Soft”
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atan edgeEdge:
intersect
at
“Soft”
90 degrees
ways
oftwo
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There
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There
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three
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whendoesn’t
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at
intersect
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“soft”“soft”
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types
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intersect
“soft” edge types
edge
for a “hard”
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the coordinates 0, 1, 2, and 3 only,
for aedge
“hard”
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types
edge type
“soft”
edge
edge type
for
a
“hard”
edge
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three
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There
are two
one “softer” two ways
three
possible
dimensions
1are
three
possible
dimensions
but never
(0,0),
(1,1),two
(2,2),
or (3,3)
Soft:
“soft” edge
types
Soft:
edge type
Ketupat
Ketupat
casing
casing
shapes:
“soft”“soft”
edge
types
edge type
for aedge
“hard”
edge
types
edge type
“soft”
edge
types
edge type
2
1
3
for a “hard”
edge
for afor
“hard”
edgeedge
a “hard”
the coordinates 0, 1, 2, and 3 only,
but never (0,0), (1,1), (2,2), or (3,3)
Models/Experimentation:
surface shape
Models/Experimentation:
material
half as
any coils
Models/Experimentation:
scale and repetition
regular shape
twice as
many coils
twice as
many coils,
half-size strips
half as
many coils
twice as
many coils in a
single direction
twice as
many coils
half-size strips
in one direction
twice as
many coils,
half-size strips
half-size strips
in one direction,
twice as many
coils in one
direction
m
si
Building Form:
1
2
Calendar Mapping:
Looking at the various new
years in Indonesia shows how
2019
there are numerous cycles
operating simultaneously
2018
within society
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
A
J
S
Ramadan
(Islamic Calendar)
2011
J
O
N
M
D
2010
A
M
Islamic New Year
(Islamic/Lunar Calendar)
J
New Year’s Day,
(Gegorian Calendar)
F
Chinese New Year
(Lunisolar Calendar)
Balinese Hindu New Year
(Lunisolar Calendar)
Concept:
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
A
J
S
2011
J
O
Ramadan
(Islamic Calendar)
N
M
D
2010
A
M
Islamic New Year
(Islamic/Lunar Calendar)
J
New Year’s Day,
(Gegorian Calendar)
F
Balinese Hindu New Year
(Lunisolar Calendar)
Chinese New Year
(Lunisolar Calendar)
The idea of multiple simultaneous cycles is also present in the way of weaving a Ketupat casing,
and this forms my concept of the circulation of various paths of people within the building
Site:
roof
top
level
roof deck
roof deck
guesthouse
residence
middle
levels
office tenant spaces
hostel
cafe
street
level(s)
cafe
cafe
cafe
showroom
storefront
showroom
storefront
showroom
storefront
showroom
storefront
conference
rooms
conference
rooms
conference
rooms
owner
offices
owner
offices
info/mail/security
basement
levels
Paths:
info/mail/security
info/mail/security
warehouse
info/mail/security
warehouse
parking
parking
parking
parking
parking
parking
owner
salesperson
office tenant
customer/client
employee
guest
The particular arrangement of program in this project allows for numerous very different uses and
purposes for each kind of person in the building. Some people, like the owner and the office tenant,
rarely need to access the same elements of the program, and their paths slide past each other.
Program:
living
living
office
office
guest house
guest house
office
spaces
office
spaces
business
business
residence
hostel
residence
hostel
conference
conference
offices
showroom
offices
showroom
cafe/info
cafe/info
warehouse
warehouse
The areas of program are easily separate, but the circulation of the different paths happens in a common space between between them.
Circulation:
The areas of program are easily separate, but the circulation of the different paths happens in a common space between between them.
Plans:
Office
Tenant
Lobby
Cafe
Showroom
Pedestrian Entrance
Ground Floor
Given the numerous paths in the building, I wanted to use the idea of woven coils to create an interior environment where the circulation paths of different kinds of people slide past each other along
the interior surfaces. The circulation forms an additional layer of weaving.
Office
Tenant
Space
Conference
Conference
Fourth Floor
Section:
Interior:
Exterior:
Lavender Tessmer
Jakarta Studio: Constraining Dichotomies
Washington University in St. Louis
Fall 2010