Mapping Rectangles to Cylinders: Waste-Conscious Constructions of Curved Structural Surfaces

Abstract

This research explores the generation of a novel syntax for architecture driven by the preserved proportions of 4 ft. x 8 ft. rectangular sheets of flexible material. The primary goal is to develop strategies that reduce or eliminate material waste in small-scale public installations by leveraging the full dimensions of standard stock material as a building block. Following a brief survey on how geometric definition and construction sequences informed tectonic assemblies of the past, this paper introduces a subset of curved crease folding that uses planar reflections (sectional mirror operations) to create unique spatial and structural vocabularies by avoiding material offcuts entirely. Finally, the research illustrates a full-scale prototype that tests the effectiveness of the process in the form of a shade structure in a local neighborhood park.