Artwork by Future Forms. Structural engineering by Endrestudio. This perforated canopy provides an expressive shade structure for the Chattanooga Patten Parkway.
Perforated steel plates are folded and riveted to a series of alternating stiffener plates. The folds and overall form provide structural depth, and the stiffener plates provide continuity, creating a stable expressive system requiring no additional structural support.
Perforated steel plates were designed using Finite Element Analysis, and stiffener plates were designed as simple centerline elements. Rigid links connected the two sets of elements. Below, Von Mises stress and utilization are respectively shown for the plates and stiffener elements.
Computational design and digital fabrication were used to precisely lay out and laser cut plate assemblies. Sections of the assembly could be built separately, and bolted together on site.
