Enlisting Clustering and Graph-Traversal Methods for Cutting Pattern and Net Topology Design in Pneumatic Hybrids

Cutting patterns for architectural membranes are generally characterised
by rational approaches to surface discretisation and minimisation of
geometric deviation between discrete elements that comprise the membrane. In
this paper, we present an alternative approach for cutting pattern generation to
those described in the literature. Our method employs computational techniques
of clustering and graph-traversal to operate on arbitrary design meshes. These
design meshes can contain complex curvature, including anticlastic curvatures.
Curvature analysis of the design mesh provides the input to the cutting pattern
generation method and the net topology generation method used to produce a
constraint net for a given membrane. We test our computational design approach
through an iterative cycle of digital and physical prototyping before realising an
air-inflated cable restrained pneumatic structural hybrid, at full-scale. Using a
Lidar captured point-cloud model, we evaluate our results by comparing the
geometrical deviation of the realised structure to that of the target design
geometry. We argue that this work presents new potentials for membrane
expression and aesthetic by allowing free-patterning of the membrane, but
identify current limits of the workflow that impede the use of the design method
across the breadth of current architectural membrane applications. Nevertheless,
we identify possible architectural scenarios in which the current method would
be suitable.