Rainbow Bridge National Monument (Southern Utah) – Historic Natural Arch
The MAS™ concept was invented in 2010 by Professor Matt Edwards under a shroud of secrecy at Southern Utah University under the leadership of Provost Brad Cook & Dean Eric Freden. This classified project, code named “Discovery”, set out to design the ultimate structure(s) with an open span area of between 500 sq. ft. and 2,000 sq. ft.
Two structures were the results of the Discovery project and later design efforts by the MAS™ engineering and development team led by renowned structural engineer Ronald Kraft. Mathematically these two models were the minimal number of structures that could be created and used together to achieve the design requirements at the lowest cost. The smaller 570 sq. ft. model would be 24 feet by 24 feet and 12 feet high with a single floor. The 1,300 sq. ft. model would be 36 feet by 36 feet and 18 feet high with the ability to add a 2nd floor loft as an option.
The 15 design constraints for the Discovery project are as follows.
- Discovery’s life span must be measured in centuries, not years and require little or no maintenance.
- Discovery MUST be natural disaster proof as measured from any historical natural disaster including fires, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornados, tsunamis, and avalanches.
- Discovery MUST be resistant to small arms fire and IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices).
- Discovery must be usable and permitable for housing, storage, industrial, commercial, educational, agricultural and military purposes.
- Discovery must have a configurable appearance both inside and out that can mimic most standard and traditional architectural configurations over the last 200 years.
- The Discovery envelope (structure), without any options, must use the fewest and least expensive components available and such components/materials MUST be available in ALL regions of the world.
- All models must use the same forms. Although different shaped inflatable forms may be used on each model, all NON-inflatable forms must be interchangeable to any model.
- Materials used in the Discovery envelope must be 100% green, every tool and form must be reusable and not depreciate at a rate greater than 0.5% per build with a target rate of better than 0.1%. (200 to 1,000 structures can be built from a single form set)
- Discovery must have the option to be insulated to an equivalent R value of R60 for an additional cost of less than 20% of the envelope cost.
- Any tool or form used in the Discovery envelope must be transportable by a group of four individuals with the physical ability of a healthy 10 year old, over a 3 foot wide semi-cleared path, with an incline / decline of no greater than 3%, up to a distance of 3 miles, in 1.5 hours or less.
- The Discovery envelope must be designed in a configuration that is as simple and as basic as possible, with as few parts as possible. However, by the result of such basic a design it must not increase the cost or ability to add any accessory historically used for such structures.
- The Discovery envelope must not require more than four individuals per 8 hour shift to construct, nor any skilled labor for construction, no language skills, no reading or writing skills, and no physical ability in excess of a healthy 10 year old child.
- The Discovery envelope must not require more than 7 days to complete by working no more than 8 hours per day, or 3 days to complete by working no more than 24 hours per day.
- The Discovery envelope must cost a minimum of 80% less than traditional and conventional construction that can be permitted in any form as listed in requirement 4.
- Discovery MUST be available world wide and the costs for licensing and certifications for construction must be set at the absolute minimum yet still provide for continued research and development and global support.
Item 11 was the easiest requirement but one that instigated the most controversy. I.e. Discovery need not have electricity but in order to meet the intent of requirement 11, Discovery was forced to provide concrete encased conduit and numerous slab flush-mounted electrical boxes. This was required, as without such conduit, electrical wiring would cost more than a traditional building due to the need to run external conduit. The same was true for plumbing.
Modern Arch Structures was formed in 2011 to transform the Discovery Project into a viable construction solution through the design efforts of Ron Kraft, MAS’s chief engineer. Mr. Kraft has licensed his Intellectual Property, developed over 45 years, to Modern Arch Structures. The end result is spectacular and is now know as MAS™ and is based on a structural arch system. Natural arches have existed for millions of years and remain standing. Until MAS™, the use of arches in modern construction was reserved for high dollar projects and clients with sophisticated structural engineers and architects.
The MAS™ system, patents pending, is a highly advanced concept yet incredibly simple to implement. There are only a handful of structural engineers worldwide that are capable of verifying the mathematical model that MAS™ is built around. This field of engineering is called thin shell structures and when combined with the arch concept it is what MAS™ is based upon. However, construction is so simple it can be done by unskilled laborers.
The MAS™ system is NOT a dome. Some folks have described residential homes based on the MAS™ system as “a home with a dome” as opposed to a “dome home”. Although from the exterior, the MAS-570™ and MAS-1300™ appear to have a small architecturally dome shaped “top hat” or “crown”, what you are actually seeing is the intersection of two arches. From the inside of the MAS™ structure, these two arches are spectacular by any measure.
The interior options manufactured by 3rd parties may accent or completely hide this arch system. MAS™ does not manufacture, or sell MAS™ structures. MAS™ certifies suppliers and vendors, and licenses the right to build each structure. Therefore the list of 3rd party certified vendors is growing. From solar power, to rain water collection, these vendors are bringing their expertise to the MAS™ system.
It is here … it is real … it is MAS™