Exploration of tensegrity as a kinetic structure in digital architecture

This research is an attempt to achieve the principles of high-performance architecture by taking advantage of the fundamental tools of the digital world in combination with handicraft skills. It tries to show the instinct of the digital world we are living in, trying to use it in interaction perfectly with the environment. In the first step, we try to discuss the meaning of architecture and what good architecture is, trying to form a concept for our design in this research, eventually deciding to focus on tensegrity structures due to their purity in carrying applied loads. In the next step, we tried to review the literature about the theoretical foundations, intellectual roots, and scientific construction of digital architecture, which consists of five main strategic concepts that will be discussed. Then we studied previous works on tensegrity structures, trying to figure out their strengths and weaknesses. Next, we chose the Tarbiat Modares University campus as our project’s site because of the educational basis it has, trying to encourage students to investigate this type of space structure. We needed to work with tensegrity structures both with our hands and with our modeling tools (Rhino and Grasshopper). Sometimes it was really hard to think about this 3D structure in front of the screen, and you needed to deal with it in a real 3D world with your hands. Due to the complexity of their geometries, we sometimes needed to first model them using our 3D modeler software. Then we started making prototypes, trying to figure out how to make this tensegrity structure a kinetic one. Finally, we fabricated this structure and tried using Arduino with both step motors and servo motors to move it