The Roman Arch

The Roman Arch is built block by block over a support until the last wedge drops into the top and the whole span suddenly holds itself. The blocks go up from both ends towards the middle, each one resting on the support until the closing wedge locks them against one another. Taking the support away is the moment a child understands compression: nothing is glued, and the arch stands because of its shape alone. The work joins sensorial exploration with the history of building and a first taste of engineering, for children from three years.