Churches with Wooden Vaults in the Basque Country: An Analysis of Design Techniques and Measurement Units

Between the 16th and the 18th centuries, over a hundred churches in the Basque Country were covered with wooden vaults. The surviving examples show that these structures were created employing highly developed carpentry techniques. However, little is known about the craftspeople who built them and the design techniques they employed. This article analyses four churches with wooden barrel vaults in order to clarify their geometry and measurements. A laser scanner was employed to create accurate models of the curved shape of the vaults. The models were then analysed to determine the methodology and measurement units used to design these vaults. As a result, it was found that the vaults follow a variety of geometric layouts, including semicircular, pointed, and surbased oval shapes. In addition, the pie was identified as the most probable design unit, reinforcing the hypothesis that it was architectural carpenters, and not shipbuilding carpenters, who designed these vaults.