Abstract:
This book has been long in gestation. The original stimulus for it came about seven years ago out of my teaching about space structures to student architects, reinforced by my earlier doctoral research into space grid
structures. When asked by students to suggest an appropriate text where they might encounter information about
the geometry, design parameters, detailing and construction of space grids, I found the choice was rather
limited (although there seemed to be many more books
describing the structural behaviour and analysis of such
structures). At that time a book that I consistently recommended was Space Grid Structures by John Borrego,
which was published in 1968 by MIT Press (and, coincidentally, has the same title as this present volume).
However, thirty years have passed since its publication
and the technology of space grids has developed considerably over this period. Therefore, from the outset my
intention has been to create a text of similar utility for
architects, engineers and builders who wish to understand the basics of space grid design and construction
in the late 1990s.
Encouragement to pursue this idea came in 1993, when
I attended the 4th Space Structures Conference at the
University of Surrey, where I tried to strike up a conversation with Stéphane du Château, one of the pioneers of
space grid structures who sadly died this year, aged 92.
He immediately asked if I was an engineer or an architect and when I responded ‘engineer’, he at first was not
too keen to talk to me but when I added that I taught in
a School of Architecture he became very communicative
and eventually presented me with a signed copy of his
own book on structural morphology in which he wrote:
‘a Jean – John Chilton – pour l’inspirer des idées
pas comme les autres – avec toute ma sympathie’
Guildford
10.9.93
It was after much consideration that the title ‘Space
