Photo credit: Rafael Pastrana
Kirigami Strata combines artificial intelligence (AI) with structural mechanics research to unlock the design space of kirigami space frames for building applications. An AI model trained on mathematical transformations of symmetry groups generates spin-valence cut patterns for performance-driven structural design. Each pattern endows the space frame with unique, multifaceted attributes, exposing the functional layers embedded in the system: remarkable mechanical performance, distinctive architectural expressions, and a mesmerizing interplay of light and shadow. With kirigami principles, pre-cut steel sheets can be flat-packed and seamlessly reconfigured into low-waste pop-up assemblies of mechanically performant 3D space frames. The intersection of mechanics and AI offers designers an opportunity to create new lightweight and strong shapes for building components such as roofs, floors, and walls.
Image credit: Cindy Zhang
Photo credit: Emily Baker
