FORM FOLLOWS FORCE
Academic Work | Group Work
Core Design Studio II - Cornell AAP
Year: SP 2024 Type: Architecture
Instructor: Christopher A. Battaglia + Farzin Lotfi-Jam
Group: Xie Peng
A Toast to Gustave Eiffel
This project was developed for a small competition in our studio class. The objective was to create the lightest structure capable of holding the heaviest weight, making the ratio between the structure’s own weight and its load-bearing capacity crucial. Our final tower, reminiscent of the Eiffel Tower, achieved a landslide victory.
Through this process, we learned that the Eiffel Tower’s iconic form is not just aesthetically pleasant, but rather, it is a highly efficient structure shaped by purpose. So, a toast to Gustave Eiffel, a pioneer of form following force!
From Force to Form
We started with Polyframe in Grasshopper as part of the form-finding process. By converting force diagrams into physical forms, we were able to generate a viable general shape within Rhino. However, since our goal was to create a structure capable of withstanding substantial axial forces in the real world, further optimization was essential.
We enhanced the structure by incorporating tension elements for improved lateral resistance and adjusted the cross-section profile to increase the moment of inertia. These modifications allowed us to achieve a final tower, a 1 lb structure capable of supporting 176 lbs of weight.
We enhanced the structure by incorporating tension elements for improved lateral resistance and adjusted the cross-section profile to increase the moment of inertia. These modifications allowed us to achieve a final tower, a 1 lb structure capable of supporting 176 lbs of weight.
1. Birth of Tower Phase(1)
2. Death of Tower Phase(1)
2. Death of Tower Phase(1)
3. Birth of Tower Phase(2)
4. Death of Tower Phase(2)
4. Death of Tower Phase(2)
5. Birth of Final Tower
6. Death of Final Tower
6. Death of Final Tower
Thank you again Pete :)