Synthesis of Kit-of-parts Structures for Reuse

This paper shows a computational workflow to design a kit of parts consisting of linear bars and spherical joints that can be employed to assemble, take apart, and rebuild diverse reticular structures, e.g. gridshells and space frames. Being able to reuse bars and joints among different structures designed with this method reduces the material demand compared to one-off construction. The input of the method is a set of different reticular structures intended to be built from a common kit of parts. In a first step, the structure geometries are optimised such that the structures share groups of members with identical lengths to allow the placement of same bars in all structures. In a second step, the kit-of-parts joints are optimised to allow their reuse in different structures as well. This is achieved by merging the specific connection patterns of nodes from different structures into one joint. The potential of the proposed method is demonstrated via its application to two case studies: 1) the design of three temporary space frame roofs, and 2) the realisation of three pavilion-scale prototypes serving as a proof of concept. The latter case study also shows the robotic fabrication of the bespoke joints.