Research based teaching as a model for developing complex pre-cast concrete structures

摘要

This paper describes the potentials of utilising research-basedteaching as a method for developing advanced concrete structures in anarchitectural context. A novel technique for casting concrete elements inPETG plastic is described as a body of research that formed the basis of acase in which master students assisted in the development and realisation ofan amorphous, catenary grid-shell. Development in many areassimultaneously was essential for the success of the case studies, whichmade them suitable for a research-based teaching setup, where didacticconsiderations on a general and specific level were important: On a generallevel, three didactic tools were used: the first being the presentation ofknowledge generation as something that happens between researcher andstudent. The second involved presenting students with a narrow focusbefore presenting a wide one, and the third: viewing the teaching studio asan interdisciplinary laboratory. On a specific level, didactic considerationsinvolved a division of responsibility into smaller areas of investigation,allowing the students to conduct relevant experimentation while negotiatingother areas of the research. Also, the presentation of the conceptof tectonics provided a means for discussion, evaluation, and qualifying ofdecisions.