MINIMAL COMPLEXITY PROTOTYPE LONDON 2010
Minimal Complexity is the first modular assembly system that emerged from the research project entitled Minimal Surfaces as Architectural Prototypes 2010. Algorithmically generated, it is a system made of only 16 unique flat pieces that can be multiplied and assembled into a variety of very complex minimal surface geometries just like a 3D puzzle.
MINIMAL COMPLEXITY
The prototype first exhibited at Arup Phase2 Gallery in London, as part of Constructing Realities Exhibition in 2010. The preceding research project was awarded a Certificate of Advanced Architectural Research from the Bartlett in 2010. The basis of this project was a computational design research paper from 2009 by Vlad Tenu, entitled Minimal Surfaces as Self-Organising Systems, which was presented at the ACADIA 2010 Conference at the Cooper Union in New York.
A modular approach
Based on a Schwarz P triply periodic minimal surface, the fabrication strategy was reduced to creating a set of only 16 different components which would make up the mathematical fundamental region of the surface. The outline of the flat pieces is simply built around the mesh topology of the surface and was optimised by taking into consideration the fixing mechanisms, the flexibility needed and the structural stiffness of the material.
It is a modular system that, in theory, can be extended infinitely by adding pieces to it. The exhibited prototype was a finite segment of the underlying crystalline geometry, created from 121 identical and reflected instances of the main module.
The final piece is made of 1936 laser-cut acrylic components, the equivalent of 121 modules or basic surface segments, each generated by 16 different shapes only. All the components were fixed with zinc plated screws, nuts and washers. Various tests were initially made on different materials such as mild and stainless steel plates. The assembly process was very interesting in experiencing the fact that the minimal surfaces have extraordinary structural properties, uniform distribution of loads and that their respective stiffness increases with the level of complexity they reach. Accordingly, as the main parts of the structure were initially very sensitive to deformations, the final piece reached a greater level of rigidity.
*Many thanks to: Professor Stephen Gage, Sean Hanna, Ruairi Glynn, Richard Roberts, Nick Westby. Bartlett, UCL. Special thanks to everyone involved in the assembly: Konstantinos Mouratidis, Anghelos Chronis, Ermis Konstantinos, Alex Bulygin, George Giokalas, Kaiti Papapavlou, Sorina Tigaeru, Veronica Ochoa, Zoe Stathaki, Mihaela Varzari, Dana Knight, Chris Wong, Antonis Prodromou, Pauline Tzachrista.