The geometric design of the “Guarinesque” vaults in Banz and Vierzehnheiligen in relation to the treatises of stereotomy

Abstract

Form finding is an effective approach for the conceptual design of structures. In the 1950s and 1960s, various form finding techniques flourished to create geometries that could not be realized with analytical models or graphical methods alone. The development of contemporary form finding owes much to the seminal work of a number of structural designers of the period, notably Frei Otto, Heinz Isler and Sergio Musmeci. The scientific cultures to which they belonged led to differentiated results in their research and design. This paper examines the approaches to the form finding of Otto, Isler and Musmeci, looking in particular at the inspirations, methods and visions of these protagonists in the history of structural design.