Buro Happold installation wins coveted American Institute of Architects award

06/08/2010

Aortic Arc a hit with students and judges alike

International multidisciplinary engineering consultancy Buro Happold has a reputation for delivering innovation design, and this includes art works as well as the more usual buildings and infrastructure projects.

One of the consultancy’s latest offerings, the Aortic Arc, showcases this flair for creativity, and has been recognised by the renowned American Institute of Architects in their recent 2010 Design Awards.

High-spec light catcher

Hanging in the main atrium at the California College of the Arts (CCA), the Aortic Arc functions practically as a light catcher and spatial divide as well as a stunning art installation.

The design features a canopy created by linking high-density polyethylene panels together with rivets to form three elliptical rings or portals that connected to one large ring/ portal at the base. The panels hang from the upper portals in tension and are supported by the lower portal, which functions as a ‘hoop skirt’.

Two of the portals are positioned to draw in light from above while the third can be used to view the lounge area below. The canopy gives the student lounge a sense of definition for large group activities as well as offering some level of intimacy and separation to the individual user.

Working with CATIA

San Francisco based architects Visible Research Office (VRO) were looking to create a sculpture for the college to hang in this double-height hall and approached Buro Happold to deliver the design.

Buro Happold’s primary task was to assist with the form-finding of the shape to ensure the surface would drape properly and fit within a specific given space. The initial surface geometry supplied by VRO showed the ‘Arc’ as an aesthetically-driven digital surface with limited structural logic. The Buro Happold team used CATIA (Computer Aided Three-dimensional parametric controlled Interactive Application) software to rationalise the surface, develop a structural grid strategy, perform design exploration for boundary conditions, and to detect any clashes with existing as-built conditions. CATIA’s parametric drivers allowed the consultancy to visualise then quickly adjust the surface and ring locations to ensure a best fit within the available space.

Once the geometry was established, Buro Happold took the boundary conditions (the rings) and began a form-finding exercise in Tensyl. One meeting with the architects even featured an impromptu bubble blowing session, allegedly the best method of explaining the necessary changes to the geometry!

Buro Happold’s Ron Elad said “Following weeks of detailed modelling, it was amazing to see the Aortic Arc, so called because of its likeness of the main arteries of the heart, hanging in its final resting place. It was a pleasure working with Mark (the architect) and his team – the collaboration went extremely smooth and the exchange of information was quick and accurate.”

Working in Tensyl and with ROBOT

The model in Tensyl was set up so that the three upper rings were supported by cables and able to move, while the lower ring was fixed in place, showing the minimal surface area and allowing the upper rings to shift into their correct location.

Finally using Robot software the sculpture’s geometry was analysised to estimated stresses in the panels and verify that there would be no unacceptable behaviours, enabling Buro Happold to supply VRO with the final 3D wireframe of the surface, including specs and sizes for the steel rings at the boundaries, cables and connection details.

The Aortic Arc remains on view at CCA

Project team

Client:

California College of the Arts

Architect:

Visible Research Office

Buro Happold services:

Structural engineering: non linear analysis