Article

Form, Force and Structure: A Brief History

  1. Remo Pedreschi

Article first published online: 6 MAR 2008

DOI: 10.1002/ad.636

Issue

Architectural Design

Architectural Design

Special Issue: Versatility and Vicissitude

Volume 78, Issue 2, pages 12–19, March/April 2008

Additional Information

How to Cite

Pedreschi, R. (2008), Form, Force and Structure: A Brief History. Archit Design, 78: 12–19. doi: 10.1002/ad.636

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 6 MAR 2008
  2. Article first published online: 6 MAR 2008

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

Get PDF (702K)

Keywords:

  • reinforced concrete;
  • François Hennebique's patent for fire-proof framing;
  • ‘structural art’;
  • David P Billington;
  • F Angerer;
  • Intuitions of structural behaviour;
  • Intuitions of structural action;
  • Intuitions of structural adequacy;
  • Remo Pedreschi, The catenary and the arch, 2007;
  • Poleni;
  • Karl Culmann;
  • Robert Maillart;
  • Stauffacher Bridge;
  • Wilhelm Ritter;
  • Valtschielbach Bridge;
  • Salginatobel Bridge;
  • ‘world monument’;
  • American Society of Civil Engineers;
  • Cement Hall for the Swiss Expo in 1939;
  • Pier Luigi Nervi;
  • Hangar for the Italian air force, Orvieto, Italy, 1935;
  • Exhibition Hall, Turin, Italy, 1949;
  • Eduardo Torroja;
  • Fronton Recoletas Stadium;
  • Felix Candela;
  • hyperbolic paraboloid;
  • Lomas de Cuernavaca Church (1959);
  • Los Manatiales restaurant;
  • Heinz Isler;
  • ‘freeform shells’;
  • ‘creative play’;
  • Deitingen Süd Service Station (1968);
  • The Sicli SA factory;
  • Eladio Dieste;
  • Gaussian vaults;
  • The Church of Jesus Christ the Worker;
  • Guggenheim Museum

Abstract

Over the last century, engineers' and architect-engineers' approach to the relationship between form, force and mass has changed significantly, both on a conceptual and methodological level. It is a shift only made possible by the collaborative efforts of design, engineering and construction expertise. Professor Remo Pedreschi discusses the work of Robert Maillart, Pier Luigi Nervi, Eduardo Torroja, Felix Candela, Heinz Isler and Eladio Dieste to illustrate the important changes and contributions that have taken place and how they influence the way we think about performance from an engineering point of view today. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Get PDF (702K)