Ossature: Bone Remodeling as a Generative Structuring Process in Architecture

There is an inherent and complex interrelationship between material, structure and form that exists in nature, whereby each informs the other through a dynamic process. In nature, form is not imposed; instead it emerges as an expression and articulation of dynamic material responses to environmental stresses and circumstances. I propose looking at this responsive form generation as a model for developing architectural structures. Specifically, this thesis proposes looking at bone tissue remodeling as a new generative process for structure in architecture. Bone tissue becomes highly optimized by the self-organizing and remodeling of its structure in response to loads; creating a complex structure that is both high in strength and low in weight. Its shape is directly informed by the forces acting upon and within it; material and structure are distributed along stress paths three dimensionally. The objective of this research will be to examine the feasibility of utilizing bone remodeling algorithms as a generative design tool in the development of structures in architecture.