Research Interests

Undergraduate dissertations (standard and advanced) introduced

me to the concepts of optimisation, numerical and analytical formfinding methods, biomimetics, geometry and computational design.
The final year of my degree includes modules entitled Structures 4
and Programming for Design. These courses including the study of
theory of shells, airy stress functions, aerodynamics, buckling and
the use of Processing and Grasshopper software.
Current research work is looking at the behaviour of
perforated/porous concrete shells and the influence of the patterned
hole geometry. The geometry is produced and then relaxed through
parametric modelling. It will then be analysed using FE and the
results will be compared.
During the last two years, I have sought out the opportunity to gain
extra knowledge in my areas of interest via guest lectures and the
Architectural Association online lecture series. I have foun the
lectures extremely inspirational and eye-opening to new areas of
engineering and architecture not covered in my degree. These
lectures have included: (Baker 2015; Barnes 2015; Isaac 2015) at
the University of Bath and (Fornes 2015; Knippers 2015; Koren
2011; Natassa Lianou 2015) via the AA online.
I have been inspired by the following publications, which I used as
part of the undergraduate dissertations and summer research work.
The publications have been split into subjects of interest:
Architectural geometry: (Block 2015; Pottmann and Bentley
2007; Williams 2000; Legendre 2011; Imbert et al. 2013)
Optimisation and form-finding: (Adriaenssens et al. 2014;
Bertagnoli, Giordano, and Mancini 2014; Garcia, Martinez, and
de Arquitectura 2010; Tinelli 2014)
Biomimetics: (Skidmore 2011; Semra Arslan Selcuk 2005)
Shell and tension structures: (Calladine 1989; Quinn,
Gengnagel, and Williams ; Rippmann and Block ; Rippmann
and Block 2013; Soriano et al. 2015; Addis and Walker 2005)
Computational design and parametric modelling: Tedeschi
(2014); (Miki, Igarashi, and Block 2015; Khabazi 2011)
Additional subjects: Mathematics, Fluid Dynamics, Graphic
Statics, Bridge engineering, Low-carbon design, PassivHaus.
Building Physics and Material behaviour
Construction materials make up for a large proportion of carbon in
the engineering industry. This carbon impact can be reduced by
minimising waste through efficient design. From industry work
experience, I have observed conservative structural design (and

more importantly the associated design standards) and how this

causes over-design and further material wastage in design.
The use of optimisation techniques, such as form-finding, produce
elegant, beautiful geometry and highly efficient structures with
significant material reductions. Shells and tension structures are a
great example of this. However, they are fairly uncommon due to
associated design issues and limitations, such as their imperfection
sensitivity (dont deal well with point loads), the fact they labour
intensive to construct making them expensive.
New advanced fabrication techniques, such as 3D printing and
fabric formwork, and innovative construction methods, such as
pneumatic falsework for gridshell construction (discussed in (Quinn,
Gengnagel, and Williams)), are currently being researched.
Additionally, Khabazi 2011 demonstrated how parametric modelling
can be used from geometry to fabrication for the production of a
prototype timber porous shell structure. I would love to opportunity
to research the potential application for new and emerging
fabrication techniques and/or construction methods.
I am interested in the design process of funicular shells and
integrated computational design with fabrication, material and
construction constraints through multi-criteria design methods. I am
keen to further develop my knowledge of form-finding methods, and
their limitations in practical applications.

Bibliography
Addis, B., and D. Walker. 2005. Happold: The Confidence to Build
(Taylor & Francis).
Adriaenssens, Sigrid editor of compilation, Philippe editor of
compilation Block, Diederik editor of compilation Veenendaal,
and Chris editor of compilation Williams. 2014. Shell
structures for architecture : form finding and optimization
(London : Routledge: London).
Baker, Bill. 2015. "The Intersection of Structure and Architecture."
In.
Barnes, Mike. 2015. "Form and Stress Engineering of Tension
Structures." In.
Bertagnoli, Gabriele, Luca Giordano, and Simona Mancini. 2014.
'Optimization of concrete shells using genetic algorithms',
ZAMMJournal of Applied Mathematics and
Mechanics/Zeitschrift fr Angewandte Mathematik und
Mechanik, 94: 43-54.
Block, Philippe. 2015. Advances in Architectural Geometry 2014
(Springer International Publishing).

Calladine, Chris R. 1989. Theory of shell structures (Cambridge

University Press).
Fornes, Marc. 2015. "The art of prototypical " In.
Garcia, Agustn Perez, Fernando Gomez Martinez, and ETS de
Arquitectura. 2010. 'Natural structures: strategies for
geometric and morphological optimization'.
Imbert, Frdric, Kathryn Stutts Frost, Al Fisher, Andrew Witt, Vincent
Tourre, and Benjamin Koren. 2013. Concurrent Geometric,
Structural and Environmental Design: Louvre Abu Dhabi (na).
Isaac, Phil. 2015. "What's the point of computers?" In.
Khabazi, Zubin. 2011. "Generative Algorithms: Concepts and
Experiments - 2 Porous Shell." In, 69.
Knippers, Jan. 2015. "Biological design and Integrative Structures."
In.
Koren, Benjamin. 2011. "1:One | Computational Geometry." In.
Legendre, George L. 2011. 'Pasta by design', Architectural Design,
81: 100-01.
Miki, Masaaki, Takeo Igarashi, and Philippe Block. 2015. 'Parametric
self-supporting surfaces via direct computation of airy stress
functions', ACM Transactions on Graphics (TOG), 34: 89.
Natassa Lianou, Ermis Chalvatzis. 2015. "Smart Design Elegance
and the Digital Craft." In.
Pottmann, Helmut, and Daril Bentley. 2007. Architectural geometry
(Exton, Pa. : Bentley Institute Press: Exton, Pa.).
Quinn, Gregory C, Christoph Gengnagel, and Chris JK Williams.
'Comparison of Erection Methods for Long-Span Strained Grid
Shells'.
Rippmann, Matthias, and Philippe Block. 2013. 'Funicular Shell
Design Exploration', ACADIA, Waterloo, Canada.
Rippmann, Matthias, and Phlippe Block. 'FUNICULAR FUNNEL
SHELLS'.
Semra Arslan Selcuk, Al J Fisher, Chris JK Williams 2005. 'Biomimesis
and the Geometric Definition of Shell Structures in
Architecture'.
http://www.generativeart.com/on/cic/papers2005/37.semraarsl
anselcuk.htm.
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill SAN FRANSISCO. 2011. "Nature,
Structure, Structural Efficiency Through Natural Geometries."
In, 27.
Soriano, Enrique, Pep Tornabell, Dragos Naicu, and Gnther Filz.
2015. "Topologically-based curvature in thin elastic shell
networks." In.
Tedeschi, Arturo. 2014. AAD : algorithms-aided design : parametric
strategies using Grasshopper (Brienza, Italy : Le Penseur:
Brienza, Italy).
Tinelli, Patricia Trovalusci and Alessandro. 2014. "Structural
Optimization vs. Shape Design." In 1st Int. Genoa Symposium.
Geno.

Williams, Chris JK. 2000. 'The definition of curved geometry for

widespan structures', Widespan roof structures, M. Barnes and
M. Dickson, eds. London: Thomas Telford: 41-49.