Design of Integrally-Attached Timber Plate Structures | Yves Weinand

The book includes an in-depth description of the tools and related case studies that allow for an alternative conceptual design approach holistically embracing form, space, and structure, while also taking into account the new necessities of life cycle assessment and sustainability. The proposed conceptual framework allows the genius and sensitivity of designers to integrate naturally into the design process, free of historical barriers or limitations.

This publication certainly hopes to generate a new paradigm amongst academics and practitioners from engineering, architecture, and other disciplines on how integrating new, cutting-edge tools and methods into their practice transforms the conceptual design of structures. By significantly reducing the distance between concept, production, and actualization, these methods create an immediate link between these stages and allow for a quasi-seamless approach to the entire process.

IBOIS research in origami-inspired folded plate structures began as early as 2010, and developed into an interest in folded plate systems and free-form spatial geometries. Typically, designing adequate edgewise joining details for comparatively thin wooden panels is a major challenge of timber engineering. This generated an interest in integral mechanical attachments for edgewise jointing, which became another focus of IBOIS’s research. The advantages of this technique are undeniable, and the application of robotics and computer programming to the design and construction of timber structures has opened enormous possibilities for new kind of sustainable, state-of-the-art timber constructions. It is undeniable that investigations within the structural design of interconnected timber plate structures have not yet been adequately addressed or explored in the timber industry.

Laboratory of Timber Constructions, IBOIS