Constructing Equilibrium, FS2014
Teaching concept
The designation Structural Design signifies the idea, defined as programmatic for the
Chair of the same title, of the rapprochement between engineer and architect through the
conflation of built structure and design concept. A central element of this convergence is
graphical statics, a vector-geometric illustration of the distribution of forces in a built
structure which dates back to ETH Professor Carl Culmann (1821-1881).
The illustration of construction knowledge through a visual language that is understood by
an architect and fosters intuition does not present an overly simplified view of
interrelationships, but is mathematically precise and meets the standards of engineering
sciences. This method of structural analysis also fosters a holistic understanding of the
interaction of form and structure, in other words the understanding of the internal forces
within a built structure that help determine its form.
last modified 27.3.2020