Faculty: Faculty of Engineering
Department: Architecture & Interior Design
Type of the workshop: International workshop
The workshop in brief: Designers and architects are studying, improving, and discovering. They are the creators of new spaces, forms, elements, and structures. This workshop deals with lightweight design that can be seen in different forms, shapes, sizes, and variations in a broad spectrum of use. Designing lightweight models is a complex task. A particular task related to the morphology of nonconventional design is form-finding. Physical models are used to describe the power of the variability and beauty of lightweight elements for interior design as a bridge to achieve the fine art of structural morphology. In models, every part is visible and constructive, relying on the proper functioning of all parts. At present, lightweight structures are an integral part of architectural creation and design. They transform the space by their untraditional solutions, exceptional shape, as well as subtle and elegant quality. Tensegrity as a subcategory of lightweight structures is a design principle that applies when a discontinuous set of compression elements is opposed and balanced by a continuous tensile force, thereby creating an internal prestress that stabilizes the entire structure. An example of beautiful and innovative solutions in the field of tensegrity lightweight design are “floating” tea tables, tensegrity lightings, chairs for interiors, or hammocks for public spaces. The floating anti-gravity elements and other models represent a nice application of the basic tensegrity structure; simple in principle, complicated to build. However, anyone can try to create them. It does not require a lot of time or complex materials. A result is a beautiful object that seems to defy physics. The ambition of this workshop is to prepare the basis for a new training program for designing lightweight structures. Thanks to this interdisciplinary workshop, students will learn how to integrate artistic and technical practice
Participants: There were +50 participants in campus and +20 online participants.
Date and time: April.12.2022 – 12:00 to 02:30pm
Place: Online – zoom sessions presented at TIU
Session topics:
Two Sessions
Discourse in the field of Tensile integrity structures between the author and attendants.
Presenters names and affiliations:
Assoc. Prof. Sabah Shawkat, MSc, Phd structural Designer, University of Bratislava Slovakia
Outcome of the workshop:
1-Understand the basic theory about traditional (form follows function) and non-traditional (form follows force) lightweight design.
2- Create physical models of lightweight structures for interior design, such as chairs, tea tables, table lamps, lightings, and hammocks for public spaces, pleasure, and relaxation.
3-Design virtual and subsequently construct real models (simply of wood or aluminum) in a creative way by physically searching for a form.
4-Use modern geometry in the creation of the interior design process: from innovative form finding to the final industrial fabrication.
