Architectural Design Based on Structural Performance

Innovative and efficient designs of structures can be achieved by applying optimisation techniques that are capable of minimising the material usage and maximising the performance. The bi-directional evolutionary structural optimisation (BESO) method, originally proposed by Professor Mike Xie and his co-workers, has been well developed for this purpose. BESO is based on the simple concept of gradually removing inefficient material from a structure and, at the same time, adding material to the most needed locations. Such a simple but universally applicable technique can be used to not only reduce the weight and the associated energy consumption of aircraft and motor vehicles but also produce strikingly elegant structural designs of bridges and buildings. This presentation will demonstrate how the BESO method (and the Ameba software developed by Professor Xie’s team) could be effectively used to design a wide range of high-performance and light-weight structures including spectacular buildings, long-span bridges, unmanned aircraft, exquisite furniture, and so on. The talk will also show how such beautiful and organic designs can be realised by using advanced manufacturing technologies including 3D printing.