Methods of Designing Tree Structures, Techniques of Their Implementation, and Their Morphological Effects on the Interior Spaces in Buildings

Abstract

The second decade of the twenty-first century witnessed a wide spread of biological structures inspired by nature and living organisms, and one of these structures is Tree-Like Branching Structures; Which has captured the attention of many architects around the world, because of its important effects on the architectural and structural levels of the interior spaces in buildings; Tree structures rely on transferring large surface loads to a single column on the ground, using thinner structural elements that cover larger areas than those used in conventional structures (columns), within multiple design forms (continuous tree structure, articulated tree structure or intertwined tree branches network), with implementation techniques that vary according to the building materials and the size of the tree structures implemented (cast on site, prefabricated, on site assembly); The current research clarifies some methods of designing these complex structures (Numerical and digital method), and compares between the different implementation techniques, and their effects on the interior spaces (opening to the outside, the diversity of roofs and coverings (flat, curved, inclined))