Examples:
In my apartment is this standing lamp. I like the overall height (5ft~) and area(1.5sqft) of it and feel like I could use the side beams to get a frame of reference for the dimensions of the beam for this project.
Given my interest in Chinese architecture, I’d like to add a more traditional styled roof over the body, which requires a rectangular base. I think making the base as complex as the first image below is beyond my capabilities, so I may opt for a more simplistic design as in the second image.
Clay prototype:
Sticking true to the traditional Chinese architectural method, I want to rely entirely on mortise and tenon joints to put this project together. I will most likely use glue in this project though, as I’d like it to be somewhat mobile without falling apart (particularly the roof which is generally laid on top of pillars and not actually bound in any particular way to the base). I want to keep the natural texture of wood for the piece but would like to consider using something like the 香脂木豆 （balsamo?) or a similarly, reddish type of wood for the majority of the piece, with accents using a darker wood (perhaps walnut). For example, main beams may be red while the top of the roof is dark brown.
I did a project studying Chinese roofing a couple years back, and although the slides aren’t necessarily well put together, it does include several useful diagrams depicting the order and layout of the roof structure that I think can be well-utilized in this project.