Author(s)

E. Stach

Abstract

Synthesis of form, structure and material - Design for a form-optimized lightweight membrane construction E. Stach College of Architecture and Design, University of Tennessee, USA Abstract Form-optimized, lightweight, long-span construction using new methods of calculation (SLang-Structure Language) and new materials. The design for the Cologne Elephant House is the lightweight, membrane construction of a transparent "roof cloud" over a free plan geometry. Ths was made possible through the use of a new form-optimization method for structural calculations (SLang)' and the use of ETFE Fluoropolymer sheeting for the roof material. 1.Roof Plan 2. Cross Section Elephant House, Cologne 1 SLang [The Structural Language] was developed at the Institute for Structural Mechanics at the Bauhaus-Universitat Weimar The SLang software package uses the Finite-Element Method as well as probability calculations to model stochastic loading along with physical and geometric improbabilities.

Keywords