Shaping hybrids – Form finding of new material systems. (June 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gengnagel, Christoph; La Magna, Riccardo; Ramsgaard Thomsen, Mette; Tamke, Martin
• Is Part Of: International journal of architectural computing. Volume 16:Number 2(2018)
• Page Start: 91
• Page End: 103
• Publication Date: 2018-06
• Subjects: Bending active -- form finding -- hybrid structures -- simulation -- textile architecture; Architecture -- Data processing -- Periodicals; Architecture -- Informatique -- Périodiques; Virtual reality in architecture -- Periodicals; Computer-aided design -- Periodicals; Architecture -- Data processing; Periodicals; 720.2840285536
• DOI: 10.1177/1478077118778587
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1478-0771

Abstract

Form-finding processes are an integral part of structural design. Because of their limitations, the classic approaches to finding a form – such as hanging models and the soap-film analogy – play only a minor role. The various possibilities of digital experimentation in the context of structural optimisation create new options for the designer generating forms, while enabling control over a wide variety of parameters. A complete mapping of the mechanical properties of a structure in a continuum mechanics model is possible but so are simplified modelling strategies which take into account only the most important properties of the structure, such as iteratively approximating to a solution via representations of kinematic states. Form finding is thus an extremely complex process, determined both by the freely selected parameters and by design decisions.