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Category: Courses & Workshops

Arch(k)inetic

Introduction Energy efficiency and sustainability are of fast growing importance in contemporary architecture, consequently the demand for adaptive building envelopes is increasing. Until now kinetic and adaptive building systems are mostly utilised by rigid components or flexible membranes, guided along straight translation axis or rotational movements – resulting in geometrical constraints. The high mechanical complexity and as a consequence thereof high demand of maintenance as well as the tendency to complex building geometries in contemporary architectural design make it valid to investigate compliant mechanisms as alternative solutions of adaptive building systems. Compliant mechanisms achieve their flexibility by controlled elastic deformation of flexible members. In contrast to conventional rigid body mechanisms they consist of only one part with locally defined stiffness. These mechanisms can transfer motion, force or energy upon deformation of the flexible parts. The main advantage of compliant mechanisms is the reduction of parts, resulting in an economical potential due to simplified manufacturing and assembly. Furthermore, wear can be reduced and other than in classical joints there is no need for lubrication and maintenance (Howell 2013). Compliant systems for architectural applications have been realised with projects such as the Thematic Pavilion at the EXPO 2012 in South Korea (SOMA Architects with Kinppers Helbig Advanced Engineering), as well as the Flectofin®  (Schleicher et al. 2015) and Felctofold (Körner et al. 2016) façade shading devices, developed at ITKE University of Stuttgart, which was inspired by the opening mechanism of the Strelitzia Reginae and Aldrovanda. The mentioned examples make use of the elasticity of the used materials - mainly fibre reinforces polymers (frp) - in combination with geometrical articulation to adapt their shape through elastic deformation to distinct functional demands, without mechanical hinges or the geometrical constraints of linear translation axis. Arch(k)inetic The two week’s workshop ARCH(K)INETIC 2016 investigated pneumatically actuated compliant mechanisms for adaptive kinetic building envelopes in combination with strategies for structural performative surface tessellations and adaptation of contextual ornaments.  The workshop took place from 3rd to 18th September 2016. After 3 days investigating different strategies in small groups, one approach was chosen for further development and construction of a prototype during an intense 10 days design and construction workshop by all students and tutors together. The workshop included a series of software tutorials and lectures integrated into a research based design and construction project. The workshop was open for students of fields of design, architecture, scenography, and engineering. Component…

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Comstruct

ComStruct was a two-week workshop on computational structures as form generators which took place in summer of 2015 and aimed to explore the material behavior, directionality of elements, as well as understanding structural potentiality of complex geometries. During the workshop period hosted by the Contemporary Architects Association in Tehran, Iran, the workshop team consisting of 5 tutors and 25 participants utilized the algorithmic design and analysis potentials of Rhino, Grasshopper and Karamba, as well as fabrication techniques existing in industrial zone of Tehran, the capital of Iran, to design and construct a one to one scale canopy. The venue at the Contemporary Architects Association is located in a converted 30-years-old residential house, with an unused and empty swimming pool in the front yard. The task of the workshop was to design and fabricate a self-supporting/self-stable canopy covering the 4x10m pool, converting it into a vivid exhibition and public area. To this end, the parametric FEM program Karamba was used as the main tool to aid design development, from form-finding stage to optimizing structural shell and elements. After a few days of experiments and studies on structural elements such as truss and shell structures via physical models and above mentioned software the starting pistol of final product’s form-finding was fired. The goal of the form-finding process was to come up with an optimal shape taking into account boundary conditions of the site (the pool) and the use of material. A multi-objective optimization was performed using Octopus.e, where parameters for use of material was combined with stress analysis calculated with Karmba engine. This resulted in a form of non-trivial nature, a concave shell cantilevered along its length, however still highly optimized concerning downwards loading. After breeding an optimized shell structure, the surface was discretized into a folded pattern to increase the stiffness by creating inertia, while rationalizing the form in terms of fabrication. Among a bunch of rationalization techniques, triangulation was selected due to adaptability with the selected material (Aluminum sheet) and metal laser cutting approach and by converting the double-curved canopy into a grid of planar surfaces. For coming up with the most efficient pattern a couple of different patterns were tested program and comparing the structural performance of these folded patterns through Karmaba program resulted in an optimized folding methodology. After this tessellation phase, introduction of multiple load cases took into account to simulate the structural behavior from snow and…

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Tikish

This project is shaped at the intersection of technology as a new method of construction and the collective memory of the habitats of the region regarding the architecture!Therefore; this course focused on constructing a symbolic object , which embodies technology and it's advancements then creates interest as the result. On the other hand it signals and connect to people collective memory so it is both accepted and appreciated by their culture and beliefs.In terms of form and shape; this canopy can create spaces on its boundaries which were formed by the conversion of a surface.Horizontal surface which is arising from the floor is holding the object in place just like the root and trunk of a tree, converts to vertical (based on static optimization of the structure) elements of the pavilion and eventually lead to the vertical orientation of the upper surface as the branches of a tree.These elements then cast geometrical shadows and creates a playful shade for the pedestrians yet look native to them since the geometry is derived directly from their urban context and ornaments.

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