Elastic Gridshells

This project focused on construction-aware design and concludes with the fabrication of 1:1 model. Instead of designing a shape and later plan the fabrication, we instead designed the form that may emerge given the geometrical and mechanical properties. 

The confrontation of the parametric modelling including the simulation, analysis and fabrication to the reality of assembly process, organization and building precision. 

Photo: by @andresflajszer 

Bending Active Hybrid Structure

We start with a sphere to have control in the height and base numbers. to find a form that can work for our project we cross a series or arches that goes from the opposite point in which the starting point is located.

By changing the endpoint locations of the rods, we see an increase in arc curvature. Also, stiffness is increased as a result of additional rod intersections towards the base of the structure.

Once we have the rods in place, the next step to create a hybrid structure is to find the shape of the membrane and the length of the cables, and how they affect the shape and stability of the structure.

For the construction and that all the system works together, we divide the structure symmetrically into 3 equal parts, that form a module that repeat in a polar array., these are divided from the doors, and they change the lengths of the rods.

All the modules are connected together into an integral system that makes compression and tension forces (tension lines are steel cables and and mesh that will pull the rods and compress them) the compression lines  are the rods that also will be deformed to make a active bending structure.

The assembly process consisted on bending the rods on a flat surface one above the other, then connecting the intersections with the swivel couplers, where they would begin to see the erection from the surface, then connect the ends of the rods with the base, generating the dome shape. Once the structure is ready, the membrane is installed and the cables adjusted.

This project was created in the framework of the Master Parametric Design in Architecture - Barcelona 2019

Team: Luis Dominguez - Camila Muñoz - Joshua Ogren

+ Elise Sawaya - Abdel Safi- Andres Saavedra -Anupam Gupta