]This paper presents the development and application of a computational workflow for the design and fabrication of acoustic concrete shells. The workflow allows controlling the shape of small, curved panels that can be assembled into continuous surfaces. The panels are designed to comply with the robotic fabrication requirements of a novel Parametric Adjustable Mould (PAM) technology, and assembled to create shells that satisfy a set of acoustic requirements. The technology is used to prototype custom curved concrete panels using a single mould frame that reduces waste in concrete formwork.

This paper presents the construction of Airshell, a small timber gridshell prototype erected by employing a pneumatic formwork. Inspired by the work of Frei Otto and Dante Bini, the technique is based on a pneumatic membrane and an Arduino® board – the former used as dynamic formwork and the latter to monitor both the structure height and the membrane pressure throughout the process. The prototype was erected in Pesaro, Italy, in December 2016; the design replicates a gridshell built in Lecce in 2009 by the Italian company "Gridshell.it", which was built through a more conventional push-up technique. A comparison between the two erection methods is therefore proposed in terms of construction speed and accuracy/precision of the built form. Design and technological aspects, as well as time frame and budget of the proposed construction technique are detailed within the text. The paper also discusses the relationship between the digital simulation of the erection process, which was already formulated by Liuti et al. in 2015, and the actual results achieved.

Construction has always been a fascinating and challenging aspect of timber gridshells. So far, only three techniques have successfully been used for the erection of such structures: the so-called ‘lift-up’, ‘push-up’ and ‘ease-down’ (Quinn et al. 2015). Inflatable Membrane Technology is here proposed as a new solution and is tested by means of numerical simulations on a simple case study. As a matter of fact, IMT reduces the timber lath’s stress during erection and guarantees an optimal shape control. It also seems suitable to post-form more challenging gridshell geometries, but this aspect still deserves further investigations and experiments.

This paper describes a new erection technique for post-formed timber gridshells which takes advantage of inflatable membrane technology. Consolidated construction techniques for timber gridshells are based either on “pull-up” / “push-up” (i.e. Mannheim Multihalle) or “ease-down” behavior (i.e. Downland Open Air Museum). However, these techniques show shortcomings already at small scale. When applied to large scale, a lack of a standardised, cost-effective erection method implies that techniques have to be reinvented every time. When construction becomes expensive and laborious, gridshells become affordable only for exceptional projects, such as the Downland Museum or the Mannheim Multihalle. These are among the reasons why gridshells are not widely applied, even if they enable covering large spans with a minimum amount of material; they are built from basic technologies though self-construction; they are fast to construct; they are entirely recyclable. In this work, an inflatable membrane is designed and used to erect a gridshell prototype with a footprint of 55m2. Inspiration comes from the work by architect Dante Bini, who realised thousands of inflatable concrete domes worldwide.

The Italian architect Dante Bini began his studies on shell structures during the 1960s. He developed and refined a form-finding and construction technique to erect a finished large-span reinforced concrete (RC) shell structure through the use of an inflatable membrane. This system was patented in 1964 under the name ‘Binishell’ and, over the following decades, it has been applied to construct hundreds of domes throughout the world. Bini’s invention fitted perfectly into the Italian post-war tradition, as he was, at the same time, the architect and builder of his structures. A few experimental tests were initially performed in Italy, and the first binishells that he lifted after the patent was filed were also constructed there. Since 1966, as a result of Mario Salvadori’s interest, Bini has been recognised internationally. In 1974 he moved to Australia after the NSW Department of Public Works asked him to realise a set of school facilities using the binishell technology. The construction of concrete shells has always been a difficult and expensive process – the preparation of formworks, as well as the installation of curved reinforcing rods before the concrete is poured, require experience and increase the construction costs. Such problems are particularly relevant in the Australian context, where the use of simple and rapid construction technologies has always been a priority. Dante Bini’s life and the binishell technology have been well documented from the historical point of view. However, a detailed report and contextualisation of Dante Bini’s Australian experience is still missing. A first attempt to survey the Australian binishells has already been published by the authors.2 The focus was on placing Bini’s early work within the previous research on pneumatic structures which began in the 1920s. The narrative of this paper instead starts in the 1960s, a period of great media success for RC shells. First, the origin of binishells is described as a natural consequence of three preceding inventions/patents. A timeline of the events that defined Bini’s emigration to Australia is then provided. A full list of the Australian binishells is also included, with detailed information on the archival sources, major alterations and current conditions.

Before the introduction of NURBS-based CAD software and optimisation, the design of form-resistant structures was based on the use of either experimental tools (physical form-finding) or analytical surfaces, and architects were challenged in the articulation of spaces from the intrinsic characteristics/rules of structural forms. An outstanding example of this kind is provided by the Church of Longuelo, which was built by architect Pino Pizzigoni in Italy, between 1961-1966. It was conceived as composed by two major elements – an irregular frame and a set of shells suspended to it. The entire design process was based on the calculation of the frame on which the shells have been just added as a dead load. This paper presents one possible way to redesign the church parametrically. Comparison with the original design is not performed at the final formal level, which can logically differ, but around the concepts behind the project. The aim is to show how current digital design and optimisation tools are affecting the way architects design. But, at a higher level, the purpose is also to highlight where conceptual design is now taking place in the process.

The construction of concrete shells has always been a difficult and expensive procedure. Preparation of complex formworks, as well as placement of curved reinforcing rods require experience and increase the overall cost. Building concrete shells is even more of concern within the Australian context, where the use of simple and rapid technologies has always been a priority. In the Sixties, Italian architect Dante Bini developed and patented a form-finding and construction technique that aimed to solve this issue, the so-called “Binishells”. This paper investigates Dante Bini’s system, from its conception within the Italian environment until the international success which was reached in the USA and Australia.

The concept of transferring forces in a reciprocal way has always been related to the use of elongated timber elements. However, planar components can also be considered - circular tiles, squares, triangles and more articulated or irregular geometries are all valid alternatives. This paper proposes an initial study on reciprocal systems based on planar elements in order to guide further morphological research activities. It also presents some prototypes developed by the students of the École des Ponts in Paris during two workshops run in March 2012 and 2013.

This paper discusses the application of a Multi-Objective Search method to the design of shell structures. Contrasting objectives of lightweight and high stiffness are considered for two case studies with different geometry and constraints. The Multi-Objective search is performed in the frame of the Pareto theory of non-domination, implemented in the NSGA-II algorithm. The research focuses on the way a designer can interact with the search computational procedure, driving it towards the desired solution. Diversely from pure optimization techniques, search strategies as Multi-Objective search produce sets of feasible solutions, which the designer can evaluate and use it their work, accordingly with other architectural requirements and purposes.