BSL_PUB_047_05
BSL_PUB_047_06
BSL_PUB_047_04
BSL_PUB_047_03
BSL_PUB_047_02
BSL_PUB_047_01

Conference Paper: Peer Reviewed

Expanding Bending-Active Bamboo Gridshell Structures’ Design Solution Space Through Hybrid Assembly Systems

by Ma C. Y., Chan Y. Y. and Crolla K.

ABSTRACT | This paper discusses the development and testing of a novel design method for the low-tech construction of bending-active bamboo gridshell structures. It expands this typologys current design solution space by combining and building up on two common production methods for light-weight shell structures: 1) the lay-up method, typically used in bamboo architecture in which members are added one at a time, and 2) the flatbed method, in which a prefabricated equidistant flat grid without shear rigidity is propped up and deformed into its final doubly curved shape. The novel methodology expands the systems design solution space by incorporating singularities within the grid topology and by layering multiple separate grids. This allows for spatially radically different building geometries without loss of implementation workflow efficiency. A demonstrator design project, tested through a large-scale prototype model, is described to illustrate the possible spatially engaging architectural design opportunities presented by the novel approach.

KEYWORDS | Bending-active structures; Bamboo architecture; Shell structures; Low-tech fabrication; Form finding

CITATION | Ma, Chun Yu, Jennifer Chan Yan Yu and Kristof Crolla, “Expanding Bending-Active Bamboo Gridshell Structures’ Design Solution Space Through Hybrid Assembly Systems”, in A. Globa, J. van Ameijde, A. Fingrut, N. Kim, T.T.S. Lo (eds.), PROJECTIONS – Proceedings of the 26th CAADRIA Conference – Volume 1, The Chinese University of Hong Kong and Online, Hong Kong, 29 March – 1 April 2021, pp. 331-340