24 tons of towering stone & grace, held together with compression

Vaulted archway at the entrance to the stadium, Olympia, Greece, 200 BC¹
Credit: https://baderjournal.wordpress.com/2016/05/30/katakolon-greece-olympia/

Vaults, constructed without mortar, hidden substructure, or other means of support (apart from compression) have been known since antiquity. Viewed in that light, structures such as that shown above are extraordinary.

But the vault below has the same absence of hidden support!


Armadillo Vault, Venice, Italy, 2016
Credit: Iwan Baan/Dezeen Magazine

If the entire structure looks as if it's about to collapse, consider this: “A football team could dance on top of it.” – Philippe Block, ETH, Zurich

“Other means of support”, during construction:


Credit: Anna Maragkoudaki/Dezeen Magazine

More
http://www.wired.com/2016/06/compression-keeps-24-tons-stone-collapsing/?mbid=nl_6816

Wikepedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vault_(architecture)
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¹ Wikipedia: “Olympia, Greece”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympia,_Greece / 24 tons of towering stone grace held together with compression compression nature nature’s glue Armadillo Vault self-supporting pavilion comprising 399 limestone slabs spanning 52 feet curving bending columns 13th-century Venice building this year’s Architecture Biennale no glue no mortar no hidden substructure 24-ton edifice doesn’t collapse really smart architecture architects engineers opposition between compression pushing together tension pulling apart Eiffel Tower stone-clad cathedrals Europe every bridge ever rely on balancing these two forces Armadillo Vault different direction limestone blocks series of conjoined arches classic form turns compression into strength stands minimalist system tension ties helps balance structure at the ground level need a little help imagine this kind of shape computation Philippe Block research group ETH Zurich developed develop development Armadillo Vault Block Research Group software package RhinoVAULT designed let architects manipulate tension compression forces 3D model design Armadillo inside world heritage site Corderie dell’Arsenale redistribute forces on the floor minimal footprint as possible undulating shape software both functional aesthetic build pavilion RhinoVAULT results assign blocks West Texas quarry numbers specific locations built wooden form inside pavilion laid the stones in place remove scaffolding stones support themselves not put a razor blade between the stones pretty tough football team could dance on top of it American football team walking inside visitors see forces acting on the blocks ceiling visual representation physics Armadillo Vault proof flowing sinuous forms buildings architects don’t need complex steel substructures design tools RhinoVAULT build same elaborate structures with far less material more honest representation of a geometry materials beautiful /