The Pavilion
PolyShell explored how very thin sheets could enclose a large space. The curved pavilion had two entrances and was designed to fit within a 4 × 4 × 4 m exhibition space at IASS 2015 in Amsterdam.
Its panels were made from 100% recycled polypropylene sheets, scored for folding and joined with plastic pop rivets.
Computational Design
A single Grasshopper model turned the pavilion’s curved surface into cutting patterns for each folded panel. It started with a triangular mesh, which was used to create a mostly hexagonal pattern. Two layers of this pattern, spaced apart and connected along their edges, formed box-shaped modules.
The inner and outer faces and the connecting sides were adjusted together so every face was flat and could be cut from a sheet. Structural analysis guided the depth of the modules where forces were highest.
The process is documented in the 2015 IASS paper Computational design of a temporary lightweight shell with minimal thickness.
