Sky A: Segmented Tile Vault
Description
An exploration in traveling and assembly, this vault proposes a brick shell that can travel—negotiating gravity and mobility through design. Sky A reimagines traditional brick vaulting by dividing it into pre-manufactured segments: modular units framed in timber and filled with fired brick. Each piece is calibrated in size and weight—large enough to expedite construction yet compact enough to be carried and assembled by hand without the aid of heavy machinery.
Built in the workshop, the vault combines high-precision cutting tools with augmented reality guidance, aligning digital fabrication with the craftsman’s tacit knowledge to enable swift and accurate assembly.
Materials: fired clay, plaster of Paris, lime mortar, birch wood, metal
Process
Tile vaults at the Biennale
Maker and Making
Salvador Gomis Aviñó (Bétera, Spain)
a master builder specializing in bóvedas tabicadas (tile vaulting). He began with vaulted staircases and has since focused on recovering and teaching this nearly forgotten technique. His work connects traditional knowledge with contemporary relevance through manual precision, geometric insight, and material efficiency. Salvador is a founding member of CERCAA, a center for research and education in traditional and sustainable construction, committed to preserving and advancing Mediterranean building practices.
