Der Entwurf frei geformter Raumtragwerke am Beispiel des MUMUTH-Twist

Encouraged by the capabilities of the new surface modelling software, architects are discovering the attractions of free-form surfaces and structures. The architectural design governs the flow of forces within a building and vice versa. A close cooperation between architect and engineer, starting at the early pre-design stage, is therefore essential for the design of free-form structures.

This is exemplified by the “House for Music and Music Theater” (MUMUTH) in Graz, especially by the free formed and load bearing “Twist” in the foyer area of the building. The design process and form finding tools are explained as well as the different structural models of variable complexity that are used during the different design stages. The tools used to visualize the complicate geometry in the foyer area and to communicate the design between architect and engineer are described.