MINIMAL SURFACES AS SELF-ORGANISING SYSTEMS 2009
Minimal Surfaces as Self-Organising Systems is a nature inspired design research project focused on minimal surface structures. Starting from an abstract mathematical concept, the project aims to define a new range of applications into various fields of design and architecture. The outcome consists of an alternative algorithmic method for generating minimal surface geometries as well as a several new construction methods based on modular components.
The project has been developed at the Bartlett in London in 2009 and presented at the ACADIA conference at the Cooper Union in New York in 2010.
Background
Minimal surfaces have been gradually translated from mathematics to architectural design due to their fascinating geometric and spatial properties, tensile structures being just an example of their application in architecture known since the early 1960’s.
Inspired by Gaudi’s catenary studies and the soap film form-finding methods of Frei Otto, this project proposes a nature inspired computational method for generating minimal surface geometries, using virtual self-organising particle spring systems. This dynamic approach allows for parallel optimisation processes of these geometries for digital fabrication and development of modular construction systems.
The algorithm
The novelty of this computational form-finding method is given by the bottom-up algorithmic strategy of simulating an iterative growth process, creating a particle based geometrical system optimised to reach a state of tensional equilibrium, just like a soap film would do in reality. It is a variable topology system, dynamically informed by fabrication parameters which make it buildable from standard-sized modular components.
The project was developed in Processing 1.0.6. - 2009.
The algorithm is materialised through a concept derived from the principle behind the state of equilibrium of natural organisms, in strict correlation with the conservation of energy. Each iteration is programmed to update the relationships between the components of the system, reapply the defined rules and minimise the energy, in our case the tensional energy, in order to achieve a state of equilibrium. From a cellular point of view, if we were to consider the particles as cells or molecules and the springs as the forces between them, the proposed system reaches an emergent quality of self-organisation similar to one found in nature.
Future steps
The architectural challenge which launched the investigations of this research was essential in structuring a dual process methodology; this involved the form-finding algorithm running simultaneously with the modular dynamic tessellation of the surface. Using the particle-spring system as a framework for the simulation process, the potential of the proposed method could open new directions in the computational design field, by having the ability to involve more parameters in the generative design process. Along with achieving minimal surface properties and an optimal modular tessellation, the system could be programmed to reach a multiple objective optimisation character which could include spatial, social or structural parameters.
*Many thanks to: Sean Hanna, Alasdair Turner, Ruairi Glynn. Bartlett, UCL