Geometry-based Understanding of Structures

The development of structures with complex, curved geometry typically consists of a series of iterative steps in which formal and structural considerations are addressed separately. Since such a sequential process often results in solutions that fail to realise the aesthetic and structural intentions of the original design, there is clearly a need for an integrated approach providing bidirectional control over both form and forces at every stage of the design exploration. This paper therefore describes and advocates an approach based on elements of graphic statics, in which the design of structures is based on geometrical rather than analytical or numerical representations of the relation between form and forces. The presented approach adopts the key principles of graphic statics and extends them with the latest research on form finding, structural design and optimisation techniques