In several of Frei Otto’s early membrane structures, acoustics was a rather relevant design aspect that could not be controlled through classical form-finding approaches based on physical models. Moreover, it is possible to add that, geometrically speaking, Frei Otto’s membranes could naturally perform acoustically, because of their anticlastic shape and the ability of the convex areas to scatter sound. In this paper, two of Frei Otto’s key projects are revisited and redesigned parametrically using mathematical optimisation: first, the Dance Pavilion that was conceived for the Federal Garden Exhibition in Cologne (1957); and, second, the large umbrellas that were built at the same venue in 1971. His architectural form of “necessity” represents the structural optimum, that is, a buildable technology, which can now be informed by other performance criteria, such as acoustics. The work described in this paper could show a possible way of expanding Frei Otto’s two-step design method, which was based on the sequential use of a form-finding model first – to literally “find” structural form – and then a technological model – to study the tectonic aspects of the structure and endow it with materiality. This paper was inspired by the rock set designs of Mark Fisher and – in particular – by the retractable umbrellas that Frei Otto designed, in 1977, for the second leg of Pink Floyd’s “In the Flesh Tour”, which was also known as the “Animals Tour”.

This paper aims to review Dante Bini’s career, as well as his form-resistant Binishell and other pneumatic construction systems. The role of Mario Salvadori in Bini’s international success works as the introduction to a broader discussion about the relationship between innovation in design and innovation in construction for shell and gridshell designers. The second part of the paper focuses, instead, on Bini’s double profile—architect and builder—which led him to develop his inventions both architecturally and as commercial products.

Read the article here.

Exhibition and catalogue review, Architecture Australia (summary on hardcopy, full review online).

The cultural legacy of Pier Luigi Nervi, one of Italy’s most influential modern architect-engineers, was the subject of the Pier Luigi Nervi and Australia: Outback Modernism Exhibition (6–16 June 2017). Held at the Harry Seidler-designed QV1 Building in Perth, the exhibition demonstrated the breadth and complexity of Nervi’s international projects, his collaborative work with Seidler and his contribution to the wider Australian vernacular. Annette Condello, senior lecturer in architecture at Curtin University, curated and organized the exhibition in collaboration with Cristiana Chiorino from ComunicArch Associates, Turin, and the Pier Luigi Nervi Project Association, Brussels – a foundation committed to the preservation of Nervi’s legacy and the rehabilitation of his structures. A selection of Nervi’s projects were exhibited, including the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, the Cathedral of St Mary of the Assumption in San Francisco and the New Norcia Cathedral and Monastery in rural Western Australia.

Read the full review here.

Timber gridshell structures, such as the Multihalle for the federal garden festival in Mannheim or the Downland Museum, have been the result of a creative–generative process that indissolubly ‘welded’ the structural contribution to that of form exploration. The challenging design and construction issues have been typically addressed and resolved in several inventive ways. However, still now, form-finding and erection of timber gridshells present many difficulties. In this regard, this paper aims to provide a series of novel steps to address some of the main design and construction issues that are associated with ‘actively-bent’ timber gridshell structures. First, the main characteristics of the construction process of timber gridshells are described and the basic theoretical concepts for its numerical simulation, through Dynamic Relaxation method, are introduced. Second, a practical method for sizing the laths' cross-section is presented. Third, a new erection technique for timber gridshells is proposed and applied to the construction of a full scale (prototype) structure, the Toledo gridshell 2.0. Fourth, a new bracing system for the same structure, which was built at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Naples Federico II in June–July 2014, is explained and discussed. The paper also highlights the need for further application to validate the techniques explained here, with particular attention being paid for the construction of large scale free-form structures.

Reciprocal systems based on superimposition joints, i.e. where un-notched bars sits on the top or in the bottom of each other, could be regarded as being intrinsically three-dimensional because of their natural out-of plane development. This paper presents seven of these three-dimensional configurations, conceived and built by the students of the Master of Science in ‘‘Architectural Design’’ at Aalborg University. They have been developed as an integral part of a 2-week workshop, organized and run by the authors during the fall semester 2011. Since physical models are instruments that trigger the exploration of new typologies because of the direct interaction they provide with the designer the students were called to deal with the issue of three-dimensionality in reciprocal systems through scale models and actual scale prototypes.

The concept of transferring forces in a reciprocal way has always been related to the use of timber beams, that is, elongated elements. However, planar components can also be considered; circular tiles, squares, triangles and more articulated or irregular geometrical shapes are all valid alternatives. This report proposes an initial exploration of reciprocal systems based on planar elements in order to guide further morphological studies. It also presents some prototypes, which were developed by the students of the Ecole des Ponts in Paris during two design workshops run in 2012 and 2013.

Reciprocity is a structural principle that has fascinated designers and builders throughout the world since ancient times. Despite the topic's having been studied by various academics, designers and researchers, a critical overview of the references is still missing, as is an outline and discussion of the current and future promising research/design issues. Further, no single text provides an exhaustive definition of the principle of structural reciprocity and it must be critically reconstructed from several different sources. This paper aims to fill in these gaps, providing a complete and annotated list of references, in which historical examples, as well as patents, research articles and terminological issues are discussed. A consistent definition of structural reciprocity is also proposed, and the promising developments of such a principle are outlined in order to guide designers and researchers in the future.

In: "Bloom", vol. 14, pp. 17–24.

Original Italian abstract (English text below):

Negli ultimi vent’anni l’impatto del digitale in architettura è cresciuto esponenzialmente, manifestandosi nei ‘BLOB’ informi di Greg Lynn1, come anche nelle cosiddette ‘free-form’ dei NOX2. L’aggettivo ‘free’ identifica la libertà di generare forme architettoniche a prescindere da ogni principio compositivo, statico o costruttivo, e si estremizza, ad esempio, nella ‘trans-architettura’ puramente virtuale di Marcos Novak3. Il computer insidia il lavoro concettuale del progettista come la realizzazione delle sue opere. Attraverso la fabbricazione a controllo numerico, il ‘file-to-factory’, il gruppo Objectile4sfida la produzione seriale dell’industrial design. Così un unico modello digitale parametrico si concretizza in molteplici variazioni spaziali uniche, sempre nuove.

English translation:

Over the last twenty years, the impact of the “digital” inarchitecture has grown in an exponential manner, as demonstrated by Greg Lynn’sinform “BLOBs” and by the NOX “free-forms”. The adjective “free” here indicatesthe freedom to create architectural forms, irrespective of any composition,static or construction principle, and has been taken to an extreme in thepurely virtual “trans-architecture” of Marcos Novak. The computer threatens theconceptual work of designers, as well as the realization of their works.Through Computer Numerical Control (CNC) fabrication, the so-called“file-to-factory” process, the Objectile group has challenged the serialproduction of industrial design – a single parametric digital model can now bematerialized in a multitude of unique spatial variations without a significantincrease in costs.

Read the entire English text here.