SmartGeometry 2010 Report

The Iaac was the host institution responsible for opening the event with 4 intense days of workshops around the concept of ‘Working Prototypes’. 10 ‘Clusters’ composed of professionals from different disciplines share knowledge, tools, materials and ideas in order to develop functional prototypes to test different concepts and designs. Each workshop was led by two tutors pioneers in their field and completed with 8-16 interdisciplinary professionals. The weekend workshops gave way to two-day conference in the Palau de la Musica. On the first day, the findings and results from the weekend's workshops were presented, giving way to a second day where prominent names in the world of design in engineering and architecture as Hanif Kara (ACT) or Mark Burry (MIT – Sagrada Familia) enlightened us with their presentations on the use of parametric analysis and manufacturing.

Following, a summary of the most outstanding workshops, their philosophy and their prototypes.

- Deep Surfaces (Achim Menges & Sean Ahlquist – Stuttgart University)

With the aid of efficient solvers for force-active structures such as membranes or wires, this workshop focused on understanding and design of spatial forms based on tensile structures. Participants had the opportunity to interact with force-deflection simulation algorithms combined with Generative Components (GC) in the search for complex forms derived from the domain of the tension flows.

tensile structure prototype (C) Ricardo Ferraz

After the introductory phase, the workshop began a design process, editing and re-calibrating a parametric model with the structural form to be translated in pre-tensioned fabric patches of nylon cut with a CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machine and sewn together to form an elegant space structure composed of membranes and cables carefully orchestrated.

- Curved Folding (Gregory Epps – RoboFold Ltd, Simon Flöry – Vienna University of Technology)

We had the pleasure of enjoying the art and technique of curved folding directly from Greg Epps. This workshop experimented with the realation between form and function when working with curved foldings and ruled surfaces.

prototype of paper in search of curves nailing (C) Konrad Hofmann

The workshop began with the realization of different introductory exercises where manual folding was investigated using accessible materials such as paper or vinyl. Following the introduction, an interesting form-finding process was developed in and out of the digital realm. From a physical model folded by hand to the 3D scanner as a tool for data collection, along with GC as program for refinement and discretization and ending the cycle with the CNC laser machine cutting for the millimetric materialization of the components .

3D scanner prototype (C) Konrad Hofmann

Concluding the workshop, a sculpture in 1mm thick stainless steel sheet was built which helped consolidating the goal of the experiment, optimise designs for manufacture, followed by folding of metal sheets into the final form.

- Design To Destruction (Sam Joyce & Al Fisher – Buro Happold)

The workshop discussed how to control / optimize a design through an iterative process consisting of 3 steps: computational analysis,physical model building and breaking test. The aim was to integrate structural analysis in the design process using physical tests for validation of more efficient designs.

burden of proof cantilever beam (C) Iaac Blog

To round off the workshop held a competition where each member developed a design for a cantilever structure of 1,2 meters made out of 20 mm plywood and manufactured through CNC. A battery of structural load tests determined the most efficient design rated as the highest ratio between the ultimate breaking load and the solution weight. This workshop succeeded in establishing a dialogue about the position of engineering in a design process and furthermore to question what makes good design in terms of form and function.

This was our summary on what was an exciting event full of new ideas and ways of understanding advanced design in architecture and engineering. For more pictures, videos and information…

Meta-Information

SmartGeometry group website
Iaac blog
robofold video with the amazing robot folding process
Buro Happold Smart Group website