Abstract for AEC conference 2005 Rotterdam

This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 3rd International Conference on ‘Innovation in Architecture, Engineering And Construction (AEC)’ 15-17 June, 2005 Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The research lead Oliver Tessmann to purse his PhD thesis Collaborative Design Procedures for Architects and Engineers

Mirco Becker, Oliver Tessmann
Asko Fromm (Structural Design)

A design approach coupling architectural design and structural engineering using programming as an adaptive tool to establish a feedback loop between performance analysis and design assessment

Problem description
Instead of using engineering consultancy after finishing a design proposal and expecting solutions the pitch is to evaporate the professional demarcations of architects and engineers in order to synthesize the expertise of both professions. A collaborative approach with emphasis on a critical feedback is initiated by the beginning of the project.

The use of NURBS surfaces as a powerful representation of double-curved surfaces ever so often compromises constructability. The paper describes how such a surface is translated into a population of parametric components. An adaptive space frame module is proliferated by using the surfaces parameterization and a set of script routines. Component and form are developed simultaneously using design and engineering intelligence.

This cooperative strategy between architects and engineers and the use of programming is exemplified by the project “augmentedFRAME” a design proposal for a landmark tower for Paris’ bid to organize the Olympic
Games 2012.

Fig 1 : “augmentedFRAME”, morphology, FEM analysis, space frame

Approach
The two crucial aspects of the design are firstly the morphology of the tower in its relation to site and program and secondly the consideration of the tower as a surface structure depicting the flow of forces by grades of density and permeability. The proposal augmentedFRAME emerges out of these two threads that are developed simultaneously during the design period engaging architects and engineers equally.

The paper will describe the design process and its series of feedback cycles: FEM analysis optimizing the shape
and visualize the flow of forces, geometric analysis, space frame analysis and visual analysis. The final state is a building which is a manifestation of the synchronization of these chosen parameters. Furthermore the application of scripting tools that use the parameterization of NURBS surfaces to adapt structural space frames to varying morphologies will be presented.