Demi Fang | Demi Fang

computational design

System-level design of low-carbon structures

System-level design of low-carbon structures — “What is more likely to be associated with a reduction in emissions: switching from concrete to timber, or shortening the spans throughout the building?” While such insights are valuable for mitigating emissions from structural systems

Trans-typology design space exploration using gradients

Trans-typology design space exploration using gradients — Does a timber beam or a steel truss result in a lighter structure? Between shortening the span and decreasing the load demand, which results in a more efficient structure? Structural designers pursuing high-performance design must

Quantifying the influence of continuous and discrete design decisions using sensitivities

Quantifying the influence of continuous and discrete design decisions using sensitivities — Early-stage design decisions have a large impact on the performance of buildings. Especially the case of mixed (continuous and discrete) design variables can complicate human and computer understandings of how individual choices contribute to performance,

Flow-informed topology design

Flow-informed topology design — An alternate geometric method to facilitate designing with “force flow”. Principles and precedents in efficient structural design demonstrate the advantage of designing topologies that align well with an underlying vector field, such as principal stress

Variations on a quadratic function: dimensionality reduction

Variations on a quadratic function: dimensionality reduction — Tasked with producing a design space of mathematical functions that are smooth, differentiable, and concave down on the x-y domain, a 9-dimensional variable space of transformations on a paraboloid is constructed. A sample is produced

Mechanical behavior of timber joinery

Mechanical behavior of timber joinery — Conventional connections for timber structural systems typically use metallic fasteners rather than all-timber interlocking joinery connections as seen in historic timber construction. What is the potential to re-apply joinery to modern timber construction, given modern

Pluma

Pluma — With a design framework applicable to any site in the world, the Pluma installation envisions a lightweight future where structures generate more energy than they embody. Earned honorable mention at the IASS 2020 Design Competition.

The Conversation Bench

The Conversation Bench — On the design team at SOM Chicago for the design of a seat fabricated with one sweep of a robotic arm. Demonstration of no-waste manufacture of formwork for the Stereoform Slab. Fabricated by Bridgewater Studio

Parametric model of bracing and node geometry

Parametric model of bracing and node geometry — This mid-rise office building features SOM’s signature high-waisted brace for its lateral system, with its center node lifted vertically to achieve efficiency in load path. This project features an additional geometric feature: the center nodes

Structural systems for the Charenton-Bercy tower

Structural systems for the Charenton-Bercy tower — Early-stage evaluation of several options for structural systems for a skyscraper. Effects on material weight and embodied carbon were studied. More information available at SOM. Image by SOM.

Multi-objective greenhouse design

Multi-objective greenhouse design — We were tasked with designing a greenhouse for hobby-level vegetable gardening in Portola Valley, CA that would be as passive as possible. Modern greenhouse design involves the alignment of several objectives to ensure plant comfort,

Mass Timber Longhouse

Mass Timber Longhouse — The Longhouse was developed by a cross-disciplinary team in Mass Timber Design, a design workshop in MIT Architecture that explores the future of sustainable buildings at the intersection of architecture and technology. Structural feedback was

Load More