Setting up a hypothesis: planning the Structural Concept.
At the beginning of this competition, I received an impressive sketch which expressed an architectural vision from the architect, Mr. Toyoo Ito. It seemed unrealistic with irregular tubes supporting several thin plates swaying like seaweed. However, the picture, full of poetry had a strong power and stirred my imagination. It was a very abstract architectural concept and moreover, it was a power to inspire the structural conceptual design which made this creation possible. As an ultimate model of future architecture, I proposed a minimal and pure structural system, composed of only plates which regulate the architecture and tubes which support the plates . By using all my knowledge and experience, I gradually started to have a clear structural image in my mind and finally an exciting idea came to me which made the whole thing fortunately possible.
As I've been recently interested in subtle structure, I will exhibit those concepts such as a clear tube with HP-shape's lattice shell by slender steel pipes for the main structure, earthquake-energy absorbing system setting at the basement , and extremely thin plates with steel sandwich-structure and so on.
The verification of hypothesis: the computer simulation of the structural analysis.
If it is impossible to create or prove, even though a concept is so excellent in the structural design, it has no value at all. It has to be proved technologically that it is safe for any natural phenomenon such as earthquakes or gravity and so on. It also has to be verified that it is possible to realize it from the view point of construction and economics. Especially, in case of a special structural system which has never been done before, a structural analysis by computer simulation for the technological verification is the most important action in the structural design. In the first stage, I made a rough estimate of the hypothetical model with a technological judgment using a basic simulation and then at the point where I had the certainty that the hypothesis was correct, I determined structural forms, structural members and basic details and also set up a design criteria for the several technological objectives. Moreover, at the real design stage for this project, I verified the safety of this structure for higher-level mechanical objectives through the action of receiving a structural evaluation from The Building Center of Japan. In addition, I received a certificate of ministry authorization (for the whole of chapter 3 in the Building Standard Law of Japan) . These broad verifications for the structure are possible only because of the full use of a computer simulation as a design skill.
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