Shell and Spatial Structures conference, Bucharest, Romania, 2005

1. IASS2005 5-11 September 2005
REASSESSMENT OF LESSONS LEARNED
FROM SHELLS FOR SPATIAL MULTI-
STOREY STRUCTURES
Maria BOSTENARU
Istituto Universitario di Studi Superiori di Pavia
ROSE School
Italy

2. Overview
 Introduction
 The engineering forms derived from the
nave structure
 The engineering forms derived from the
metaphor of the nave
 Conclusions

3. Introduction
 Lessons re-evaluated in light of new
understanding
– Traditional constructions which behaved in
earthquakes better than modern buildings
– ‚local seismic culture‘
– The urban way of life leaded to these
improvements
– Ex. timber structures

4. The Engineering Forms Derived
from the Nave Structure
 dense inhabitation > multi-storey
constructions
 Coastal cities: building of naves –
‚industrial‘ work
 Timber frame (Lisbon, Messina, Venice,
Ionian islands, Istanbul, Germany, N
France, England)
 Ship structure – timber frame

5. The Engineering Forms Derived
from the Nave Structure: Lisbon

6. The Engineering Forms Derived fro
the Nave Structure: half-timber
Germany
England

7. The Engineering Forms Derived
from the Metaphor of the Nave

8. The Engineering Forms Derived
from the Metaphor of the Nave
 Metaphor of the nave
– Level of the facade
– Level of interior space
 France
– Gothic
 ‚nave structure‘
 Frame-infill – bird-cage structure (like timber)
– RC multi-storey structures
 skeleton / infill
– seismic codes
– urban texture

9. The Engineering Forms Derived
from the Metaphor of the Nave
Vienna

10. The Engineering Forms Derived
from the Metaphor of the Nave
Frame and
skeleton in
the 20th century

11. The Engineering Forms Derived
from the Metaphor of the Nave
 Sacral and residential programmes
– exchange in architecural language
– exchange in structural language

12. The Engineering Forms Derived
from the Metaphor of the Nave
Arch. Ottokar Uhl
Vienna

13. The Engineering Forms Derived
from the Metaphor of the Nave
Romania

14. The Engineering Forms
Derived from the
Metaphor of the Nave
Cantilever
Cassette-ceilings

15. Conclusions
 Urban way of life
– Industrial work
– Dense inhabitation
 Adoption of a certain engineering type for multi-storey
construction
 Ships withstand lateral forces like waves > good seismic
behaviour of the buildings they inspired
 Timber indigenous techniques – engineering skills
 The design of spatial structures is like a laboratory
where the possibilities of the new material are
researched
 Lessons to be learned for RC

16. Thank you!