SXL workshop at Nanjing University, China

Catherine De Wolf (SXL) is organizing a workshop on structural interactive design at the school of Architecture, Nanjing University, China. The workshop focuses on circular economy principles. Reducing the environmental impacts of buildings can only occur if we add a fourth dimension to structural design practice: the time dimension. Four-dimensional (4D) structural design implies system-wide innovations that redefine growth through positive societal benefits. The course therefore introduces industry-wide strategies to lower greenhouse gas emissions related to material extraction, production, transport to the site, construction, maintenance and demolition of the structure of buildings. Interactive structural design through building information modelling will be illustrated to achieve the goals of environmental buildings. Students are given a design exercise for a simple structure to span 6 meters. Each student choses a different material or structural shape. Structural interactive design techniques are taught (computer modeling, hand calculations, drawings, etc.) in order to give them tools to design the structure with the lowest impact possible.