Gravitational Field 4.0 - Hypar Ware

In September 2019, after one month of prefabrication and 10 days of onsite construction, an installation called ‘Hypar Wave’ was erected by the Huangpu River in Shanghai. Although existing for short, it appeals to people and activates the surrounding public life tremendously. The installation exists as a public stage at the World Expo riverside area for activities such as DIY workshops, avant-garde exhibitions and impromptu drama performances. On a steel structure base covering an area of about 100 square meters, the hyperboloid shell looks like a wave dancing, or a tent falling from the sky. It touches the ground with three lightweight supports. Its open and dynamic appearance communicates a sense of openness to the public and echoes with the site characteristics of the riverside walk. The wooden shell extending from the top to the ground is covered with intertwined wooden strips, reminiscent of the intimacy of natural materials. During non-activity periods, the installation is an ideal place for relaxation. The curved cover framework delineates the beautiful scenery on the other side of the river, making the installation a superb place to enjoy the river view. Structural thinking plays a pivotal role in the design process. Thanks to the unique structural rigidity of hyperboloids per se, the wooden hyperbolic shell is incredibly thin: the hyperboloid with a surface area of 140 m2 is only 6 cm thick. After prefabrication, the modules are assembled onsite to form a continuous smooth surface. The prefabricated assembly approach enables the on-site construction timeframe to be well controlled within 10 days, meeting the goal of ‘quick-to-complete’ flexibility.