Interdisciplinary Research-based Design: the Case of a kinetic form-active Tensile Membrane

Abstract

In the last years it is increasingly acknowledged that advances in digital technology are paving the way to achieve integrated interdisciplinary design, a type of practice that covers a mindset of collaboration and cross-disciplinary communication and experimentation, visualization and research at all stages of the architectural design process. Along these lines interdisciplinary research is necessary to engage complex topics that bridge between design and engineering. An open loop design methodology of interdisciplinary physical and digital investigations from the conceptual development up to the detailed physical prototyping is proposed in the current paper. The approach is exemplified with the design of a kinetic form-active membrane system. Membrane surfaces comprise the basic component of the hybrid system developed, whereas any form modification is activated through the system’s cablenet and struts. The interactive platform of investigation, based on physical- and digital modelling serves for the definition of the system’s adaptability, its composition and the structural components design.