ABSTRACT
Recent design trends in tall buildings pose new challenges to structural designers, in addition to the traditional requirements for strength, stiffness, ductility and system efficiency, all new demanding questions has to be tackle with fresh approaches, novel structural systems and open minds. In this perspective, diagrid structures show an extraordinary efficiency, related to the adopted geometrical pattern. Being also adaptable to whatever surface, diagrid is becoming the most used structural solution for tall buildings of complex form. However, alternative geometrical patterns are worth of consideration for their structural and aesthetical qualities. Geometrical patterns observable in nature, can be a fruitful and almost endless source of inspirations for efficient man-made structures. The research aims to explore non-conventional, bio-inspired patterns, to be used as façade structural grids. For this purpose, a methodology inspired by homogenization approaches is developed. Diagrid configurations are adopted as benchmarks throughout the study, for performance and buildability assessments.
