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Name: Steel Dome Pavilion
Location: Computer science faculty, Amirkabir university (polytechnic), Tehran, Iran
Architecture firm: Paragen [→]
Architects: Sina Salimzadeh, Esmaeil Mottaghi, Arman Khalilbeigi
Area: 16 sqm
Date: Jan 2015
Type: Research pavilion
Materials: Steel
Executive team: Sina Salimzadeh, Esmaeil Mottaghi, Arman Khalilbeigi, Mehrdad Azizkhani
Photographer: Shayan Khalilbeigi
Client: AmirKabir university, faculty of Computer Science, proceedings of Amirkabir 8^th Winter School on Architecture Geometry

‘This Research Presents a method to fabricate free-form geometries by dividing them into discreet, developable pieces. The pieces are developable, single-curved and as flat as possible and rational in terms of total number of pieces. The aim is to make any arbitrary free-form manufacturable by 2D low-tech machinery with no need to use CNC/Robotic Folding and also minimizing the residual bending stress in each piece. Two geometrical Algorithms are developed to do so and as an example, have implied on two arbitrary geometries.

These Geometrical/Architectural approaches offer advantages like being applicable to Triangular and Quadrilateral Meshes and also suggest a trade-off function that balances the flatness of pieces with number of pieces. The intuitive nature of these approaches amplifies the geometrical perception of the base shape and elaborates its architectural aesthetics. The flatness of pieces and decreased bending stress leads to more axial behavior in structure and therefore the result is a thinner and lighter outcome; This statement was later examined in a real scale pavilion.

Approximation of complex geometries with simpler pieces has always been a topic of interest for architects and computational researchers. Architectural convenience and integrated aesthetics of free form structures is appealing designers. Inherited structural stability combined with conformity to architectural parameters makes these geometries ideal for ambitious architecture purposes. There are number of previous studies in this field such as hexagonal mesh of arbitrary surfaces, Designing shells with quadrilateral elements or different paneling methods for architectural or structural purposes. This Pavilion seeks an architectural approach that complies computational tools, can be conducted on any kind of mesh and is able to be optimized in order to control number of the pieces (strips).

Acknowledgments
The Directing team wishes to thank Prof. Helmut Pottman for his supervision and guidance. Also many thanks to Dr. Ali Mohades Khorasani for his kind corporations during the projects. The projects was dedicated to proceedings of Amirkabir 8^th Winter School on Computational Geometry.

Sponsors
- Sabalan Sooleh Co.
- AmirKabir (Polytechnic) university, faculty of Computer Science’
- Abad Tadbir Co.