Abstract
The interaction of geometry, structure and construction design in the I Live with Nature shell is the focus of the paper. The demonstrator consists of a masonry shell with a corrugated single-leaf cross-section composed of modular units. The installation was built within a 16-day timeframe for the 2024 Shenzhen Flower Show. Structural and construction parameters were embedded into the early design process, aiming to eliminate the need for scaffolding and temporary guidework. Global and construction-phase structural analyses, based on the Discrete Element Method (DEM), accounted for time-dependent mortar behaviour to evaluate stability during construction. Augmented Reality (AR) technology was utilised for digital tracing, enabling scaffold-free assembly without the need for physical drawings. The combination of structural and construction design, numerical analyses and innovative technology enables the construction of complex geometries, ensuring accuracy and boosting construction productivity. The I Live with Nature shell was completed for the Greater Bay Area Shenzhen Flower Show 2024, an international event that has taken place annually in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (China) since 2019. The shell is conceived as a landscape installation that embodies the integration of urban life and nature, celebrating the aesthetic and ecological benefits of incorporating natural elements into the built environment.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 180-194 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | International Journal of Space Structures |
| Volume | 40 |
| Issue number | 2-3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jun 1 2025 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Conservation
- Civil and Structural Engineering
- Architecture
- Building and Construction
Keywords
- augmented reality
- construction management
- discrete element method (DEM)
- masonry
- Shell