The project researches the possibility of textile membrane structures, especially in regard of using those structures as the whole’s buildings skin.
The subject of this thesis is gallery of digital art. Material used for the building skin is insulated textile membrane using aerogel insulation. Interior bearing structure is composed of steel reinforced concrete cores and a steel bearing system. The building is located in Pilsen in “Proluka”.
Thesis portfolio
Prolog.
Quick convergent development of innovative technological processes in the fields such as the research of biology, materiál engineering, and a variety of structures becomes very important, both for the sphere of building, and for the field of architecture. Therefore it requires our attention because of its inevitable cultural, aesthetic and technical implications. The effect of these advanced emergent processes on architectural and design practice generally encourages a massive wave of experiments that uses parametric planning as a method for research and handling of the actual structural material.
Therefore an important place is taken by simulations that are decisive for planning and analyzing complex structural systems from material point of view. The proces of simulation requires the development of a mathematical model of physical processes and nowadays thus generated computer project may normally have its bulit-in advanced physics of nonlinear behaviour due to the examination of dynamic changes faced by structures and materials in response to changing behaviour conditions.
More sophisticated simulations, as to illustrate the structural response to stress at random load, or for modeling the air flow and heat transfer in space or in materials, are standard engineering software modules. Most software of architectural design includes the modeling of sunlight for any location in the world. Simulations of this type in practice are increasingly used by consultants from various disciplines, as well as, on the other hand, they are used for assessing the effects of various aspects of design and in the school projects.
Student David Friml has chosen to handle a bachelor´s implementation project of undeveloped land near the historic centre of the city of Pilsen. The task is an experimental project of Digital Art Gallery within the activity of Pilsen European Capital of Culture 2015. The processor followed up with the previous phase of his semester project of urban design within the parkland circuit of Šafařík Park, through an architectural study to present specific structural and technical solutions for the building construction permit.
The Gallery is a free-form object whose membrane figure is clamped in the gap between the peaks of the neighbouring houses. The house has three floors. In the northern part of the ground floor there is the entrance to the gallery with a café, the main staircase with a panoramic lift, utility room and a secondary staircase. On the second floor of the southern part there are an office and employce facilities. On the second floor of the northern part there is the site of lectures, workshops and social facilities. On the third floor we can find a distinctive space of the gallery completed with a library. The cover insulation membrane draws a continuous internal space divided by impressive space design supporting piers, slabs on the ceiling, and connected by staircases. During the day due to the translucence of the membrane various natural „atmospheres“ can be formed, which can cooperate with the digi-exposure indoors in an interesting way. During the night, on the contrary, the gallery itself becomes an exhibit not only by the application of videomapping on the facade, but by the interior illumination and thus by its „tracing“ to the interior architecture of the building. The whole area is completing the ground floor, which allows organizing outdoor exhibitions.
We live in the time of continual evolution of the Internet, which puts entirely new requirements on the Internet of course. Among other things the notice of the shift from mass production to mass customization, or adjustment to a measure, represents a new stage of development.
I appreciate that David reflected this trend in the expression of the concept and, by extension, in the way of implementation of his project. The supporting system consists of a combined structural system which is based on concrete cores and boards at the gable walls that are finished by ceiling slabs. Packaging is an original heat-insulating membrane structure of type Tensotherm, which is a combination of bespoke segments assembled on the site of the allotment. Subsequently it is picked up on the spatial suupport pillars in the vacant lot and on the sides of the gable wall, and at the „pit“ anchored in the base slab. Prestressing of the membrane after its anchoring in the said structures is rebalanced by using a system of rings, bars and „rectification“ screws.
Involvement of heat pumps and a translucent shell has brought into the building sensitivity to the environment in the form of much lower energy consumption both for heating and cooling and for artificial lighting.
For the project of optimizing the membrane construction the already above mentioned 3D modeling software Rhinoceros 5.0 was applied, with parametric software Grasshoper that used the plug-in Millipede and Donkey to allow the modeling of the static behaviour of frame and shell constructions. The project is balanced and has demonstrated the creative process of the aothor.
