Architects: Shigeru Ban, Jean de Gastines

The Centre Pomidou in Metz – a platform for exchange between artists, curators, researchers and graphic designers – is project has great relevance to us as it explores the concept of executing ideas in computational form and digital fabrication. Made by architects Shigeru Ban and Jean de Gastines, who have explored similar procedures in past buildings have collaborated together to make this ‘Satellite’ project of the original Centre Pompidou (Paris).

The 77 meters high, (alluding to the 1977 opening date of the original Centre Pompidou) structure was inspired by the traditional Chinese woven straw hat, and is woven together with 1800 glue-laminated beams with a total length of 18000m. The beams were made in a German construction company (Amann) using CNC milling machines that fashioned the beams to the millimeter. The shells stiffness was achieved using 2000 hardwood dowels and 3500 pins to connect the six layers of beams.

This all would not have been possible if it was not for the use of CAD systems using NURBS surfaces and the use of CNC milling machines. Defining the form, detailing and optimization would never have been realized in the form presented if it were not for the use of Digital planning and fabrication.

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