A History of Informative Research Frei Otto’s Form Finding Grounding our inspiration is the work of Frei Otto, who celebrated the remarkable interplay between materiality and environment, matter and physics. In contrast with the top-down dictation of preconceived form inherent to most of architectural practice at the time, Otto’s work was a negotiation between designer and material desires. His work is often characterized by the creation of an initial apparatus or organizational framework (Fig. 2.1) through which his chosen materials could adjust to gravitational or physical pressures, settling in to a more “natural” configuration or morphology. Otto understood these forms to more accurately embody the laws of physics which influence all construction. Of particular notoreity was his Multihalle Mannheim pavilion—a double gridded wooden matrix that, when pushed inward, rose into a materially inherent form that was then locked into place (Figs. 2.2 & 2.3)
FIGURE 2.2: Construction diagrams for Multihalle Manheim by Frei Otto (Source: Princeton University)
FIGURE 2.3: Multihalle Manheim by Frei Otto (Source: ArchDaily)
FIGURE 2.1: A form-finding experiment conducted by Frei Otto using bubbles. (Source: ArchDaily)