and BIM track Workshops
International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS)
Workshop 01:
Build your own tensegrity model
Tutors:
Michael van Telgen, Mick Eekhout
Date and Time:
Sunday morning, 16 August 2015, 8h30-12h30
Location:
Conference location, Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ
Track:
n/a
Introduction
Many architectural engineers are inspired by tensegrity since the introduction of the first tensegrity sculptures in the 1940’s. The sleek structure appeals to us for obvious reasons. If built properly, a tensegrity structure is inherently strong and requires only little material.
Building a tensegrity is a remarkable experience. Wondering over how this complex sculpture should take shape and the insight gained when finding the appropriate lengths and pretension for the cables is invaluable. The frustration over several failed attempts and the joy of playing with the final result make it worth your while to build one for yourself at least once!
Description
The workshop aims to give the participants the experience of building a tensegrity model. All participants will make their very own tensegrity. Building materials will be provided to the participants. The models made by the participants will be taken home as a fun reminder of the tensegrity building experience!
The workshop will take about four hours. During the first 30 minutes, an introduction is given by Michael van Telgen on what a tensegrity is. Experienced tensegrity builder Mick Eekhout will give a presentation on building real-life tensegrities. During the main program, Michael will show examples of tensegrities that can be built using several models. Instructions on how to build simple tensegrities will be given and help will be available to those who have questions.
Both Michael and Mick are experienced in the modelling and realization of tensegrity scale models. Both have made several different basic tensegrity shapes, as well as several models of tensegrity cable domes, including (elliptical) cable domes inspired by the Geiger principle and the Fuller principle.
Tutors
Michael van Telgen, MSc. is a junior Structural Engineer at Octatube, a Design and Build contractor from Delft, the Netherlands. He is specialized in the realization of complex structural engineering challenges. This includes glass structures, such as cold bent glass and laminated glass fins, and also steel structures, such as tensegrity and free formed steel. Combining recent academic insights with a hands-on approach is a key competence. He is proficient with 3D FEM modelling, adept in computation and parametric designing, and enjoys programming in C# and Grasshopper. Recently he became Chairman of YouCon, the Dutch association for young Structural Engineers.
In 2012 he graduated as a Structural Engineer at the Eindhoven University of Technology, faculty of Architecture Building and Planning.
Prof. dr. Mick Eekhout (1950) is emeritus professor at the Chair of Product Development TU Delft. Since 1983 he is the owner and president director of Octatube Group of companies of Delft, a design & build company with world market.
Specialist in designing load bearing light weight structures for architecture, specialized in façades and roofs.
He designed tensegrity artworks with stretched membranes in the 70s/80s. In the 90s he designed and realized in his company glass facades and roofs with a tensegrity principle of structure. His company realized a 30m bicycle wheel roof in Madrid for the Santander bank. He participated in an improbable tensegrity tender in The Hague for 3 suspended mega-tensegrity structures which failed as a project.
Minimum number participants:
10
Registration:
€ 90,-