Möbius Strip Segmented into Flat Trapezoids: Design-Build Project by the Departments of Architecture and Mathematics of the Technische Universität Darmstadt

Abstract

The Möbius strip trade fair stand was designed and built by students of the Faculty of Architecture of Darmstadt Technical University in collaboration with students of the Faculty of Mathematics. The project focused on two main issues: to introduce computer-driven parametric design and production strategies, techniques and technologies into architectural education, and to build and operate the final result. This required knowledge of different software packages and readiness to become familiar quickly with unknown data formats, flexibility in the time schedule and disposition to transport the material to the machinery. It introduced students to the possibilities of designing with parametric modeling software and familiarized them with the initial difficulties and ample payback in actual production.

Jürgen Bokowski, Electrical Engineer, Berlin 1964, studied mathematics, Ph.D. at Technical University Berlin, 1972. Habilitation at University Bochum 1979, Professor of Mathematics at Technical University of Darmstadt since 1981, Guest Professor at Université 6, Paris, 2004, and at Universidad National Autónoma de México, 2008/2009. Teaching activities included descriptive geometry for architects. For research interests, mainly convexity and combinatorial geometry, see his book entitled Computational Oriented Matroids, Equivalence classes of matrices within a natural framework (Cambridge University Press, 2006), which also shows many self-made mathematical pottery models.