Graphic Thinking and Digital Processes: Three Built Case Studies of Digital Materiality

Think strategic link between computer programming; digital modeling; the data; matter and CNC manufacturing in the various stages of the architectural project is key to update our discipline with new technologies. Our proposal to articulate and digital graphic thought processes; developable folded geometries and compositions is rooted in an expanded graphic thinking through multiple conceptual tools that are already part of the operational structure of our discipline

Ensuring Extramobile and Intramobile Motion on Cylindrical Developable Mechanisms

Developable mechanisms offer the ability to deploy to perform tasks then return to a hidden position along or interior to a predetermined developable surface. It is often advantageous for these mechanisms to not penetrate the surface along which they conform. This paper presents the limits of extramobile and intramobile motion (motion exterior to and interior to a developable surface). Three conditions are identified that determine a limit of extramobile and intramobile behavior. It is shown that the more difficult of these conditions to predict is never reached prior to the more simple cases. This is demonstrated for all possible Grashof and non-Grashof mechanisms, excluding change-point mechanisms

Movable Thin Glass Elements in Façades

Façades play an important role in the control of energy flow and energy consumption in buildings as they represent the interface between the outdoor environment and the indoor occupied space. The option of regulating internal and external conditions acquires great relevance in new approaches to sustainable building solutions. Studies on climate adaptive façades show a very high potential for improved indoor environmental quality conditions and energy savings by moveable façades. A number of movable façades were realized in the past, but the use of thin glass with a thickness of 0.5 mm to 3 mm opens a brand-new field, that allows for playing with the geometry of the outer skin and the opportunity to make it adaptive by movement. Thin glass requires for curved surfaces in order to gain structural stiffness in static use. In kinetic façades the high flexibility of thin glass allows for new options for changes in size and position by bending of elements rather than implementing hinges in a system of foldable rigid panels. The geometry is based on the known theory of developable surfaces for keeping a low stress-level during movement. This allows for façades created from cold bent thin glass or curved laminated safety glasses produced by laminating of thin glass plies which provide better sealing, greater simplicity in construction and robustness and durability of moveable components which may be actuated autonomously. Some concepts based on the before mentioned theories were created to explain some principles and discuss their principles and applicability

Design and analysis of a foldable / unfoldable corrugated architectural curved envelop

11 pagesInternational audienceOrigami and paperfolding techniques may inspire the design of structures that have the ability to be folded and unfolded: their geometry can be changed from an extended, servicing state to a compact one, and back-forth. In traditional Origami, folds are introduced in a sheet of paper (a developable surface) for transforming its shape, with artistic or decorative intent; in recent times the ideas behind origami techniques were transferred in various design disciplines to build developable foldable / unfoldable structures, mostly in aerospace industry. The geometrical arrangement of folds allows a folding mechanism of great efficiency and is often derived from the buckling patterns of simple geometries, like a plane or a cylinder (e.g. Miura-Ori and Yoshimura folding pattern). Here we interest ourselves to the conception of foldable / unfoldable structures for civil engineering and architecture. In those disciplines, the need for folding efficiency comes along with the need for structural efficiency (stiffness); for this purpose we will explore nondevelopable foldable / unfoldable structures: those structures exhibit potential stiffness because, when unfolded, they cannot be flattened to a plane (non-developability). In this paper we propose a classification for foldable / unfoldable surfaces that comprehend non fully developable (and also non fully foldable) surfaces and a method for the description of folding motion. Then we propose innovative geometrical configurations for those structures by generalizing the Miura-Ori folding pattern to non-developable surfaces that, once unfolded, exhibit curvature

The grammar of developable double corrugations (for formal architectural applications)

This paper investigates the geometrical basis of regular corrugations, with specific emphasis on Developable Double Corrugations (DDCs), which form a unique sub-branch of Origami Folding and Creasing Algorithms. The aim of the exercise is three fold – (1) To define and isolate a ‘single smallest starting block’ for a given set of distinct and divergent DDC patterns, such that this starting block becomes the generator of all DDCs when different generative rules are applied to it. (2) To delineate those generic parameters and generative rules which would apply to the starting block, such that different DDCs are created as a result (3) To use the knowledge from points (1) and (2) to create a complete family of architectural forms and shapes using DDCs. For this purpose, a matrix of 12 underlying geometry types are identified and used as archetypes. The objective is to mathematically explore DDCs for architectural form finding, using physical folding as a primary algorithmic tool. Some DDCs have more degrees of freedom than others and can fit varied geometries, while others cannot. The discussion and conclusions involve - (a) identifying why certain DDCs are ideal for certain forms and not others, when all of them are generated using the same/or similar starting block(s), (b) discussing the critical significance of flat-foldability in this specific context and (c) what we can do with this knowledge of DDCs in the field of architectural research and practice in the future

An Overview of Mechanisms and Patterns with Origami

International audienceOrigami (paperfolding) has greatly progressed since its first usage for design of cult objects in Japan, and entertainment in Europe and the USA. It has now entered into artistic areas using many other materials than paper, and has been used as an inspiration for scientific and engineering realizations. This article is intended to illustrate several aspects of origami that are relevant to engineering structures, namely: geometry, pattern generation, strength of material, and mechanisms. It does not provide an exhaustive list of applications nor an in-depth chronology of development of origami patterns, but exemplifies the relationships of origami to other disciplines, with selected examples