Double-Layered Elastic Gridshells with Locally Deployable Rotational-Surface Components

We present a novel class of bending-active, double-layered gridshells composed of locally deployable components. Each component, made of straight elastic lamellae arranged in a non-uniform linkage, can be deployed from a compact cylindrical state into a double-curved rotational surface. This enables all components to be prefabricated, compactly stored and transported, and rapidly deployed on-site for efficient assembly. The double-layered configuration also provides structural depth and thus favorable load-bearing capacity to the final assembly. A complete computational design pipeline is tailored to this new class of gridshells. The deployability of individual components is ensured through geometric layout construction. Physics-based simulation is employed to predict the equilibrium state of the gridshell given prescribed beam cross-sections and material properties. Numerical optimization is used to automatically adapt the design to better match a given target shape and minimize overall elastic energy of the constituent ribbons. Using this pipeline, we can design lightweight, bending-active structures from simple, easily accessible straight lamellae, while offering a unique aesthetic. The versatility and practical potential of our approach is demonstrated through various design studies and fabricated prototypes.