Growth and Iteration: Exploring Tectonic Design with Natural Tree Branch Materials from the Perspective of Tree Morphology
摘要
The growth process of trees embodies efficient and ingenious structural characteristics, where high-strength fibers grow along the axial direction of branches, making it a biologically smart material that is difficult to simulate. For a long time, due to various factors, a large amount of unconventional lumber, such as natural tree branch materials, has not been utilized in the construction of buildings, resulting in the wastage of its unique organic structural morphology and mechanical properties. Based on the perspective of tree morphology, this study analyzes and learns from the growth patterns, structural forms, and environmental adaptations of trees. It proposes an iterative algorithm for simulating growth structures based on the Grasshopper platform, and elaborated on the issues of data transformation and control. In terms of subjective control methods, a manual adjustment method and an automatic generation method were innovatively proposed and tested to varying degrees. Regarding digital construction, the study focused on simplifying joints and innovating mortise and tenon structures, conducting preliminary construction experiments. This research initially explores a method for the design and construction of wooden structures using natural tree branch materials from the perspective of tree morphology. It is dedicated to finding new wooden structural forms that fully utilize the organic structural characteristics of trees.