The architects of today are eager to innovate in contemporary architecture, driven by the advancements in technology and modern building materials. Charmed by curved structural shapes, they feel triggered to create original freeform surfaces leading to eye-catching designs with impressive spans over single, uninterrupted spaces: a dream in the eyes of an architect.

The advancements in- and application of freeform shapes increased a lot during the last decade. These structures form a unique part in technology allowing designers, architects and engineers to experiment with forms using optimum (predefined) load paths to create thin exciting structures. The latter are visually attractive but can also be competitive on a structural and material-efficiency level, when designed accordingly.

Unfortunately, it happens quite often that the desires of the architect collide with the complaints of the contractor and/or manufacturer. Freeform shapes, characterised by complex geometries, demand labour intensive fabrication techniques of extensive in situ scaffolding or formwork. On top of the economical aspect, this drawback causes a prominent environmental footprint, which is not aligned with the current societal idea of a circular approach for construction. Hence, the advantage of shells as eye-catching and optimized structural shapes vanishes, due to these secondary practical reasons.

Based on the previous issues, a design methodology will be proposed, which tackles the manufacturing issue without compromising the architectural ambition to build impressive freeform shapes. The concept relies on the development of an ‘invisible modularity’, whereby an infinite array of different freeform shapes can be generated, with a limited set of formwork modules. This new methodology highly contributes to a circular economy while encouraging reuse and architectural creativity. Conventional thoughts on shell structures will thus be re-examined by this innovative design strategy. Let’s meet the architect’s dream.

The use of fabric structures and the further development of analytical investigations increased a lot during the last decade. However, a high entry threshold regarding the behaviour, application and design process of fabric structures is still present. Advancements in the technology of fabric structures are continuously taking place, trying to obtain one unified code applicable as a general guideline. Wind analysis of fabric structures is currently based on rough approximations referring to flat, mono-, duo-pitch or spherical shapes of the Eurocode EN 1991-1-4.

Wind is a highly dynamic load case in its nature, being difficult to characterize or predict. The global goal is to understand how the wind will affect these lightweight fabric structures, in order to ensure an improved structural safety over the lifespan of the design. Large displacements caused by wind, require a good understanding of the interaction between the structure and the wind pressure. Presently, few experimental data exists on the response of fabric structures under turbulent wind loads and how structural parameters affect this behaviour.

This research enabled, with the support of Digital Image Correlation (DIC), to reach a method in which precise membrane movements are being detected. It was important to gain knowledge, in the optical background of the system, by understanding the important link between its intrinsic and extrinsic parameters. This ensured a stable base to achieve good measurement conditions and hence, reliable results.

The innovative study led to the obtainment of a measuring methodology serving as a framework for future experiments, regarding the displacements on flexible models. Future perspectives involve the investigation of a set of structural parameters on this behaviour, associate it with CFD results, and possibly upscale the entity to reality.