Architectural Scale Kagome Weaving: Design methods and fabrication concepts

In this paper, key challenges regarding the design and fabrication of Kagome weaves at architectural scale are addressed. The motivation for seeking to transfer this basket making strategy to architectural production is that it provides a clear set of principles for achieving a broad range of complex, doubly-curved morphologies (including freeform and high-genus) while only using straight strips of material in fabrication. In contrast to milling, casting and forming approaches for realising complex geometric designs, using straight strips in combination with Kagome principles can offer key advantages without constraining the morphological design space. In this study, two research questions are defined:

1) How can existing representational methods, found in the literature, be extended to support design analysis and fabrication at architectural scale?
2) What are the fabrication strategies for realising large scale woven structures that preserve the principle of material interlacing?

In answering these research questions, the principles governing Kagome weave are described, as are the methods of integrating these principles into digital tools for design exploration and analysis – with clear extensions to the state-of-the-art. A novel and scalable fabrication concept for realising Kagome weaves at architectural scale is also described. This concept utilises strips of geo-synthetic cementitious composite mat and has been tested in the context of a one-week workshop resulting in a full-scale prototype. The merits and drawbacks of this approach are critically assessed, and perspectives on further developments to both the design tools and fabrication methods are provided.