Bend and Pull (2017 Folly Proposal)
:Bendable Single-wired Tensegrity Shelter
Bend-and-Pull is a portable, demountable structure composed of lightweight steel
bands, with one end secured to the ground allowing free rotation using hinges while
the other end is connected to a tensile cable and anchor. The overall banding shapes
of the structure is controlled by the tensile force of the cable, which can be pulled and
locked at three different stages, secured by the ground anchor. Unlike other complex
shelter structures based on fabric tied tensile rods and/or compression poles, Bendand-
Pull uses only thin, straight bends and a tensile cable, which radically simplifies
the fabrication and installation process. By controlling the bending of the steel bands,
we can adjust the shape of the structure to a form akin to Cinderella’s carriage, rather
than just a bended arc form. The set of bands can be tied and stacked for compact and
easy storage. Once they are moved to the site, unfolded, and clipped to the hinges for
setup, people can simply Bend (the bands) and Pull (the cable) to install.
Team:
Jin Young Song (Principal designer)
323 Hayes Hall, University at Buffalo South Campus, Buffalo, NY14214
jysong@gmail.com
Jongmin Shim (Engineering consultant)
Andrew Koudlai
Hakcheol Seo