Building Structures as Architecture

basic structure elements in architecture

PROF. WOLFGANG SCHUELLER

BUILDING SHAPES and forms: there is no limit to building shapes ranging from boxy to compound hybrid to
organic and crystalline shapes. Most conventional buildings are derived from the rectangle, triangle, circle,
trapezoid, cruciform, pinwheel, letter shapes and other linked figures usually composed of rectangles. Traditional
architecture shapes from the basic geometrical solids the prism, pyramid, cylinder, cone, and sphere. Odd-
shaped buildings may have irregular plans that may change with height so that the floors are not repetitive
anymore. The modernists invented an almost inexhaustible number of new building shapes through
transformation and arrangement of basic building shapes, through analogies with biology, the human body,
crystallography, machines, tinker toys, flow forms, and so on. Classical architecture, in contrast, lets the
façade appear as a decorative element with symbolic meaning.
A. GENERAL CONCPTS OF
BUILDING SUPPORT STRUCTURES

B. BUILDING STRUCTURE ELEMENTS:

beams, columns, frames, arches, surfaces, free form
 A. GENERAL CONCPTS OF BUILDING
SUPPORT STRUCTURES

Structure is a necessary part of live; it establishes order.

It relates various entities or all the parts of a whole displaying some

pattern of organization and lack of randomness. It occurs at any scale,
ranging from the molecular structure of material to the laws of the
universe.
 THE PURPOSE OF BUILDING STRUCTURE

support structure
ordering system
space maker
form giver

The richness of structures can only be suggested by the wealth of building

structure types, ranging from the long-span stadium to the massive
building block to the slender tower, from structures above or below ground
or in water to structures in outer space. They range from simple
symmetrical to complex asymmetrical forms, from boxes to terraced and
inverted stepped buildings, from low-rise to high-rise buildings, and so on.
Classification of support structures according to:

A1 Building structure type and use

e.g. apartment buildings, factories, gymnasiums, arenas, multi-use
A.2 Building structure as support (local and global scale)

A.3 Structure systems: rigid systems, flexible systems, composite systems

horizontal-span structures
vertical-span structures
A.4 Structural behavior:
loads, force-flow, stress, force and form
A.5 Building structure as geometry
STRUCTURE as an ordering system
STRUCTURE as a form giver
STRUCTURE as art
A.6 Building vs. Structure vs. Architecture:
expression of structure: hidden vs. exposed, innovative vs. standard
construction
structure is necessary for buildings but not for architecture:
without structure there is no building,
but architecture as an idea does not require structure
A.7 Structure as detail
A1. Building STRUCTURE Types and Building USE

Single volume with large spans – cellular subdivision with multiple small spans – long-
span stadiums vs. massive building blocks vs. vertical slabs vs. high-rise towers
A2. Building STRUCTURE as support (local and global scale)
Structure holds the building up so it does not collapse or deform excessively;
it makes the building and spaces within the building possible. Structure gives
support to the material and therefore is necessary.

BUILDING and STRUCTURE are inseparable and intimately related to each

other. The external loads that act on buildings cause internal forces in building
support structures. The forces flow along the structure members to the
ground, requiring foundations as transition structures to the comparatively
weak soil. The members must be strong and stiff enough to resist the internal
forces. In other words, BUILDING SUPPORT STRUCTURES have to provide the
necessary STRENGTH and STIFFNESS to resist the vertical forces of
gravity and the lateral forces due to wind and earthquakes to guide them
safely to the ground. In addition to strength and stiffness, STABILITY is a

necessity for structures to maintain their shape. SAFETY is a basic

requirement of building design!
Example of support structure:
study of wall trusses in context
of various building types
Sculpture: Running Torso, 1995,
Santiago Calatrava
A3. STRUCTURE Systems
Every building consists of the load-bearing structure and the non-load-
bearing portion.

The main load bearing structure, in turn, is subdivided into:

• Gravity structure consisting of floor/roof framing, slabs, trusses, columns,
walls, foundations
• Lateral force-resisting structure consisting of walls, frames, trusses,
diaphragms, foundations

Support structures may be classified as,

• Horizontal-span structure systems:

floor and roof structure
enclosure structures

• Vertical building structure systems:

walls, frames cores, etc.
tall buildings
HORIZONTAL – SPAN BUILDING STRUCTURES: rigid systems
Cable-supported
structures
VERTICAL-SPAN BUILDING STRUCTURE SYSTEMS
Examples of VERTICAL-SPAN BUILDING STRUCTURES
A4. STRUCTURE Behavior
LOADS: gravity, lateral loads (wind, seismic)
external vs. internal forces (force flow along members)

PROPERTIES OF FORCES

FORCE FLOW: -- path to the ground where foundations make the

transition possible to the weak soil -- stresses (intensity of
force flow, blood pressure) depend on: member shape,
material, size, structure, connections

RESPONSE OF STRUCTURE TO LOADING

Properties of Forces

• magnitude
• direction
• location
Common
building loads
on global and local scale

Gravity loads
• Beam loads
• Column loads
• Floor loads
• Roof loads

Lateral Loads
• Wind load
• Earthquake loads
 FORCE FLOW

Vertical gravity force flow

 FORCE FLOW

Vertical gravity force

flow

Horizontal gravity force

flow
LATERAL FORCE FLOW
the effect of asymmetry: TORSION
INTERAL FORCE FLOW
Stress contour of structural piping
A5. STRUCTURE
as GEOMETRY:

- ordering system
- form giver
- art
BUILDING SHAPES and forms: there is no limit to building shapes ranging from boxy to compound hybrid to org
crystalline shapes. Most conventional buildings are derived from the rectangle, triangle, circle, trapezoid, cruciform
letter shapes and other linked figures usually composed of rectangles. Traditional architecture shapes from the ba
geometrical solids the prism, pyramid, cylinder, cone, and sphere. Odd-shaped buildings may have irregular plans th
change with height so that the floors are not repetitive anymore. The modernists invented an almost inexhaustible n
new building shapes through transformation and arrangement of basic building shapes, through analogies with bio
human body, crystallography, machines, tinker toys, flow forms, and so on. Classical architecture, in contrast, le
appear as a decorative element with symbolic meaning.
Geometry as the basis of architecture
Project: Museum of Art Miami, 2009, Jacques Herzog and Pierre de
Meuron.
The
TheNovartis
Novartiscampus
campus, Basel,
, Basel,Switzerland,
Switzerland,2009,
2009,Frank
FrankGehry
Gehry
Dee and Charles Wyly
Theatre, Dallas, Texas,
2009, Rem Koolhaas
REX/OMA
STRUCTURE as ordering system, it functions as a spatial and dimensional
organizer besides identifying assembly or construction systems.
geometry vs. composition, dimensional coordination (grids, surface
subdivision, mathematics, etc.):

• Beijing Jian Wai SOHO Beijing, Riken Yamamoto

• Langen Foundation, Hombroich, Germany, 2004, Ando
• Buckminster Fuller geodesic dome, US Expo Montreal, 1967
• tree houses, Rotterdam, Piet Blom
• capsule tower, Tokyo, 1972, Kurokawa
• Daniel Libeskind, city edge
• bus shelter, Aachen, Germany, 1996, Peter Eisenman
• CCTV Headquarters and TVCC Building, Beijing, Rem Koolhaas
• National Swimming Center in Beijing, 2007, Arup, space frame cells
• Beijing Olympic Stadium, called the “nest”, Herzog and De Meuron, Arup Eng
• Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, 1997, Frank Gehry
• Fisher Center, Bard College, NY, Frank Gehry
UFA Palace Dresden (German Architecture Price 1999), COOP Himmelblau
• Phare Tower, La Défense, Paris, 2006, Thom Mayne (Morphosis, LA)
Beijing Jian Wai SOHO, Beijing, 2004, Riken Yamamoto
Langen Foundation, Hombroich, 2004, Germany, Ando
Buckminster Fuller geodesic dome, U.S. Pavilion at Expo 67, Montreal, three-quarter
sphere with 250 ft diameter and a height of 200 ft, double-layer space frame
Cube (tree) houses, Rotterdam, Piet
Blom, 1984. The houses look like a tree
because the architect turned the cubes
45 degrees and put them on a pole. The
32 attached houses together look like a
stone forest. The complex is built at a
pedestrian bridge crossing a traffic road.
Restaurant Tower (46 m),
called “Bierpinsel”, Steglitz,
Berlin, 1976, Ralph Schüler
and Ursulina Schüler-Witte
Kisho Kurokawa, Nakagin Capsule
Tower, Tokyo, Japan, 1972, The 14-
story high Tower has 140 capsules
stacked at angles around a central
core. Kurokawa developed the
technology to install the capsule
units into the concrete core with
only 4 high-tension bolts, as well as
making the units detachable and
replaceable.
Bus shelter, Aachen, 1996,
Peter Eisenman
CCTV Headquarters and TVCC Building, Beijing, 2008, Rem Koolhaas and Ole Scheeren
National Swimming Center in Beijing, 2007, Arup, space frame cells
Beijing Olympic Stadium, called the “nest”, 2008, Herzog and De Meuron, Arup Eng
Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, 1997, Frank Gehry, SOM
Fisher Center, Bard College, NY,
2003, Frank Gehry
UFA Palace, Dresden, Germany, 1998, COOP Himmelblau
Thom Mayne’s (Morphosis, LA) design for the Phare Tower in La Défense, Paris. 2012
STRUCTURE as form giver: it defines the spatial configuration and
reflects other meanings and is part of esthetics:

• Roman aqueduct, Segovia, Spain

• la Grande Arch, Paris, Fainsilber & P. Rice
• TU Munich, Germany
• Integrated urban buildings, Linkstr. Potsdamer Platz), Richard Rogers, Berlin,
1998
• Mercedes-Benz Museum, Stuttgart, 2006, Ben van Berkel & Caroline Bos,
Werner Sobek Ingenieure
• Phaeno Science Center, 2005, Wolfsburg, Zaha Hadid
• BMW Welt Munich, 2007, Coop Himmelblau
Roman aqueduct in Segovia, Spain, 50 AD
La Grande Arch, Paris, 1989, Fainsilber & P. Rice for the canopy
Werner-von-Siemens Auditorium, TU Munich , Germany
Integrated urban buildings, Linkstr. Potsdamer Platz), Richard Rogers, Berlin, 1998
Mercedes-Benz
Museum,
Stuttgart, 2006,
Ben van Berkel
& Caroline Bos,
Werner Sobek
Ingenieure
Phaeno Science Center, 2005, Wolfsburg, Zaha Hadid
BMW Welt, Munich, 2007, Himmelblau, Bollinger + Grohmann
STRUCTURE as art
The experimentation with structures is also reflected by the constructivist art of
modernism and was first articulated particularly by the dreams of designers such as
the pioneers Antoine Pevsner and Naum Gabo at the early part of this century in
Russia, and later by Alexander Calder's kinetic art and Kenneth Snelson's tensegrity
sculptures.

• Flamingo Sculpture, Chicago, 1974, Calder, in front of Mies van der Rohe Building
• Calder in the National Gallery of Art, East Wing, Washington, 1978, I.M. Pei
• Experiments with structure, Russian Constructivism (3 slides)
• Kenneth Snelson's tensegrity tower, double-layer tensegrity dome
• Stradelhofen Station, Zurich, 1990, Santiago Calatrava, (2 slides)
• Earth sculpture, MUDAM, Luxembourg, 2007
• Chairs (2 slides)
• Shizuoka Press & Broadcasting Center, Tokyo, 1967, K. Tange
Calder Flamingo
Sculpture, Chicago, 1974,
in front of Mies van der
Rohe building
Calder in the National Gallery of Art, East Wing, Washington, 1978, I.M. Pei
Experiments with structure,
Russian Constructivism
Experiments with structure, Russian Constructivism
Experiments with structure, Russian Constructivism
SHIZUOKA PRESS &
BROADCASTING CENTER,
Tôkyô,1967, Kenzo Tange
Kenneth Snelson's tensegrity
tower, 1968, double-layer
tensegrity dome
Santiago Calatrava, Stradelhofen Station, Zurich, 1990 - Canopy Model
10' 3'
3.5'
Earth sculpture, MUDAM, Luxembourg, 2007
Chairs, MUDAM, Museum of Modern Art, Luxembourg, 2007, I.M. Pei
Chaise by Le Corbusier,
chairs by Marcel Breuer
(late 1920s)
A6. STRUCTURE vs. BUILDING vs. ARCHITECTURE

Structure is necessary for buildings but not for architecture, without structure
no building, but architecture as an idea does not require structure (i.e. design
philosophy).

EXPRESSION of STRUCTURE:

- hidden structure vs. exposed structure

- decorative structure (post-modern) vs. tectonic structure
- innovative structures vs. standard construction
• Cathedral of Learning, at the University of Pittsburgh
• Tsinghua University building, Beijing, 2005 (2 slides)
• Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, 1993, James Ingo Freed
• New Beijing Planetarium, 2005, Amphibian Arc, Nanchi Wang (4 slides)
• Jewish Museum, Berlin, 2000, Daniel Libeskind (2 slides)
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Cleveland, 1995, I. M. Pei (3
slides)
• The fractal space of Moshe Safdie’s Habitat 67 in Montreal, Canada
• Administration Building, Ningbo Institute of Technology, Zhejiang
University, Ningbo, Qingyun Ma
• Ningbo Institute of Technology Campus Library, Zhejiang University,
Ningbo, MADA spam, 2002
• Crédit Lyonnais Tower (120m), Christian de Portzamparc
• Tour Lilleurope (115m), Claude Vasconi
• Highrise apartment tower, Malmö, Sweden, 2003, Calatrava – based on
a turning torso sculpture
• Palau de les Arts, Valencia Opera House, 2005, Santiago
Cathedral of Learning,
atUniversity of Pittsburgh, 1926,
Charles Klauder
Tsinghua University building,
Beijing, 2005
Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, 1993, James Ingo Freed
New Beijing Planetarium, 2005, AmphibianArc – Nanchi Wang
Jewish Museum, Berlin, 2000,
Daniel Libeskind
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Cleveland, 1995, I. M. Pei
The fractal space of Moshe Safdie’s Habitat 67 in Montreal, Canada, 1967
Administration Building, Ningbo Institute of Technology,
Zhejiang University, 2002, Ningbo, Qingyun Ma
Ningbo Institute of Technology Campus Library, Zhejiang
University, Ningbo, MADA spam, 2003
Credit Lyonnais Tower (120 m), Lille,
France, 1994, Christian de
Portzamparc
Tour Lilleurope (115m, 25 stories), Lille, France, 1995, Claude Vasconi
Apartment Tower, Malmö, Sweden, 2003, Santiago Calatrava; based in form on the sculpture turning torso
Palau de les Arts, Valencia Opera House, 2005, Santiago Calatrava
A7. STRUCTURE as Detail: articulation of the facade
detail as material

• Museum of Science, la Vilette, Paris, Fainsilber

• Atlanta mall, Elbasani & Logan
• Ningbo downtown, Qingyun Ma
• Dresdner Bank, Verwaltungszentrum, Dittrichring 5-9, Leipzig (2 slides)
• MUDAM, Luxembourg, 2006, I.M. Pei
• Marta Herford, Herford, 2006, Frank Gehry
• Architectural Institute, Rotterdam, Netherland, Joe Coenen
• The new San Francisco Federal Building, Thom Mayne (Morphosis)
• Boston Convention Center, Vinoly and LeMessurier, 2005 (2 slides)
• Pompidou Center, Paris (1977), Piano and Rogers
• Glass-tree structure, Berlin
• Glass structure, Beijing
• Canopies Staatsgalerie, Stuttgart, Stirling (2 slides)
• Peek & Cloppenburg, Koeln, Renzo Piano, 2005 (2 slides)

The devil (or god according to Mies) is in the detail!

Museum of Science and
Technology, Parc de la Villette,
Paris, 1986, Fainsilber/Rice
Atlanta mall, Elbasani & Logan
Ningbo downtown, 2002,
Qingyun Ma
Dresdner Bank,
Verwaltungszentrum,
Leipzig, 1997, Engel und
Zimmermann Arch
MUDAM, Luxembourg,
2006, I.M. Pei
MARTa, Herford, 2005, Frank Gehry, Bollinger & Grohmann
The Netherlands Architectural
Institute, Rotterdam, 1993, Jo
Coenen Arch
The new San
Francisco Federal
Building, 2007, Thom
Mayne of Morphosis
Boston Convention Center, Vinoly and LeMessurier, 2005
Pompidou Center, Paris, 1977, Piano and Rogers
Expansion of Printing Office, Berlin, 1997, BHHS & Partner; glass-tree structure
Glass structure, Beijing
State Gallery, Stuttgart, Germany, 1984, James Sterling Arch, canopies
Peek &
Cloppenburg,
Cologne, 2005,
Renzo Piano
B BUILDING STRUCTURE ELEMENTS
.

• Line elements: beams, columns, cables, frames, arches

• Space frames

• Surface elements: walls, slabs (floors), shells, tensile membranes

• Tensegrity,

• Hybrid systems

• Free form
 AXIAL STRUCTURE TENSILE MEMBERS
SYSTEMS

COMPRESSIVE

L I NE E L E M E NT S
MEMBERS

BEAMS
FLEXURAL STRUCTURE
SYSTEMS

FLEXURAL-AXIAL STRUCTURE SYSTEMS BEAM-COLUMN

MEMBERS
FRAMES

TENSILE MEMBRANES
SOFT SHELLS
S UR F A CE E L E M E NT S

MEMBRANE FORCES

PLATES SLABS, MEMBRANE BENDING and TWISTING

SHELLS RIGID SHELLS

BEAMS: straight/inclined, solid/composite, arrangement/density, scale, building
as beam, the vertical beam:

• Museum Nuremberg, Germany

• Library University of Halle (?)
• Petersbogen (shopping center, university library, casino, etc.), Leipzig
• New National Gallery, Berlin, 1968, Mies
• Pedestrian bridge, Nuremberg, Germany
• Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds, Nuremberg, 2001, Guenther
Domenig Architect
• Chongqing Airport Terminal, China
• Theater, Berlin, Renzo Piano, 1998
• Merzedes-Benz Zentrale, Berlin, 2000, Lamm, Weber, Donath & Partner , (2 slides)
• Bridge connecting two buildings, Berlin
• Integrated urban buildings, Potsdamer Platz, Richard Rogers, Berlin, 1998
• UNESCO stair, Paris, Breuer and Nervi
• Everson Museum, Syracuse, NY, 1968, I. M. Pei
• Lille Grand Palais, Rem Koolhaas
• Hirshorn (sculpture) museum, Washington
• Story beam, Berlin
• Everson Museum, Syracuse, NY, 1968, I. M. Pei
• Central Plaza, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Ken Yeang
Atrium, Germanisches Museum, Nuremberg, Germany
Library University of Halle, Germany
Petersbogen shopping center, Leipzig, 2001, HPP Hentrich-Petschnigg
New National Gallery, Berlin, 1968, Mies van der Rohe
Pedestrian bridge, Nuremberg, Germany
Documentation Center Nazi
Party Rally Grounds,
Nuremberg, 2001, Guenther
Domenig Architect
Chongqing Airport Terminal, 2005, Llewelyn Davies Yeang and Arup
Debis Theater, Berlin, 1998, Renzo Piano
Debis Theater, Berlin, 1998, Renzo Piano
Mercedes-Benz Center am
Salzufer, Berlin, 2000, Lamm,
Weber, Donath und Partner
Bridge connecting two buildings, Berlin
Integrated urban buildings, Linkstr. Potsdamer Platz, Richard Rogers, Berlin, 1998
UNESCO stair, Paris, 1957, Breuer and Nervi
Everson Museum, Syracuse, NY, 1968, I. M. Pei
Grand Palais, Lille, France, 1995, Rem Koolhaas/Ove Arup
Hirshorn Museum, Washington, 1974, Gordon Bunshaft/ SOM
Landesvertretung von Baden-Wuertemberg, Berlin, 2000, Dietrich Bangert
Everson Museum, Syracuse, NY, 1968, I. M. Pei
Central Plaza, Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia, 1996, Ken Yeang
COLUMNS: power of column as: space maker, sign in landscape,
facade columns, space articulation, scale, etc.

• Acropolis, Athens, 650 - 480 B.C.

• Bourges cathedral, Bourges, France
• St. Lorenz, Nuremberg, Germany
• Theater Erfurt, 2003, Joerg Friedrich Arch
• Pop Museum, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 1992, Rem Koolhaas Arch
• Sichuan University, Chengdu, College for Basic Studies, 2002 (2 slides)
• Government building, Berlin, Germany, Schultes
• Shopping center, Berlin, Boehm
• Study of façade columns, visual analysis
• Luxemborg Philharmonie, Luxembourg City, 2006, Atelier
Christian De Portzamparc (2 slides)
• LA Control Tower, Los Angeles, USA, Katherine Diamond
• Samsung Life Insurance Jong-Re Building, Seoul, 1999, Rafael Vinoly
Acropolis, Athens, 650 - 480 B.C
Bourges cathedral, 13th cent, Bourges, France
St. Lorenz, 15th. cent,
Nuremberg, Germany
Museum of Modern Literature, Marbach, Germany, 2006, David Chipperfield Architects
Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich , 2002,
Stephan Braunfels
Theater Erfurt, 2003, Joerg Friedrich Arch, foyer
Kunst Hal, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 1992, Rem Koolhaas Arch
Beijing Capital International Airport, Terminal 3, 2008, Foster and Partners, Arup
College for Basic Studies,
Sichuan University, 2000,
Chengdu
Government building, Berlin,
Germany, 2001, Axel Schultes
Treptow Crematorium, Berlin, 1997, Axel Schultes
Peek & Cloppenburg Department Store, Berlin, 1995, Gottfried Böhm
Study of façade columns
Luxemborg Philharmonie, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, 2006, Atelier Christian De Portzamparc
LAX Control Tower, Los Angeles,
1996, Katherine Diamond
Samsung Life Insurance Jong-Re
Building, Seoul, 1999, Rafael Vinoly
INCLINED COLUMNS (beam-columns):
lateral thrust: visual analysis, tree columns, cantilever columns, etc.
bone-shaped columns, human thighbone

• Interchange Terminal Hoenheim-Nord, Strassbourg, 2002, Zaha Hadid

• Erasmusbridge, Rotterdam, 1996, Ben Van Berkel
• Mensa Dining Hall, Karlsruhe, 2007, Jürgen Mayer H
• Hannover EXPO 2000, Thomas Herzog und Julius Natterer
• Subway station Munich 2, Germany
• Stansted Airport, London, Norman Foster
• Chongqing Airport Terminal, China
• World Trade Center, Amsterdam, 2003, Kohn, Pedersen & Fox (2 slides)
• Petersbogen (shopping center, university library, casino, etc.), Leipzig
• Satolas Airport TGV Train Station, Lyons, France, 1995, Santiago Calatrava
• Airport Madrid, Spain, Richard Rogers, 2005 (2 slides)
• City Center, Bremen, 1964, Germany, R. Rainer and U. Finsterwalder
Interchange Terminal Hoenheim-Nord, Strassbourg, 2002, Zaha Hadid
Erasmusbridge, Rotterdam, 1996, Ben Van Berkel
Dining Hall Karlsruhe, Hochschule Karlsruhe, 2007, Jürgen Mayer H, ARUP
Hannover EXPO 2000, Thomas
Herzog und Julius Natterer
Subway Station to Allians Stadium, Froettmanning,
Munich, Munich, 2004, Peter Bohn Arch.
Stanted Airport, London, UK, 1991, Norman Foster/ Arup
Chongqing Airport Terminal, 2005,
Llewelyn Davies Yeang and Arup
World Trade Center, Amsterdam, 2003, Kohn, Pedersen & Fox
Petersbogen shopping center, Leipzig, 2001, HPP Hentrich-Petschnigg
Satolas Airport TGV Train Station, Lyons, France, 1995, Santiago Calatrava
Airport Madrid,
Spain, Richard
Rogers, 2005
AWD Dome, Bremen, 1964,
Germany, R. Rainer and U.
Finsterwalder
 a.

b. c.
FRAMES

• Visual study of frames, arches and trusses

• Visual analysis of lateral thrust
• Crown Hall, IIT, Chicago, 1956, Mies van der Rohe
• Frankfurt Post Museum, 1990, Behnisch Architekten
• Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, Norwich, UK, 1978, Norman Foster
• Willemsbridge, Rotterdam, 1981, C.Veeling
• BMW Plant Leipzig, Central Building, 2004, Zaha Hadid
• Sony Center, Potzdamer Platz, Berlin, 2000, Helmut Jahn Arch., Ove Arup
• Dresdner Bank, Verwaltungszentrum, Dittrichring 5-9, Leipzig
• Design Museum, Nuremberg, Germany
• Capital Museum, Beijing, 2001 (2 slides)
• Architectural Institute, Rotterdam, Netherland, Joe Coenen
Visual study of frames, arches
and trusses
Visual analysis of lateral thrust
Crown Hall, IIT, Chicago, 1956, Mies van der Rohe
Frankfurt Post Museum, 1990, Behnisch Architekten
Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, Norwich, UK, 1978, Norman Foster
Willemsbridge, Rotterdam, 1981, is a double suspension bridge, C.Veeling
BMW Plant Leipzig, Central Building, 2004, Zaha Hadid
Dresdner Bank, Verwaltungszentrum, Leipzig, 1997, Engel und Zimmermann Arch
Design Museum, Nuremberg, Germany, 1999, Volker Staab
Sony Center, Potzdamer Platz, Berlin, 2000, Helmut Jahn Arch., Ove Arup
Capital Museum, Beijing, 2001, Jean-Marie Duthilleul + Cui Kai
Architectural Institute,
Rotterdam, Netherland, 1993,
Joe Coenen
ARCHES

• visual analysis of columns (lateral thrust, space interaction through

diagonal, principal stress flow)
• Colosseum, Rom, c. 100 AD
• St. Peters, Rom, 16th century. Bramante, Michelangelo, etc.
• Arve River Bridge, 1935, Switzerland, Robert Maillart
• Koeln Medienpark bridge
• Satolas Airport TGV Train Station, Lyons, France, 1995, Santiago Calatrava
• Berlin Stock Exchange, Berlin, Germany, 1999, Nick Grimshaw
• Athens Olympic Sports Complex, 2004, Calatrava
• Rotterdam arch
• Oberbaum bridge, Berlin, Santiago Calatrava, 1995
• Lehrter Bahnhof, Berlin, 2006, von Gerkan, Marg and Partners
visual analysis of arches
Colosseum, Rom, c. 100 AD
St. Peters, Rom, 16th
century, Bramante,
Michelangelo, etc.
Arve River Bridge, 1935, Switzerland, Robert Maillart
Cologne Medienpark bridge
Satolas Airport TGV Train Station, Lyons, France, 1995, Santiago Calatrava
Berlin Stock Exchange,
Berlin, Germany, 1999,
Nick Grimshaw
Athens Olympic Sports
Complex, 2004, Calatrava
The Metro station at Blaak, Rotterdam, 1993, Harry Reijnders of Movares; the arch
spans 62.5 m, dome diameter is 35 m
Space Truss Arch – Axial Force Flow
Oberbaumbruecke, Berlin, Santiago Calatrava, 1995
Lehrter Bahnhof, Berlin,
2006, von Gerkan, Marg
and Partners
CABLES

• World Trade Center, Amsterdam, 2003, Kohn, Pedersen & Fox

• Sony Center, Potzdamer Platz, Berlin, 2000, Helmut Jahn Arch., Ove Arup
• The University of Chicago Gerald Ratner Athletics Center, Cesar Pelli, 2004
• Incheon International Airport, Seoul, Fentress Bradburn Architects, Denver
• Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, 1964, Kenzo Tange, Y. Tsuboi (2 slides)
World Trade Center, Amsterdam, 2003 (?), Kohn, Pedersen & Fox
Sony Center, Potzdamer Platz, Berlin, 2000, Helmut Jahn Arch., Ove Arup
Sony Center, Potzdamer Platz, Berlin, 2000, Helmut Jahn Arch., Ove Arup
The University of Chicago Gerald Ratner Athletics Center, 2004, Cesar Pelli, OWP/P Struct.
Incheon International Airport, Seoul, Fentress Bradburn Architects, Denver
Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, 1964, Kenzo Tange, Y. Tsuboi
SURFACES

ribbed vaulting
Muenster Halberstadt, 14th century, Gothic ribbed vaulting
MUDAM, Museum of Modern Art, Luxembourg, 2007, I.M. Pei
Friedrichstrasse Atrium, 1996, Berlin, Henry N. Cobb
National Grand Theater, Beijing, 2007, Jean Andreu
DG Bank, Berlin, Germany, 2001, Frank Gehry, Schlaich and Bergemann
Reichstag, Berlin, Germany, 1999, Norman Foster, Leonhardt & Andrae
Muenster Halberstadt, 14th
century, Gothic ribbed
vaulting
MUDAM, Museum of Modern Art, Luxembourg, 2007, I.M. Pei
National Grand Theater,
Beijing, 2007, Jean Andreu
DG Bank, Berlin, Germany,
2001, Frank Gehry, Schlaich
and Bergemann
Reichstag, Berlin, Germany,
1999, Norman Foster, Leonhardt
& Andrae
rigid shells
Airplane hangar, Orvieto. 1940, Pier Luigi Nervi
Zarzuela Hippodrome Grandstand, 1935. Eduardo Toroja
Notre Dame du Haut, Ronchamp, France, 1955, Le Corbusier
Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, TX, 1972, Louis Kahn
St. Mary Basilica, Tokyo,1964, Kenzo Tange, Y. Tsuboi
TWA Terminal, New York, 1962, Eero Saarinen
Chrystal Cathedral, Garden Grove, Calif., 1980, Philip Johnson
Airplane hangar, Orvieto. 1940, Pier Luigi Nervi
Zarzuela Hippodrome Grandstand, 1935. Eduardo Toroja
Notre Dame du Haut, Ronchamp, 1955, Le Corbusier
Kimball Museum, Fort Worth, 1972, Louis Kahn
Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, TX, 1972, Louis Kahn
St. Mary Basilica, Tokyo,1964, Kenzo Tange, Y. Tsuboi
TWA Terminal,
New York,
1962, Saarinen
Chrystal Cathedral, Garden Grove, Calif., 1980, Philip Johnson
tensile surfaces
Dulles Airport Terminal, Washington DC, 1962, Eero Saarinen, Fred
Severud
Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, 1964, Kenzo Tange, Y. Tsuboi
Trade Hall 26, Hanover, 1996, Thomas Herzog, Schlaich Bergermann
Flexible surface structures
Yeadon pneumatic fabric structures, tennis court
Ice Rink Roof, Munich, 1984, Ackermann und Partner, Schlaich
Bergermann
Olympic Stadium, Munich, Germany, 1972, Frei Otto, Leonhardt-Andrae
Dulles Airport Terminal, Washington DC, 1962, Eero Saarinen, Fred Severud
Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, 1964, Kenzo Tange, Y. Tsuboi
Trade Hall 26, Hanover, Germany, 1996, Thomas Herzog und Schlaich Bergermann
Tensile membrane
structures
Yeadon fabric structures, tennis court
 'Spirit of Dubai' Building in front of Al Fattan Marine
Towers, Dubai, 2007

'Sleep and Dreams' Pavilion, 2006, Le Bioscope, France

Tektoniks
Ice Rink Roof, Munich, 1984, Ackermann und Partner, Schlaich Bergermann
Olympic Stadium, Munich, Germany, 1972, Frei Otto, Leonhardt - Andrae
Schlumberger Research Center, Cambridge, 1985, Michael Hopkins