Gridshell

A gridshell is a structure which derives its strength from its double curvature (in the same way that a fabric structure derives strength from double curvature), but is constructed of a grid or lattice.

The grid can be made of any material, but is most often wood (similar to garden trellis) or steel.

Gridshells were pioneered in the 1896 by Russian engineer Vladimir Shukhov in constructions of exhibition pavilions of the All-Russia industrial and art exhibition 1896 in Nizhny Novgorod. [ cite web | title = Rotunda of the Panrussian Exposition | date = 2007 | publisher = Nicolas Janburg, ICS | work = International Database and Gallery of Structures | url = http://en.structurae.de/structures/data/index.cfm?ID=s0000385 | accessdate = 2007-11-28]

Large span timber gridshells are commonly constructed by initially laying out the main lath members flat in a regular square or rectangular lattice, and subsequently deforming this into the desired doubly-curved form. This can be achieved by pushing the members up from the ground, as in the Mannheim Multihalle [ "Timber Lattice Roof for the Mannheim Bundesgartenschau" Happold, E & Liddel, W.I. The Structural Engineer, March 1975, Volume 3, Number 53." ] . More recent projects such as the Savill Garden Gridshell were constructed by laying the laths on top of a sizeable temporary scaffolding structure which is removed in phases to let the laths settle into the desired curvature.

Gridshell Buildings

*Shukhov Rotunda by Vladimir Shukhov, 1896
*Mannheim Multihalle by Frei Otto and Buro Happold [http://www.burohappold.com] , a very large exhibition space constructed in 1975.
*Weald and Downland Gridshell [http://www.wealddown.co.uk/downland-gridshell.htm] [http://www.architectureweek.com/2003/0129/building_2-2.html] by Buro Happold and Edward Cullinan architects [http://www.edwardcullinanarchitects.com/] , a two-layer wooden gridshell, and the first gridshell constructed in the UK.
*Savill Building in Windsor Great Park by Buro Happold and Glenn Howells Architects, a large four-layer wooden gridshell.
*Helsinki Zoo viewing platform by Ville Hara
*Japan Pavilion, Expo 2000, by Frei Otto, Buro Happold, Shigeru Ban and SONOCO, a gridshell of circular paper tubes [http://www.designboom.com/history/ban_expo.html] .
*Flimwell Woodland Enterprise Centre Modular Gridshell [http://vs2.i-dat.org/unstructured02/eco3.html] by Feilden Clegg and Atelier One.
*Pishwanton Hand-Built Gridshell [http://vs2.i-dat.org/unstructured02/eco4.html] by David Tasker and Christopher Day.

Notes

ee also

* Tensile and membrane structures
* Thin-shell structure
* Geodesic dome
* Hyperboloid structure
* Panrussian Exposition 1896
* Vladimir Shukhov
* Buckminster Fuller
* Frei Otto
* Norman Foster

External links

* [http://www.buildingforafuture.co.uk/winter02/gridshell_building.pdf Lothian Gridshell]
* [http://www.architectureweek.com/2003/0129/building_2-2.html Cullinan Throws a Curve]
* [http://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/39277/170977058.pdf;jsessionid=14135EBAD5607E7D0B3EFA0D27842C0D?sequence=1 Past and Future of Grid Shell Structures]
* [http://lib.engg.nagoya-u.ac.jp/doc/kiyou/pdf/50_1L.pdf Shape optimization of Shell and Spatial structure]
* [http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=678936 Gridshells, the thread on skyscrapercity.com]