Category: Structures

Miscellaneous, Our research, Structures

The effect of mechanics on love

Some disciplines like poetry, painting and music draw inspiration from emotions that revolve around the human heart. The movie “Engineering and Love” (Tonislav Hristov, 2014 ) reinforces a universally held concept that engineers inhabit a planet many galaxies away from planet Venus.  But it is less known that certain mechanically well designed and crafted artifacts have been crucial in the successful evolution of a love … Continue reading The effect of mechanics on love

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Interviews, Our research, Structures

What I am thinking: fictional engineer and artist Stephen Talasnik

Stephen Talasnik has always been exploring the intersection of drawing and building. His ongoing investigation explores the near seamless connection of drawing, sculpture, ephemeral site specific stage set, architecture, engineering and product design. In addition to major installations at the Storm King Art Center, he executed site specific installations at the Denver Botanic Gardens and Manitoga, the Russel Wright House in Garrison (NY).  In addition … Continue reading What I am thinking: fictional engineer and artist Stephen Talasnik

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Structures

Should we be Luddites or embrace future-oriented technologies ?

Every day we are bombarded with scary proposals in the news about how robots and artificial intelligence will take our jobs. This year, we, at the Form Finding Lab, wanted to find out whether we can leverage future-oriented technologies to make the design and construction of structures more sustainable, more efficient to construct, more visually daring and more democratic. In particular, we have looked at … Continue reading Should we be Luddites or embrace future-oriented technologies ?

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Miscellaneous, Our research, Structures

Not being afraid of the dark: Halloween, Szukalski’s ghosts and gothic cathedrals

Welcome back to the Form Finding Lab blog. With Halloween coming up, there is no better time to look at structural immersive environments that make us face and conquer our fear of the dark. Halloween is my favorite American celebration because it is magical, teaches me not to be afraid of the dark, and fosters creativity. (I promised myself to not include pictures of the … Continue reading Not being afraid of the dark: Halloween, Szukalski’s ghosts and gothic cathedrals

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Engagement, Miscellaneous, Structures

Why civil engineering students should make things

In today’s Member Voices article, my co-instructor and visual artist, Joe Scanlan and I discuss the value of haptic learning for civil engineering students; why learning and working with their hands makes them better civil engineers. The American Society of Civil Engineer’s Future World Vision calls for creative and motivated students to be attracted to the civil engineering profession so that they can bring novel … Continue reading Why civil engineering students should make things

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Engagement, Interviews, Our research, Structures

What is the future for shell design and construction?

Last Saturday (16th of January 2021), I had the great fortune of participating in a fascinating panel discussion about what the next trends are for shell design and construction with the structural and math wizard Chris Williams (Chalmers University) and the architectural engineer Philippe Block (ETHZ). The conversation was a bit provocative but actually also very insightful. If you missed it, you are in luck … Continue reading What is the future for shell design and construction?

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Miscellaneous, Our research, Structures

Lace rod networks at the intersection of engineering and art

How can art inspire engineering systems? We have been working with bobbin lace and textile artists to find out. Our work is exhibited at the 2021 Joint Mathematics Meetings. Interlaced bigons from Lauren Dreier on Vimeo. Inspired by a traditional bobbin lace pattern, ‘torchon ground’, elastic strips are interlaced to create a gradient of out-of-plane behavior. The key structural element is a bigon which consists … Continue reading Lace rod networks at the intersection of engineering and art

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Our research, Structures

Double helix of masonry—we uncover the secret of Italian renaissance domes

The construction of the Florentine duomo by Filippo Brunelleschi has been an engineering marvel for more than 500 years, showcasing ancient techniques that still hold valuable insights for modern engineering. Until now, it has remained a mystery how the master goldsmith and sculptor managed to build the masterpiece that pushes the limits of what is possible to construct even with modern building technologies, and how the masters … Continue reading Double helix of masonry—we uncover the secret of Italian renaissance domes

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Interviews, Miscellaneous, Structures

What I am thinking: structural designer and poet Jun Sato

Jun Sato is Associate Professor at University of Tokyo / Visiting Professor at Stanford University / Chief Executive Engineer at Jun Sato Structural Engineers Co., Ltd.. He has developed transparent, lightweight and ductile structures with geometries of naturalness through his collaborations with architects such as Kengo Kuma, Riken Yamamoto, Toyo Ito, Sou Fujimoto and Junya Ishigami, and through workshops with students. He worked at Toshihiko … Continue reading What I am thinking: structural designer and poet Jun Sato

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Our research, Structures

TRANSFORMATION AND GEOMETRY IN ANNE TYNG’s WORK

For years the graphic designer Stephanie Specht and I have wanted to collaborate on a project related to the architecture of Louis Kahn (1901-1974). This year, I was invited to a panel discussion on the work and design philosophy of Anne Tyng (1920-2011). Anne was an architect by training and had a deep interest in geometry (and in particular platonic solids). Anne collaborated with Louis … Continue reading TRANSFORMATION AND GEOMETRY IN ANNE TYNG’s WORK

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