Form Finding Lab – Princeton University

Welcome

By 2050, 70% of the world population will live in cities. Today already 50% lives in an urban environment and produces more than 75% of all C0₂ emissions. Finding intelligent and efficient ways to provide more people with fewer resources will make cities more resilient to manmade and natural disasters and reduce their impact on the environment. Our long-term research goal is to transform the engineering design framework for a future-oriented built urban environment. Our research program addresses the following two core questions: What is the relationship between form and efficiency in civil structures?; an With increasing pressure on the preservation of natural resources, how can design theories and tools match untested sculptural ideas to material-efficient, constructible structures?

Please feel free to get in touch if you are interested in pursuing collaboration.

Prof. S. Adriaenssens
Assistant Professor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Princeton University

BOOK CHAPTER: Model Perspectives

We are delighted with the publication of our contribution "Nervi's isostatically inspired ribbed floors" in Cruvellier's and Sandaker brand new book on Structure, Architecture and Culture. The book is described as a "treasure trove". We cannot wait to read it!

PRESENTATION: A seismic analysis of Félix Candela’s Church of our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

Tim presented his seismic structural analysis of Felix Candela's masterpiece Church of our Lady of the Miraculous Medal at the 10th International Conference on Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions, Leuven in Belgium.

FUNDING: 2017 ICFNJ Undergraduate Research

Congrats to Amber who secured funding for her project on "Rammed Earth and erosion protection measures" from ICFNJ!

BOOK: ADVANCED ARCHITECTURAL GEOMETRY 2016

We are really happy with the publication of the AAG2016 proceedings. This book contains the offers detailed insight into current and novel geometrical developments in architecture. The 22 diverse, peer-reviewed papers present cutting-edge innovations in the fields of mathematics, computer graphics, software design, structural engineering, and the design and construction of architecture. Get it he

CONFERENCE: AAG2016

I am getting ready for the AAG2016 Conference in Zurich where I will be chairing a very exciting structural session. The AAG 2016 conference brings together researchers to present and discuss the challenges emerging at the intersection between geometry and design.

BLOG: FROM STUTTGART TO RIO, SBP STADIUM DESIGNER KNUT STOCKHUSEN

With the Olympic Games in full swing, we can but marvel at the lightweight elegant roofs covering some of the stadia. We spoke with Knut Stockhusen (sbp) who designed and built a number of them. https://formfindinglab.wordpress.com/2016/08/10/what-i-am-thinking-from-stuttgart-to-rio-2016-sbps-stadium-designer-knut-stockhusen/

FUNDING: Grand Challenges project – Novel Deployable Storm Surge Protection for Coastal Cities

We are really delighted to have been awarded by the Princeton Environmental Institute (PEI) - Grand Challenge for our research proposal. Together with Prof. Ning Lin (Hurrican Hazards and Risk Analysis Group, CEE, PU) we will develop stowable storm surge protection systems for use in coastal cities.

BLOG: A FREE FORM IN RIO

If you are in Rio, do not miss out on checking out the "Carioca Wave" freeform! We found out how it was conceived and built. https://formfindinglab.wordpress.com/2016/08/04/in-the-spirit-of-the-olympic-games-the-carioca-wave-freeform-of-rio-de-janeiro/

BLOG: A New Design for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Stadium

Though Japan has selected Kengo Kuma's design over Zaha Hadid's for its 2020 Olympic Stadium, how can we envision the structure from a form-finding point of view? Check out our blog.

PRIZE: NATIONAL STADIUM FOR JAPAN IDEA COMPETITION DESIGN

Congratulations to our grad students Mauricio Loyola Vergara and Alexander Niewiarowski who are amongst the winners of the IASS 2016 National Stadium for Japan competition. Their "mountainous grid shell" design started in the CEE546 Form Finding of Structural Surfaces class. A well deserved honor!

PRESENTATION: Revisiting the form finding techniques of Sergio Musmeci: the Bridge over the Basento River

BLOG: CONSTRUCTION OF A SWIRLING RAMMED EARTH WALL

Find out how we constructed a swirling rammed earth wall this summer https://formfindinglab.wordpress.com/2016/07/20/our-summer-rammed-earth-experiments-23-construction/

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MEDIA MENTION: TRANSFORMATIONS

Transformations: Wonderful feature on Princeton University's webpage on a class that explores the intersection of engineering and the arts, co-taught by Prof. Adriaenssens last spring! The class will be offered again this spring.http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S46/61/76A20/index.xml?section=featured