ABSTRACT
Trusses and trussed frames have been used for centuries and applied in great variety to overcome spans that exceeded the constructibility of single beam systems for bridges and roofs. Concepts in early truss design often included a multiple load transfer allowing variants of structural functioning within a truss beam. Looking closer at the specific layout, the arrangement of components clearly communicates also the model in which these structures have been developed leading to pure accumulation of members, simple overlays of structural systems, interwoven members within a regular framework, or a systematic aggregation of single load cases. Structural layouts can reflect formal expressions and thus allow for perceptions of spatial situations, indications of mass and lightness, or exemplifying a sense of motion within the conscious formation of structural members. The paper traces early concepts in truss design to explore possible formal and structural qualities of multiplicity.
