Bend the Rules of Structure

By Peter Hall Metropolis
Published on June 1, 2003

Pratt Institute professor of architecture Haresh Lalvani and his
partner Bruce Gitlin, chief of the 40-year-old Milgo/Bufkin metal
sculpting firm, have set out to ?crush structures to reveal what
they really want to become.? With their AlgoRhythms project they
have set out to change the way we perceive architecture and
structure by letting metal assume shapes that form naturally under
pressure. ?AlgoRhythms describes a method for folding a single
sheet of metal into complex and elaborate forms, based on Lalvani’s
calculations,? Peter Hall reports for Metropolis. The end
results most closely resemble the work of architect Frank Gehry,
but the AlgoRhythms shapes are based on Lalvani?s ?genetic code,?
which is based on morphological laws, variations of Islamic motifs,
and molecular structures like the buckyball, a 60-atom carbon
molecule. And they?re just getting warmed up. ?[Lalvani] argues
that if his artificial genetic code were to be combined with
biological or physical building processes, buildings could
eventually be ?grown? into any desired shape,? writes Hall. Sounds
trippy, man.
?Nick Garafola

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Bend the Rules of Structure

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