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In the early phases of design collapsible structures were an avenue by which to think about parametric structures (relating to parametric modeling) and novel mechanics (related to digital fabrication). Charles Hoberman’s multiple inventions provided a platform on which a critical analysis of parametric design and its physical manifestations could be made. Three of his designs were specifically chosen for their variability in mechanics as well as their moderate scale and spatial complexity. Using the original patents, the designs were reverseengineered in AutoCAD. This revealed a complexity in the designs that had never been anticipated; the elements were found to be exceptionally simple while their relationships to one another were found to be exceptionally complex. Rigorous proportion among geometric shapes and relationships were usually demonstrated in a small component of the designs which was then multiplied to create the larger operating whole. These discoveries made a profound impact on the next phase of design in which there was no longer a blind search for something entirely original and ground-breaking, but led to a search for elegance in rigor and simplicity. As a result of the Hoberman studies, the design became primarily concerned with structure and its ability to collapse, which requires many intricate parametric relationships. The design was equally concerned with the spatiality of geometry and the ways in which parameters could affect the movement of the body through space.
Charles Hoberman U.S. Patent Number
6,082,056 REVERSIBLY EXPANDABLE STRUCTURES HAVING POLYGONAL LINKS
Charles Hoberman U.S. Patent Number
7,100,333 LOOP ASSEMBLIES HAVING A CENTRAL LINK
Charles Hoberman U.S. Patent Number
6,739,098 RETRACTABLE STRUCTURES COMPRISED OF INTERLINKED PANELS