Variation from Repetition

Making double curvature surfaces in architectural design is nontrivial and presents many challenges. Design and fabrication of these complex shapes requires systematic approaches. Most current design and fabrication processes distribute adaptable patterns over modulated variable surfaces. But to produce variation with this method means many machining hours and a budget that a conventional architectural project cannot afford. An alternative method to achieve such complex shapes would be to overlap identical elements on a grid. This paper presents an approach to fabricate such complex surfaces from the repetition of a series of identical elements.