Formfinder Professional: A Software for Designing Form-Active Structures
Form-active structures are architectural structures that derive their shape and stability from the equilibrium of internal forces, such as tension or compression, rather than from rigid elements, such as beams or columns. Examples of form-active structures include tents, cable-stayed bridges, and membrane roofs.
Formfinder Professional
Designing form-active structures can be challenging, as they require a careful balance between form, function, and cost-effectiveness. To assist architects and project planners in this task, Formfinder Software GmbH has developed a software called Formfinder Professional, which is described as "as easy to operate as a sheet of paper and a pencil" .
What is Formfinder Professional?
Formfinder Professional is a software that assists architects and project planners in the design, planning and cost-effectiveness assessment for the implementation of form-active structures. Formfinder Professional is able to implement automatically optimised steel structures .
Formfinder Professional allows users to visualise architectural characteristics and to describe the process of finding Gestalt, which is the German word for "shape" or "form". Gestalt is a concept that refers to the way humans perceive and organise visual information into meaningful patterns or wholes .
Formfinder Professional uses a typology classification system to categorise form-active structures into basic types, such as arches, vaults, domes, cones, and shells. Users can select a type and modify its parameters, such as span, height, curvature, and boundary conditions. The software then generates a 3D model of the structure and calculates its structural behaviour, such as stress distribution, deformation, and reaction forces .
What are the benefits of using Formfinder Professional?
Formfinder Professional offers several benefits for architects and project planners who want to design form-active structures. Some of these benefits are:
It simplifies the design process by providing a user-friendly interface and intuitive tools.
It enhances the creativity and innovation of the users by allowing them to explore different forms and shapes.
It improves the quality and performance of the structures by optimising their geometry and material usage.
It reduces the time and cost of the projects by providing accurate and reliable information for fabrication and construction.
How can I get Formfinder Professional?
If you are interested in using Formfinder Professional for your projects, you can download a free trial version from their website . The trial version has some limitations, such as the number of nodes and elements that can be used. To unlock the full potential of the software, you can purchase a license from their online shop . The license includes technical support and updates for one year.
Formfinder Professional is compatible with Windows operating systems and requires a minimum of 4 GB of RAM and 500 MB of disk space. The software also supports various file formats for importing and exporting data, such as DXF, DWG, STL, OBJ, VRML, PDF, PNG, and JPG.
Conclusion
Formfinder Professional is a software that assists architects and project planners in the design, planning and cost-effectiveness assessment for the implementation of form-active structures. It allows users to visualise architectural characteristics and to describe the process of finding Gestalt. It also uses a typology classification system to categorise form-active structures into basic types. Formfinder Professional offers several benefits for users who want to design form-active structures, such as simplifying the design process, enhancing the creativity and innovation of the users, improving the quality and performance of the structures, and reducing the time and cost of the projects. Users can download a free trial version or purchase a license from their website.
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