
The Airshell Prototype
This paper by Alessandro Liuti, Sofia Colabella, and Alberto Pugnale, presents the construction of Airshell, a small timber gridshell prototype erected by employing a pneumatic formwork.
Towards a Free-form Transformable Structure
In continuation of our previous research (Hussein, et al., 2017), this paper examines the kinetic transformable spatial-bar structures that can alter their forms from any free-form geometry to another, which can be named as Free-form transformable structures (FFTS).
Since 1994, some precedents have been proposed FFTS for many applications such as controlling solar gain, providing interactive kinetic forms, and control the users’ movement within architectural/urban spaces.
This research includes a comparative analysis and a critical review of eight FFTS precedents, which revealed some design and technical considerations, issues, and design and evaluation challenges due to the FFTS ability to deliver infinite unpredictable form variations.
Additionally, this research presents our novel algorithmic framework to design and evaluate the infinite form variations of FFTS and an actuated prototype that achieved the required movement.
The findings of this study revealed some significant design and technical challenges and limitations that require further research work.
Transformable systems in architecture are defined as the systems that can “alter their forms to have different spatial configurations to be employed for spacesaving and utilitarian needs” (Fox & Kemp, 2009).
These systems are considered a sort of dynamic kinetic architecture, based on Fox’s (2009) classification of kinetic architecture, which has three categories: embedded, deployable, and dynamic, which is also sub categorised to mobile, transformable and incremental.
Spatial-bar structures mostly share the same features of space trusses; they are composed of linear elements (i.e. bars or struts) assembled in threedimensional configurations and flexible joints at the ends or intermediate points of these elements (Asefi, 2010; Hoberman, 2006), covered by flexible materials (e.g. PTFE) or lightweight panels (e.g. Polycarbonate) (Gantes, 2001).
Spatial-bar structures have two typologies, ’pantographic’ that employs scissor-pair mechanisms with straight or angulated bars and ’reciprocal’ structures with bars or plates in closed-loop formations (Asefi, 2010; Hanaor, 2009).
The transformation morphologies of spatial-bar structures, according to Escrig (2010), have six typologies: ’umbrellas’, ’bundles’, ’rings’, ’polyhedral’, ’planes’ and ’double-arched.
According to the mentioned classifications and the morphologies mentioned by Escrig (2010), it can be noticed that the possibilities of the form variations achievable by spatial-bar mechanisms are limited and based on the modification of primitive 3D shapes (e.g. box, cylinder) or platonic solids.
Additionally, spatial-bar mechanisms are not common in architectural applications; this can be for two major factors, their cost and complexity (Asefi, 2010).
Despite their issues, spatial bar structures offered sophisticated architectural solutions, such as the works of C. Hoberman (figure 2-d&f) and Santiago Calatrava.
Moreover, recently, some designers attempted to extend the possibilities and morphologies of spatial-bar structures. For instance, C. Hoberman (2015) developed a ‘kinetic block’ that can achieve foldable free-form geometries.
Additionally, other prototypes were developed to create interactive free-form surfaces, such as the HypoSurface (Dunn, 2012), and the kinetic sculptures of Reuben Margolin.
Finally, some precedents attempted to create transformable free-form structures that alter their forms from a free-form geometry to another, which is the scope of this research.
This paper by Alessandro Liuti, Sofia Colabella, and Alberto Pugnale, presents the construction of Airshell, a small timber gridshell prototype erected by employing a pneumatic formwork.
In this paper by Gregory Charles Quinn, Chris J K Williams, and Christoph Gengnagel, a detailed comparison is carried out between established as well as novel erection methods for strained grid shells by means of FE simulations and a 3D-scanned scaled physical model in order to evaluate key performance criteria such as bending stresses during erection and the distance between shell nodes and their spatial target geometry.
In this paper by Frederic Tayeb, Olivier Baverel, Jean-François Caron, Lionel du Peloux, ductility aspects of a light-weight composite gridshell are developed.
In this paper by Julian Lienhard, Holger Alpermann, Christoph Gengnagel and Jan Knippers structures that actively use bending as a self forming process are reviewed.
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