Archinect
Stephen Stewart

Stephen Stewart

Albany, CA, US

anchor

Berlin Free Philological Library Model

This sectional model was the final part of a precedence study of tectonic articulation in modern architecture in preparation for the studio’s Spring trip to Berlin. Norman Foster’s library addition to the Berlin Free University and its dome form have become an icon of modern Berlin. Using a space frame, the outer shell was able to stand without the need for interior columns. This innovative structure and its spatial relationship to the inserted floor plates became the focus of the model. The construction of the model combined both digital and analog tools. Beginning with the modeling of the space frame in Rhino the individual pieces were sized, ordered and layed out to laser cut using Grasshopper. The final assembly required gluing over 1,700 individual pieces. Several coats of paint were added to achieve the iconic yellow form, and a small section of translucent panels were placed to give better understanding of the interior light qualities.

 
Read more

Status: School Project
Location: Berlin, DE
Additional Credits: Max Edwards, Ben Golze