Geometrical transformations of reticulated pavilion canopies as a method for structural optimization

¹ Department of Structure Design, Construction and Technical Infrastructure, Faculty of Architecture, Warsaw University of Technology, Poland
² Faculty of Architecture, Warsaw University of Technology, Poland

^* Corresponding author: anna.stefanska2@pw.edu.pl

Abstract

The growing need for rational use of natural resources becomes crucial in all sectors of the current economy. Minimizing the use of materials in construction is becoming an important design aspect. One of the interdisciplinary design methods is geometry optimization, which, thanks to modern computational methods, brings the desired material reduction in constructions. The article examines the impact of using the form-finding method on the example of preliminary geometrical optimization of the reticulated structures. The influence of the dynamic relaxation and geometrical transformations in structure optimization and natural resource minimization is examined. The article aims to indicate the impact of optimization aspects on obtaining efficient load-bearing structures. The research was carried out on the example of a small-scale canopy. Case-studies compare fifteen different geometries generated with the use of mathematical and parametric formulas. The study’s conclusions indicate that interdisciplinary tools supporting the process of the initial design phase help in architectural design.