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255804
This thesis sets out to investigate the aesthetic qualities of a public building - an Industry Museum located in Gothenburg. The
structural building system. The focus has been to explore the spatial design is focused on an exhibition path showcasing a time-line of
potential of a three-dimensional truss, a so-called space frame. The the industrial history. The projects is concentrating on a fragment
ambition throughout the process has been to unify spatial ambitions of this program in order to elaborate on the qualities to different
with structural solutions in order to achieve architectural qualities spatial configurations possible within in the space frame structure.
embedded in a well-performing structure.
The findings result in a conceptual building prototype, emphasising
The application of space frames in architecture followed a the structural system and its integration with the exhibition path.
development of modular building systems. It started in an The exhibition path determines the organization of the space and
explorative era in the 1950s that led up to more built projects in the supporting functions are fitted around the path to make up
the following decades. As more advanced techniques have been a building. The meandering walk moves through a variation of
developed, more complex systems with tailored solutions have spatial configurations, showcasing the architectural opportunities
become the norm. The field is still advancing as the demand for of the structural morphology.
large scale structures and optimised techniques continue to grow.
Concluding that the building-structure was successfully used as
In designing a space-frame the connecting element, the joint, is the a tool to build up the architectural concept - by using an iterative
fundamental component - setting the parameters and logic of the process of refining the structure in several steps to create a space
system. The investigation on the joint and the connecting members where the architectural intentions are integrated with the structural
has been made using wood, instead of the conventional steel solutions, coherent with the program it contains. However, this
frame. This thesis recognizes the structures modular capacities, investigation is limited to a fragment of a program. If a more
investigating a flexible joint enabling the structure to re-assemble complex program would have been taken in to account this might
and rebuild in new configurations. become a more challenging method.
The project developed through an iterative process combining A final conclusion is that the space frame can be a spatially
drawing, physical modelling and digital modelling. The intriguing structure and through making use of its purely structural
investigation departures from the project hypothesis; that a building elements beautiful and potentially flexible spaces can be achieved.
structure can be used as a tool to create an architectural concept.
A building program puts the claim through test by proposing a
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Table of Content
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Introduction/ Discourse
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Claim
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Intro
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Theory
Structure
Object Space
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“poetic of construction.. emphasising the expressive potential of
structural techniques..”
Emphasising the architectural values of a structure relates to the discourse on
tectonics, it can be defined as the expressive potential of construction or as the
scholar Kenneth Frampton (1995) puts it “poetics of construction”. The term
can also be understood in a wider meaning as structural elements have possible
values beyond its initial purpose of carrying loads.
“Tectonic derives from the word tekton (Greek in origin) meaning carpenter or
builder… Later the term got a poetic connotation, referring to artisan working
in hard materials… The term would eventually aspire to an aesthetic rather
than technological category”.
“expressivity arising from.. constructional form in such way that the result
expression could not be accounted for in terms of structure and construction
alone.”
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Theory
“In his own house Can Lis on Mallorca, Jorn Utzon worked with a very
simple constructive principle exploring it’s many variations giving every part
of the house and it’s construction its own character. This way of working with
architecture creates a strait forwardness in the appearance of the building
enabling the observer to understand the simplicity and complexity of the
structure as something inseparable.” (Madsen, 2008)
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“.. allow the building to be part of a greater cycle of resources..”
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References/ Background
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Alexander Graham Bell
Tetrahedral Kites
Nova Scotia, 1902-1908
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Konrad Wachsmann
American Air Force Aircraft Hangar
California, 1951
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Anne Tyng & Louis Kahn
City Tower
Philadelphia 1952-1957
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Historic Diagram
Alexander Graham Bell, He experimented Vladimir Shukhov Shukhov Anne Tyng, Elementary School Anne Tyng, Louis Kahn
with compositions of octahedral and Tower, Moscow, (1920-1922) Buck’s County, City Tower Philadelphia (1952-1957)
tetrahedral units in to structures (1903-1908) Model of roof framing (1950-1951).
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Constant Nieuwenhuys, Cedric Price, Kenzo Tange, Expo 70 Festival Buckminster Fuller, Thomas
Two Towers (1959) Aviary at London Zoo (1961) Plaza Osaka (1969-1970) C. Howard, Car showroom in
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Development of Space Frames
The development of space frames mainly followed two trends; joining techniques were developed further. This was mainly an
materials and production techniques in the wake of the industrial experimental era that led up to more built projects in the following
revolution and mathematical techniques being developed to decades. As more advanced techniques have been developed, more
descried and predicts structural behavior. A range of various truss complex systems with tailored solutions have become the norm. This
formations where developed, eventually leading up to the three- is still where the field is advancing, as the demand for large scale
dimensional structure of a space frame, also referred to as space structures and optimised techniques continue to grow.
grid or space truss (Chilton, 2000).
This thesis departure from the earlier usage of space frames in
Some of the earliest examples of Space Frames were put together by architecture recognizing the advantages of a modular building
the inventor Alexander Graham Bell the early 20th century, prior to system and inspired by the experimental attitude of that time.
the established concept of a three-dimensional truss. Nevertheless,
Bell multiplied stable polygons into structures, creating large and
lightweight structures, proving the efficiency of this structural
configuration.
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Characteristics of Space Frames
Advantages Disadvantages
- Lightweight
Its lightweight due to several reasons; the loads are distributed
throughout the structure and the structural bars have relativity short
length and they are axial members. These factors enable the structural
bars to slim down in dimension.
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Investigations/ Scale
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Space Frame Scale Overview
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Large Scale
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Medium Scale
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Small Scale
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Combined Scales
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Summary
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Investigations/ Joint
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Examples of Joint Connections
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Development from the Mero-joint
Reference of a threaded steel Reference from Oguni Dome by Yoh Section cut of proposed joint, where
connection; the standard Mero KK Architects, steel joint connecting both the connected members and the
Node. wooden bars with steel plates. joint is wooden, supported with steel
plates.
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Prototype 1
skala 1:2
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Prototype 2
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Building Structure in Scale 1:5
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Building Structure in Scale 1:2
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Investigations/ Timeline
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Transforming the Regular Tetrahedron
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Focus of Investigations
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Equal tetrahedrons
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Angled tetrahedron
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Flipped and stretched tetrahedrons
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Flipped and stretched tetrahedrons
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Flipped and stretched tetrahedrons
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Using slabs for pre-tension
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Stretched tetrahedrons in smaller scale
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Proposal
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Exterior view from Frihamnen
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Section of final prototype
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Joint
Plan view
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Section B Section A
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Soft Wall Addition
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Interior Views
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Section of Timeline
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Plans / Isometric drawing
Level 4
Level 3
Level 2
Entrance Floor
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Roof
Roof Structure
Wooden walls divide the space in the short direction of the building,
were the structure allows planar divisions.
Level 3 Entrance hall, open space with variation in celling height where were
you have a good visual
connections.
Level 2
Small space with a view, a smaller space in three levels but without
only connected to the entrance hall. This could for example be
programmed as a restaurant or café.
Entrance Level Blackbox, a large enclosed space without daylight that could be used
as a lecture hall for example.
Facade
Large private space not integrated with the exhibition spaces. This
could for example be used for office space, conference or educational
space.
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Plans
Entrance Level
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Level 2
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Plans
Level 3
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Level 4
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Conclusion:
The conclusions drawn from the research is that a building structure can be
used as a tool to build up an architectural concept - by using an iterative
process of refining the structure in several steps to create a space where the
architectural intentions are integrated with the structural solutions, coherent
with the program that fills it. However, this investigation is limited to a fragment
of a program. If a more complex program would have been taken in to account
this might become a more challenging method.
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Bibliography
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A Special Thank You to:
Breakfast Club
&
Erica, Jens, Morten