UHPFRC Folded Pavilion

The aim of the Student Workshop “Material Optimization and Geometric Exploration” (ENSA Paris-Belleville and University of Naples Federico II) is to discover the possibilities offered by new materials, starting from their characteristics. The final goal is to build a synthetic pavilion, which—in the last session—demonstrates ultra-high performances fibre reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) capacities. Designing with UHPFRC requires thinking simultaneously about the geometry, the static, the casting (mainly precast) and the implementation process. The design of the pavilion starts with a widespread geometric exploration using a phylogenetic tree. This approach has the advantage of exploring different designs at the same time without enclosing the creative process in one path. The geometry of the final pavilion is based on a folded surface, called “Yoshimura”, made out of rows of triangles. The profile of the pavilion is bent in order to create a double curvature and so, more stability. The modules are multiplied asymmetrically to minimize the number of the moulds, having at the end just one mould for each row of triangles. The moulds are made with polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG) laser-cut sheets which have been folded afterwards. This process has been chosen for both the smooth finishing it delivers and the simplicity of the fabrication process.