Katenara – 弦閣

Taichung City, Taiwan

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Katenara – 弦閣

Taichung City, Taiwan

Firm

Building Simplexity Laboratory (BSL), The University of Hong Kong

Type

Cultural › Pavilion

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2023

SIZE

0 sqft - 1000 sqft

BUDGET

$50K - 100K

Architects and engineers have long explored geometry and cost reduction in construction to create structurally sound and aesthetically engaging spaces. Recently, glue-laminated (glulam) timber has gained attention as an environmentally sustainable option for roof structures. However, manufacturing complex geometries with glulam timber is hindered by expensive bespoke moulds.

The KATENARA (弦閣) Pavilion is a curved glue-laminated timber shelter, situated in the Dongshi Forestry Cultural Park, Taichung City, Taiwan, that demonstrates the potential of evolutionary algorithms to simplify non-standard, lightweight catenary wood structures by reducing needed moulds, thus lowering production costs. The pavilion features a doubly-curved wooden roof surface, composed of two glulam ring beams, and ten near-catenary-shaped glulam beams, anchored by tension cables. Parametric engineering software optimised the catenary beams' number and spacing, while the design was further optimised for low-tech timber construction settings.

Bespoke evolutionary algorithms enabled the pre-fabrication of all curved glulam elements using a single jig, which still accounted for 19% of the total timber works cost. This highlights the impact of reducing the number of jigs on a project's budget. Strategically controlled parametric detailing simplified the connection between the roof floor and suspended beams, using steel connection details to facilitate easy fabrication and minimise the complexity of on-site installation. The on-site assembly of KATENARA's main structure was completed within just three hours, following which additional roofing materials and details were added to ensure longevity.

As the first built example of optimised suspended glulam roof structures for low-tech timber construction contexts, KATENARA lays the foundation for more inventive building designs, particularly in developing construction contexts where cost-effective and sustainable solutions are vital. The project showcases how advanced computational methods and evolutionary algorithms can transform architectural design and construction, enabling architects and engineers to create visually striking, structurally efficient, and environmentally sustainable designs that push global construction boundaries.

PROJECT | 弦閣 – Katenara
COMPLETION | 14 December 2023
LOCATION |臺灣臺中市東勢林業文化園區 – Dongshi Forestry Cultural Park, Taichung City, Taiwan
INSTITUTE |農業部林業及自然保育署臺中分署 – Taichung Branch, Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, Ministry of Agriculture (MoA)

DESIGN RESEARCH | Building Simplexity Lab (BSL), The University of Hong Kong (HKU), Faculty of Architecture (FoA)
IN COLLABORATION WITH | 國立陽明交通大學建築所 – National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), Graduate Institute of Architecture (GIA)
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR | 高仕棠 – Dr Kristof Crolla
CO – INVESTIGATOR | 侯君昊 – Dr June-Hao Hou
PROJECT LEAD | 黃朗軒 – Nichol Wong
PROJECT TEAM | 高仕棠, 黃朗軒, 許倍銜, 侯君昊, 鄭宇彤 – Dr Kristof Crolla, Nichol Wong, Dr Pei-Hsien Hsu, Dr June-Hao Hou, Yu-Tung Cheng
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING | 原型結構工程顧問有限公司 – A.S studio Engineering Consultant

TIMBER MANUFACTURING | 國立臺灣大學實驗林水里木材利用實習工廠 – National Taiwan University (NTU), Suili Wood Utilisation Factory
METAL MANUFACTURING | 國立陽明交通大學機械系實習工場 – NYCU Machine Workshop
CONSTRUCTION | 藝創木構 – Wood Art And Structure
MATERIAL SUPPORT | 農業部林業及自然保育署 – Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, MoA

PROJECT VIDEO | https://vimeo.com/903147788
PROJECT VIDEO DESIGN | Julien Klisz, Laboratory for Explorative Architecture & Design Ltd. (LEAD)

PROJECT WEBSITE | https://bsl.hku.hk/katenara/

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT | This research was supported by the General Research Fund from The Research Grants Council (Hong Kong), Project Title: “Innovating Timber Roofs: Algorithmic Expansion of Light-Weight Glulam Solutions for Low-Tech Construction Contexts” (RGC Ref No. 17608221).