Installation project proposed for
Buro Happold Ltd. , London
Year 04
DS 10 | Tutor: Toby Burgess & Arthur Mamou-Mani
Tensegrity structure or also known as tensional integrity, a portmanteau term that was coined by Buckminster Fuller in the 1960s. It is a structural principle which is based on the use of detached components in compression inside a net of continuous tension.It is also known as “ floating compression”, a term that was promoted by Kenneth Snelson. Each compressed members such as struts or bars do not touch among another and the prestressed tensioned members , tendons or cables.
The study of tensegrity structure started through geometric remodeling the tensegrity model using digital softwares, in order to understand the deployability of the system . The basic form of tensegrity is being explored through addition of struts in the cell modules . The basic cell module is then are combined according to geometry tessellation. They were applied on regular surface and also irregular surface, while maintaining the structural frequency and mesh tension.
By using basic cell module of 3 struts, the tensional components were explored both using cables and fabric . The fabric helps in creating enclosures and more aesthetically pleasing in installation.
Tensegrity structures and components are incredibly interesting when they take on a shape in which all the forces are balanced.The idea of incorporating tensegrity structures into the installation for Buro Happold are to manifest the integrity between stability and flexible of the system in to the ‘scupltures’.The Tensegrity Wallflower is designed responding to privacy and weather through manipulating the enclosures of every cells of tensegrity components.
