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For the structural analysis we decided to play with the geometry of a vault linked to certain parameters that were able to change the physical appearance of the whole piece. In the first case, we have a regular vault without any change. The height is 4m and the length is 8 meters.  For the second and the third cases, the ideas was to deform the middle point of the of the arches that control the shape of the vault.  

The following analysis of each one of the cases, shows a progressive complexity increase of loads and support distribution. Our idea was to evolve the analysis in six steps, starting with just one single vertical punctual load and 4 supports, till the most complex one with loads in different directions and more supports without any degree of freedom.

We designed two different structures with different functions, in different style and by different methods.

First structure could work as bridge. It was designing using Grasshopper and T-Splines.
Idea was to make an organic shape and prepare it for work in Karamba.

Second structure was done by Paneling Tools Plugin.
In different scales it could work in different ways.
As shape of small scale pavillion or as a form for rooftop.

The two prototypes comes out of the fascination of bending materials.  Looking at the properties of for example plywood, it is possible to fold and bend a flat plane  into a 3-dimensional structure.  We have made several experiment with different bending patterns in paper, cardboard and plastic to try to understand the different opportunities and limits within the bending.

Protype 01

Protype 02

PROTOTYPE 01: FROM A PLANE TO A STRUCTURE
The construction comes out of one flat plane. When the plane is cut and corners of each cut is joined, the plane converts into an arch.

PROTOTYPE 01: BUILDING THE STRUCTURE
By having a bending in two different directions, gives a stiffness to structure. The bending in two directions is achieved by cutting crosses in the material and folding the edges in two different directions (see drawing below).

PROTOTYPE 01: FORCES IN THE STRUCTURE
The construction is made out of minor folding arches in two directions. In combination they create one big arch.  The whole structure works as one arch. The whole arch, as a concept, works with tension in the outer core and compression in the inside core of the arch. The arch is made out of several arches, which is working in two directions. By bending the material, the forces are transferred throughout the construction – from one arch to the other.

USING INFLATION TO CHANGE THE STRUCTURAL BEHAVIOR

The next evoultion of the structure is how the shape of the construction could change by inflation air into the structure. We made different experiment with different materials and constructions, which all included folding elements. The final test proved that we were able with a ballon to convert a flat structure into a vertical structure by inflating a ballon inside the bottom of the construction.

VIDEO OF FABRICATION AND EXPERIMENTS