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01 TacticsARQZE emerged through the exposure of architectonic practice to Antarctic conditions. Being situated in this critical translation from strategies into actions provoked new forms of response that manifest a different organizational logic. tactics is a synthesis of this new approach to making space.

01.1 Deployability deployment is a military operation involving transportation, assembly and implementation . ARQZE infrastructure is shipped into Antarctica in hercules planes and installed under extreme climatic conditions by trained personnel. deployability entails prefabrication and collapsibility, and an assembly process designed to implement limited means in specific contexts. deployable infrastructure articulates a hybrid choreography in which all of the phases of the timeline are inflected in the form. the deployed is strongly eventual and provisional, transforming a given context in the generation of a modeled reality that is open to unforseen interaction.

01.2 Lightnesslightness is the most critical dimension in air transportation. in an increasingly mobile society that is retreating from the age of cheap energy, lightness is also an ethical attitude fundamental for sustainability. to do more with less. lightness is a product of the complex interaction of shape, structure and material process. structural shape maps out vectorial flows in which tension forces becomes increasingly protagonist, articulating new fields of contemporary research. geodesic structures are maximally efficient and their mathematical conjugation can be interpreted in multiple variations that respond to different contexts. double curvature membranes dematerialize stability, and pneumatic structures are totally self supporting. advanced modeling software permits the dynamic exploration of these structural shapes and the evaluation of their performance in simulated conditions by computer aided engineering. design solutions become increasingly optimized, maximizing the potentials of different materials in the fabrication of precision components.

01.3 Performanceperformance refocuses architectural practice, insisting on the active participation of space in the constitution of emerging situations. architecture is transformed from a passive context to a responsive medium, hybridizing spatial practices and programs. structural shape anticipates dynamic interaction, generating fuselages that register multiple informational inputs in the constant curvature of their surfaces. urban culture changes its clothes with increasing frequency, and information surfaces become interfaces in which the shape of the moment is constantly being recycled. performance involves behavior through time, a specific frequency of transformation.deployable structures permit the rapid implementation of new organization, allowing testing and feedback to be integrated into evolving design solutions. performance intensifies architecture.

::Arqze contact:: [email protected] | [email protected]

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01.4 Zero impactthe antarctic treaty subjects all human interventions in the continent to the environmental demands of the madrid protocol generating a culture that we have defined as zero impact. The principal problems are energetic, related to the production of water, and environmental in relation to the disposal of the waste. the implemented support systems make visible the fragility and temporality of living systems within this extreme energy field through a series of transparent artifacts and the evacuation of all waste. zero impact introduces a culture of reversibility, defining a soft temporal habitability that is retractable. this antarctic culture can be exported to other contexts, informing an attitude of extreme energetic efficiency and the use of minimum resources in the generation of habitats. the relationship with context becomes intensive and performative, integrating the participation of natural and artificial resources in a reconfigured synthetic reality.

02 Antarctica

02.01. antarctic tacticsAntarctica is the highest driest and coldest continent on earth, and its extreme energetic condition has resulted in the absence of biotic systems in its interior, and until modern times, its total isolation from human civilization. This energy frontier that is crossed where the ocean begins to freeze gives access to a completely virgin territory where scientific investigation is recently discovering decisive information about the climatic history of our planet. The inevitable impact of human presence in this environment was controlled by the madrid protocol in 1994, that proposed antarctica as a new model for environmental coexistence. However increasing scientific research conducted by national antarctica programmes is now being joined by diverse tourist activities to present a threat to the environment and the coastal ecosystems. The challenge of designing zero impact installations that permit the controlled introduction of human activity into this continent requires an integrated approach to design that combines logistical, environmental and programmatic dimensions within a holistic approach to the question of energy. ARQZE has investigated the potentials and qualities for prototypical installations that are situated within the emerging logistical networks that are beginning to spread a technologically reinforced lifeform across the surface of the antarctic continent.

02.01.01 LogisticIn antarctica all supplies and technologies are imported from urban centres in other continents. This dependence entails that transportation infrastructure is essential for the development of all activity. Logistical networks define potential and connectivity is fundamental. These networks define quantitative limitations and dimension the activity that is to be realized. Coastal stations can rely on the cargo capacity of supply ships while interior infrastructure is limited to the capacity of different types of aircraft. Supply networks negotiate between intercontinental and intracontinental scales in the development of integrated strategies for distribution. The first issue in all antartic matters is how do i get it there and what does it cost. Antarctic tactics proposes that the articulation of these logistical issues into an infrastructural practice is a fundamental orientation for architects and designers in antartica

02.01.02 Environment





The extremity of the antarctic environment demands a significant technological support for the introduction of human life. The nature of these support systems has been profoundly affected by the madrid protocol that established a strict code of environmental protection for all antartctic activity. The traditional approach of introducing large scale systems that consume vast quantities of hydrocarbons is being transformed by the adoption of diverse strategies for sustainable energy generation that are incorporated into the design of the architectural body. These soft technologies make a significant impact on logistical planning and renegotiate the energetic equation that is the major limitation on antarctic practice. The extreme climate in antartcia makes the performative dimension protagonic, and innovative structural design and material specification are fundamental, together with a clear attitude towards deployment under adverse conditions.

02.01.03 ProgramAntarctic activity has passed through two phases in its short history. The initial heroic exploration has been followed by scientific investigation undertaken by national antarctica programmes of 30 the member states of SCAR/COMNAP. This activity is now being complimented by an increasing quantity of touristic programmes based mainly in self sufficient passenger ships around the coast with certain intrusions into the interior of the continent. With the development of optoelectronic technologies and satellite communications antarctic activity is now entering into a simultaneous continuity with the rest of civilization, opening the possibility of cultural and informational programmes that are exported in an activity that produces the constitution of a new virtual continent. The potential interrelation of these different layers of activity, together with the initiation of commercial interaction within the continent itself opens a field in which a new generation of networks and structures are emerging.

02.02 antarctic projects

02.02.01 Eptap antarctic blue ice station

02.02.01.01 blue ice runway

morphology. Situated at 80 degrees south, the Patriot hills perforate 850m of ice and produce an acceleration in the catabatic winds which flow constantly downwards from the 4000m polar icecap. This local increase in the velocity of the winds displaces the snow layer and exposes the surface of the highly dense and transparent blue ice.

landing. In 1984 it was confirmed that this extensive horizontal surface could be implemented as a natural runway capable of receiving cargo planes such as h the hercules_c130, flying directly from punta arenas in 6 hours and landing with wheels on the ice.

Air transport. given the difficulties in terrestrial travel in antarctica and the limitation of ski equipped aircraft, blue ice runways will completely transform air transport, reducing costs spectacularly and establishing a network of natural airports that will activate the interior of the continent.





02.02.01.02 polar network

logistical potencial. EPTAP [estacion polar teniente arturo parodi] was a commission undertaken by ARQZE for the Antartic Division of the chilean airforce [FACH], establishing a permanent infrastructure in Patriot Hills to accommodate the increase in the logistical activity of the blue ice runway.

support. EPTAP is the first permanent polar station in a blue ice zone and has a residential capacity for 24 persons, allowing the Chilean Air Force to provide navigational, communicational, and logistical services throughout the summer months. EPTAP becomes the first node in a network that is extending national activity towards the pole and an aerial link with other continents close to antartica.

02.02.01.03 situ data

02.02.01.03.01 GeolocationLatitude 80°19´southLongitude 81°18’ westdistance to south Pole 1084kmaltitude 855m above sea level

02.02.01.03.02 sunlightsunrise august 25 12.00hrssunset april 17 12.00hrs summer 135 continuous days of sunshinewinter 135 continuous days of darkness.

02.02.01.03.03 Temperatureminimum rec. temp. –35.8°C . average temp. jan feb -20°Cmin. predicted –70°C

02.02.01.03.05 catabatic windmax. registered velocity150 km/h 29 [dec.] 1999average velocity 20 km/h [mission 1998]max. predicted 200km/h

02.02.01.03.06 blue ice arealength 8km east west.width 2km. north souththickness 700maverage displacement 8m each year [Cassassa1995]

02.02.01.04 deployment

cargo capacity. The entire station was designed to be transported in one Hercules c130 plane with a cargo capacity of 13 tons. The station components were adjusted to fit the 3m x 3m standard pallet size. Twenty personnel participated in the installation process.





Transportation. transportation from the runway to the station site was realized by four skidoos and sledges. A snowcat tractor belonging to the adventure network international tourist company was employed in the installation of the station.

02.02.01.05 superficial equilibrium

snow accumulation . The EPTAP station incorporates the processes of snow accumulation particular to blue ice fields into its location and organization. The zone of superficial equilibrium defines an area of snowfield located 800 m north of the blue ice , where the wind decelerates, generating a surface condition that is stable , avoiding the burying of the station in time.

hardened snow. This zone has a depth of hardened snow of approximately two meters that is supported on the ice. this ground condition allows the station to be situated without suffering the problems of sinking that affect other antarctic stations. These two conditions generate a very favorable situation for the development of future stations within this zone uniquely associated with blue ice fields.

02.02.01.06 module

igloo cabins. ARQZE developed the EPTAP design on the basis of a detailed critical analysis of six Igloo Cabin living modules that had been purchased previously by the FACH. The organization, deployability, materiality, and performativity of this fibreglass unit informed a proposition for their transformation and incorporation into the design of a permanent polar station adapted to the extreme conditions of Patriot Hills.

insulation. The most critical deficiency of the modules is their low level of insulation and the cold bridges and filtration of air produced in all of the joints between panels. The u-value of the modular panels was increased by applying a layer of 50mm of high density polyurethane on the interior surface, finished with a white pvc membrane, isolating the interior of the module completely from the existing fibreglass and resin structure and eliminating all filtrations. The resulting internal surface promoted tactile contact, inviting the inhabitants to occupy the space from its limits in a mediation through the skin and the body of an architectonic construction that is energetic and corporeal, while increasing the habitable volume .

Protesis. The intention of maximizing the void at the centre of the module together with the recognition of a series of activities that are superimposed in this space led to the proposition for a furniture system that was flexible, transformable, and capable of disappearing when not being used. An aluminum framed canvas stretcher formed the basic component of the system, providing material support for the activities of sleeping, working and relaxing in a sequential cycle within the same space.

02.02.01.07 tunnel

02.02.01.07.01 acumulation.

intereference patterns. In the antarctic interior static bodies located on the surface of the snow provoke intereference patterns in the prevailing catabatic wind, leading to





an accumulation of snow which tends to consume the original body, making access extremely difficult. In response to this condition a new lineal element called the distribution tunnel was developed, providing an independent protected access to all of the modules.

downwind. This tunnel is located downwind of the modules, and incorporates the accumulated snow as a structural defense against the extremity of the catabatic winds and a thermal defense against the extreme winter temperatures. Access to the tunnel is organized by orientating its extremes upwind, constituting the two leading points of the station, and giving the impulse to the development of a curved form for the tunnel.

02.02.01.07.02 Interstitiality.

interstitial. originally incorporated as a strategy for guaranteeing access, the tunnel was subsequently developed as an interstitial space graduating the energetic and programmatic relationships between the reduced interiors of the modules and the full exposure of the antarctic exterior. This interstitial potential was expanded through proposing the tunnel as an unheated and uninsulated interior constituted by a simple membrane that provided protection from the wind and the accumulation of snow within a territory where the catabatic winds can make exterior habitation impossible for days on end.

maximize. This decision reduced dramatically the cost of fabrication and transportation, and allowed the tunnel to be developed as an architectonic space with a dimensional generosity that was inconceivable within the energetic parameters of the modules, constituting the experience of the station as a unitary installation.

02.02.01.07.03 structural section.

Arcs . The section of the tunnel was developed initially from ergonometric notations that were rationalized within a circular arc with a radius of 2 metres and a rotational angle of 240 degrees, coinciding with the dimensions of the cargo pallets of the hercules plane and invoking the scale of its fuselage.

units. This arc defined a tubular compression ring and for economic considerations was assembled from welded steel sections, provided the lateral resistance necessary to oppose wind loading and possible snow accumulation. Because the tenacity of steel drops rapidly with temperatures below –20 °C, making it fragile and susceptible to impact fractures, it was decided to design a structural system in which the rigid compression elements are isolated from each other within a network of flexible joints which dampen and distribute impact forces throughout the system.

articulation. Criteria of economy and flexibility informed the material resolution of this articulation in strips of 50mm nylon sling, fixed to the arcs and the rails by means of self perforating screws, producing a simple effective and adaptable system that was easy to implement on site, reproducing the modelled geometry of the structure in five hours. Before transportation the arcs were joined into six units of three pairs,these units being easily stackable and manipulable by three persons.

02.02.01.07.04 Implant





Snow trace. The energetic interstitially of the tunnel generated the possibility of implanting it through integrating the snow into its structural organization, providing a ballast for the tunnel that would prevent it being overturned by the wind.

Snow ballast. This action is integral to the deployable strategies developed by arqze in which lightweight products collaborate with the materiality of a context to consolidate an architectonic proposition that is tensioned between place and placelessness.

02.02.01.07.05 Skin.

surface. The enclosure of the tunnel was developed as a membrane tensioned into a series of three distinct hyperparabolic surfaces between the arcs, establishing a system of intersecting lines of opposed tensions that fix each point of the surface in space. The fabric chosen for the membrane was PVC reinforced with a polyester webbing with a weight of 750gms/m2, its surface incorporating an anodized finish and an anti U.V treatment to protect against the reduced ozone layer and the continuous solar radiation.

instalation. The six arc structural unit was replicated in the module for the membrane, and the union between membrane units was developed as a double flap of 100 mm velcro. The membrane units were fixed to the structural arcs by means of a large quantity of 35mm nylon slings and buckles, reproducing the action of the hands that manipulated the membrane and forming one structural system that was flexible and extremely resistent. The installation of the membrane units was facilitated by calm conditions and the prestress was introduced by fixing to the extreme arcs of each unit and rotating them through the applied action of a skidoo.

Adaptability. The geometric, structural and material strategies of the tunnel skin were adapted to produce a series of plug in ports that connected the existing modules into the interiority of the tunnel. These plug_in ports are central to the logic of the tunnel as an adaptable distribution system, transforming the design of the station into an open system capable of linear expansion in two directions along its circular axes. This first phase of 50 metres can be extended serially by 6 arc structure and membrane units with their corresponding plug in ports. When fully developed the station will be able to accomidate up to 30 modules similar to the igloo cabins together with other dependencies, pemitting a maximum capacity of 100 personnel.

02.02.01.08 Visor

Materiality. The regular repetition of the structure and membrane units of the tunnel terminates in each extreme in a transparent visor that exploits the combination of flexibility and structural strength of 4mm monolithic polycarbonate in the articulation of a single continuous plane . This plane is fixed to a frame of two arcs and articulated by cast steel joints, allowing it to be rotated into the air.

performance. The visor opens the tradition of sheltered concentric interiority of antarctic habitation to the experience of transparency. This provokes a profound transformation in the relationship with the exterior in which the extreme climatic processes cease to present a threat, and become incorporated into an architectural proposition of continuity in which they are observed from a space of security.





Transparency. This transparency in the work constructs a tension between a projected space of design and a territorial space, in which a mutual enfolding is juxtaposed by an energetic discontinuity.

Access. When open the visor actualizes the continuity between the tunnel and the exterior, allowing skidoos with sledges of equipment and stores to be entered directly.

02.02.01.09 Ice point

register. ice point is the location for formal actions and photographic register within Patriot Hills.

System. Constructively ice point is a system of aluminium tubes and plates that form an expandable series of flag masts and signages.

transhorizontal context. The maps and texts engraved on the plates articulate the relationship between actual bodily location and the geographical distances that they open, provoking a dislocation with the immediate continuity of place, resituating the corporeality of the inhabitants within a transhorizontal context.

blueicecity is a cultural project situated in patriot hills that applies digital technologies and satellite communication systems in an exploration of emerging conditions of contemporary Antarctic habitation.

02.02.02 sala sastruggi triaxial tent plug in for EPTAP

introduction

The sala sastruggi is a flexible social space designed to complement the existing infrastructure of the EPTAP station in patriot Hills, antarctica, in the mission of November 2000. The design of the sala was undertaken systemically by ARQZE, generating an infrastructural proposal called the Catabatic system that anticipates and explores a diversity of applications. The sala sastruggi became a prototype that tested the qualities of this system.

02.02.02.01 Catabatic system

Performance. The Catabatic System is an interconnective tent system designed to withstand antarctic conditions, based on a concept of triaxial organization and double curvature membranes. The design permits a high strength-to-weight ratio and provides secure, user-friendly shelter in the most extreme environments on earth. The Catabatic System provide specific solutions to habitational requirements, including scientific expeditions, bases, and tourism.

Triaxial Modularity. The Catabatic System is triaxial, modular and interconnective, forming a flexible and expandible organization which can accomidate changes in strategy and develop itself along three axes through a series of phases. The triaxiality permits the design of stations with periferal modules configured as separate sleeping compartments by means of adjustable partitions, while the central modules becomes a shared communal space with external access.





Station Configuration. The Catabatic System can be deployed in distinct configurations responding to user requirements. These expandible Catabatic Stations can be zoned according to programme and thermal criteria, permitting differentiated internal environments.

02.02.02.02 Structure.

profile seccion. The structural elements are extruded in a high strength aluminium alloy with a prototipical profile of 92mm diameter specifically designed to resist extreme wind loading while recieving a series of poliester cables that fix the tensed membranes into a system developed from advanced yacht technology.

structural ring. The structure is organized at ground level through a structural ring of aluminium profiles that establishes the geometrical integrity of the system.

rotula. The vertices of the structural ring are articulated through a series of rigid joints called rotula fabricated in cast aluminium.

articulated joints. Each rotula receives three articulated joints fabricated from cast aluminium that dissipate the vibrational energy generated in the structural arcs.

arcs. The aluminium profile is cylindered in three sections with two radii of curvature, and the arcs assembled by means of aluminium sections produced from cast aluminium.

02.02.02.03 flooring.

Snow shoe. This laminated floor panel is tensed by ratches to the aluminium profiles of the structural ring, forming an integrated structural foundation that prevents sinking by distributing load in a form similar to a snow shoe.

Insulation. The catabatic system incorporates a highly insulated floor system made from laminating pvc membrane with closed pore polyethylene insulation and aluminium foil.

ballast. The floor membrane in the three wings finishes at the perimeter by folding downwards into an excavated trench in the snow of 80 cm where it is subsequently buried, forming the ballast of the system, and sealing the edges that are prone to erosion by the wind.

02.02.02.04 skin.

double curvature membrane. The structural arcs are used to tense a series of nine double curvature panels confectioned by ultrasonic fusion from a pvc and poliester membrane of 750gms/m2 with anodized finish and ultra violet treatment.

Stability. These hyperparabolic surfaces interact aerodynamically with the wind, and the anticlastic geometry of the double curvature defines each point in a specific location in space which avoids the vibration and fatigue experienced in standard tent solutions. The membrane can resist winds of 200km/hr





polyester cable. The edges of the mebrane panel finish in a sleeve that contains a polyester cable of 10mm diameter that is introduced into the 14mm slot of the aluminium profile, fixing the membrane continuously and hermetically to the structural arc.

Tension. The external membranes are pretensioned into their double curvature geometry by two processes. A system of ratchets tenses the membranes transversally while the lower arc is tensioned longitudinally by a nylon sling and ratchet system attached to the ballast.

insulation layer. A 20mm layer of closed pore polyethylene, finished in a bonded surface of aluminium provides a continuous insulation layer within the void between the external and internal membranes. This insulation layer is lightweight and highly water resistent, and is fixed continuously to the internal slot of the arcs by nylon slings and velcro, forming a double airgap between the membrane layers.

internal membrane. The internal surface is confectioned in double curvature from highly resistant and imperveous ripstop nylon and fixed to the internal slot of the arcs by nylon slings and velcro.

02.02.02.05 transmission.

entrance. Access into the sala sastruggi is through a membrane door inserted into the triangular external membrane panels with a highly resistant zipper.

visor. The vertical membrane panels that enclose the wings are in selected locations replaced by a continuous transparent visor of 14m2, affording natural illumination, solar gain, and extensive visual contact with the exterior. This visor is fabricated in hermetically sealed double panels with an airgap of 12mm between two layers of monolithic polycarbonate of 3mm thickness with an ultraviolet coating.

portholes. Circular double glazed polycarbonate portholes with a diametre of 800mm are inserted into selected areas of the triangular membranes.

Ventilation. Is managed passively through a manually controlled venturi located in the skylight at the encounter of the three arcs.

02.02.02.06 Deployment.

transportation. When collapsed each catabatic triaxial module is very compact, being contained within a system of 2m bags, with a total weight of approximately 1000kg, allowing it to be transported economically by small planes such as twin otters.

assembly. The erection procedure is specifically designed to be practical in adverse conditions, employing the hinging of the arcs to tense the membranes.

02.02.03 Polar capsule ( fibreglass living module for extreme zones)

02.02.03.01 Shell.





the capsule is a monocoque shell generating a highly insulated secure interior that was developed to accommodate the sanitary systems of the EPTAP polar station. the standard fuselage can accommodates different programs through the incorporation of equipment for sleeping, working, or sanitary purposes as in EPTAP

02.02.03.02 deployment. the polar capsule is transportable by hercules C_130. the shell is assembled from 10 panels that are stackable and easily manipulated by two persons.

02.02.03.03 panels. the 10 panels are fabricated in fibreglass from two generic moulds that become supertypes capable of generating different forms.

02.02.03.04 data. date > 2003 surface area >18m2 weight > 300kg cost>20.000 us materials>fibreglass and closed pore polyurethane

02.02.04 water cycle system zero impact support systems

02.02.04.01 Antarctic treaty. the madrid protocol of 1985 establishes a strict code that minimizes the environmental impact produced by human activity in this virgin continent. the water cycle systems developed for the EPTAP station interpret this code, generating a culture of zero impact through tactics of transparency, minimum water use and the evacuation of all waste.

02.02.04.02 fusion. the antarctic interior is the driest desert in the world, however the solar snow melter takes advantage of the 24 hr sunshine to generate up to 2 litres of water per hour in its insulated transparent interior. this capacity is complemented by an electric snow melter. the water cycle systems implement strategies of minimum water use to reduce fuel consumption and the quantity of waste that subsequently has to be evacuated.

02.02.04.03 equipment. the water cycle systems have been designed as a self supporting unit with equipment that is located within the fuselage of the polar capsule, where the ambient temperature can be maintained above freezing.

02.02.04.04 separation. the toilets take advantage of the anatomic separation of liquid and solid waste expulsion, generating differential collection that is subsequently frozen and stored. the waxed paper bags are flattened by a lever to minimize space requirements on the return.

02.02.04.05 urinal. urinals are distributed throughout the station and the blue ice terminal to prevent contamination of the snow. different versions have been developed, including the use of an adjustable stainless steel funnel to minimize fluid loss.

02.02.04.06 grey water. the showers implement compressors and atomizers to minimize water use. one litre is sufficient for each individual, and the system is complemented by a steam generator that transforms the unit into a turkish bath.





02.02.04.07 u_bags. all contaminated fluids are stored in double lined polypropylene bags where they are sunsequently frozen. the transparency reinforces the ethical attitude and prevents confusion. the bags are evacuated by hercules 130 planes at the end of the mission, and the waste is treated in punta arenas.

02.02.04.08 water cycle. the implementation of a system of microfiltration that recycles the grey water would reduce the total waste by tons. the recuperation of the urine by a system of inverse osmosis would save...tons. these options will be explored in future missions.

02.02.05 shockwave_ Blue Ice Hangar

02.02.05.01 context

blue ice runway. The blue ice runway at Patriot Hills has been subject to a continual increase in activity since the first hercules c130 landed in 1995. This activity receives navigational and logistical support from the Chilean Airforce personnel that operate from the EPTAP station during the summer months.

activities. However the activites of loading and unloading the planes on the blue ice are exposed to the full force of the unpredictable catabatic winds, and on occasions vital supplies and equipment have been lost or damaged. To improve this situation, in 2002 the Chilean Airforce commissioned the design of a Blue Ice Hangar that could be fixed to the ice and allow the storage of all cargo in a secure environment before operations of loading and unloading.

02.02.05.02 tactical tent system

blue ice hangar. The design of the blue ice hangar was undertaken systemically by ARQZE, generating Shockwave, a tactical tent system designed to provide deployable semi-permanent shelter in extreme environments.

design. Designed from materials of the highest specifications, the shockwave system offers secure and innovative infrastructural solutions for multiple activities in conditions ranging from desert storms in the atacama to the catabatic winds of the antartic interior.

02.02.05.03 structure

Shape. The original shape of the shockwave has been generated with advanced modelling software, producing a poligonized fuselage with high aerodynamic performance that can resist winds of 150km/hr and snowloading of one metre.

Geodesic. The continuous double curvature of the geodesic geometry generates a structural frame that distributes loading evenly throughout a network of points, minimizing the concentration of forces and permitting the use of highly efficient and lightweight structural elements.





Stereometric. The integration of sterometric reinforcing with geodesic geometry generates a series of autonomous rigid trusses that are implemented in the assembly process. The trusses allow the generation of the discontinuity in the geodesic structure introduced bym the large portals required to enter planes and machinery. The relocation and scaling of the stereometric trusses permits the generation of customized forms that adapt to specific client requirements.

02.02.05.04 components

Tubing. The galvanized steel tubes have a standard diametre of 38mm and a maximum length of 1.6m to minimize the risk of buckling. The terminals of the tubes are compressed into a rigid planar form that permits fixing with parker bolts to the disc nodes.

disc. The structural and geometrical relationships between the tubes are consolidated by a series of galvanized steel discs with different geometrical forms. These disc nodes are designed to facilitate the assembly process, and guarantee the integrity and stability of the structure. They are produced through a process of mechanized operations on 2mm steel plate.

Skin. The standard shockwave system is fabricated in PVC coated polyester fabrics of the highest specification, welded together ultrasonically, producing hermetic, and durable membranes that integrate ultraviolet protection and lacquered finishes. This aerodynamic fuselage avoids the vibration and fatigue experienced in standard tent solutions. The membrane is assembled from three panels to facilitate manipulation, and sealed by overlapping flaps and velcro. The panels are fixed to the steel structure with nylon slings and buckles.The quality of the membrane can be adapted to suit specific requirements, including LTA fabrics in antarctica and blackout materials for strategic situations.

Feet. Each stereometric truss is attached to two tripod feet that are fixed to the ice by a large steel plate that is sunk into a void of water produced in the glacier which subsequently freezes, generating anchorage. The tripod feet are highly adjustable, adapting to uneven terrains, and the articulated connection with the truss allows them to be rotated into the air.

Portal. The large portal is closed by a membrane panel fixed to the stereometric truss and a second arch that can be anchored to a series of points by ratchets to permit tensioning. This portal can be raised by a system of nylon slings.

02.02.05.05. Deployment

self mounting. Shockwave systems are assembled by hand with no mechanical support necessary, allowing deployment in remote situations.

Maps. The shockwave 150 hangar can be assembled by a team of 8 in 24 hours, and the geometrical complexity is rapidly comprehended through clear maps and manuals

Truss. initially the four stereometric trusses are assembled on the ground in a safe and rapid action that can be executed in parallel.

Hoist. The trusses are fixed to their respective tripod feet and hoisted into the air by a mast, using rope and mechanical advantage.





Integration. using the trusses as scaffolding additional steel tubes are bolted in to establish a stable geodesic shell.

Skin. The membrane is lifted onto the geodesic structure and unfolded by hand, then fixed by Velcro.

Transport. When collapsed the shockwave system is very compact, being contained within a series of 1.6m bags weighing 40kg each, easily transported by small scale pickups, boats and aircraft.

02.02.05.06 dimensional series

shockwave 150. was designed as a service hangar for the blue ice runway in patriot Hills in 2002. Due to a mechanical problem with the Hercules planes the mission to Patriot Hills was canceled, and rescheduled for the summer of 2004. The shockwave tent has been exhibited in fidae 2004 by the Antarctic division of the FACH. Particular to this model are the LTA membrane fabricated by Seamans in Ohio, the snow filled bag establishing the seal with blue ice, and the orange eyelid of the door that makes the hangar visible in whiteout conditions.

dataseries shockwave 150surface area 150m2length 16mwidth 10mheight 6mweight 1300kg

shockwave 300. was designed as an open hangar space with a large membrane door that accommodates fighter planes such as the f-16 or the mirage. It is also suitable for agricultural processes, exploratory mining activity, timber industries, and any other activities that require large protected spaces for their development. The shockwave 300 was exhibited in FIDAE in 2002, then in Buenas Aires. In February it was implemented as a bar/screen on the Muelle baron for the MUTEK.CL 2004 festival.

Dataseries shockwave 300surface area 230m2length 22mwidth 15mheight 7.5mweight 2000kg

hangar fach. The hangar fach is a customized version of the shockwave system that has been adapted to the necessity of protecting chilean airforce fighterplanes in the atacama desert. The logistics of rapid entrance and takeoff dictate a solution that incorporates two large portals, each one structured by a stereometric arch, allowing the displacement of the aircraft with its own propulsion. This adaptation produces a version of the shockwave system that is structured entirely from stereometric arches allowing limitless extension of the hangar to incorporate a series of planes in one structure.





data hangar fachwidth 14 mheight 7 mportal height 5 m

03 Projects

03.1 Bungydome

03.6.1 geodesic+jumpingthe bungydome is a deployable entertainment structure produced by hybridizing standard bungy_trampoline equipment with geodesic dome structures.

03.6.2 hoistthe bungydome is designed with rigid joints, generating a top down assembly process that allows the dome to be hoisted by a crane while four people work at ground level assembling all the tubes and hubs in 3 hours

03.6.3 hubthe complexity of the geodesic geometry is incorporated into four families of aluminum hubs, produced in series by robotized fabrication processes from a solid aluminum cylinder. the geodesic geometry is color coded by component allowing rapid assembly without reference to maps.

03.6.4 connectorthe connectors reinforce the ends of the aluminum tubes and establish rigid connections with the hubs, being secured by two galvanized steel pins.

03.6.5 feetthe geodesic sphere is sectioned where it meets the ground, generating a series of 8 feet that are bolted to existing concrete slabs or specially installed foundations.

03.6.6 skin





the skin is a single membrane panel that protects the jumpers from rain and sun, generating a large luminous interior that can receive publicity and be transformed into a projection surface at night.

03.6.7 cablesthe jumping cables run through pulley systems attached to the geodesic structure, allowing the elastic assisted jumpers to perform triple somersaults in an uncontaminated void.

03.6.8 motorsThe electric winches are bolted to a mounting and fixed to a hub that is out of the publics reach for safety.

03.6.9 prototypesthe bungydome was evolved through a series of prototypes tested on chilean beaches in 2001, allowing the scale, organization, and assembly process to be fine tuned.

03.6.10 commercethe commercial performance of the first product installed in sao paolo in 2003 indicates a doubling of sales in comparison with standard 4 in 1 trampoline bungy structures.





03.02 Earth Dance

03.02.01 festival spaceearth dance is a distributed simultaneous festival occurring in 60 cities worldwide. the chilean edition has developed into a 48 hour event in isla del maipo. arqze generates diverse infrastructural elements that reestablish the festival aesthetic each year.

03.02.02 utfsm 1998the first earthdance festival was realized within the santa maria university, involving the action of an arqze led third year architecture studio in the design and fabrication of a series of eventual structures.

03.02.03 stereo 2001stereo is an instalation of two fragments of a frequency 4 class 1 geodesic dome that configure a spatial field for the lake stage, reproducing in its reflection the light of the projections.

03.02.04 palapa 2002the palapa hybridizes toroid geometry with geodesic articulation to produce a conditioned interior environment where eculture presented animations to a public that sought refuge from the cold night.

03.02.05 skin 2002skin is a screen as simple hyperparabolic surface produced in an elastic membrane, incorporating the height of the trees into its spatial and structural articulation

03.02.06 uv 2003uv is a system of screens and a shades that investigates pneumatic technologies in the generation of complex surface geometries.

03.02.07 fish 2003fish is a prototype tent/stand infrastructure designed to accomodate small scale commercial projects during the festival. the design investigates the conjugation of a minimum compresion structure in relation with a double curvature surface.

03.02.08 klab 2003the k lab is a real time pavilion that was presented in a prototypical state during the festival [see k_lab]

03.03 Mutek.cl

03.8.0 organizationMUTEK is an international organization, with operational centers in Montreal, Valparaiso and Berlin, dedicated to the development and diffusion of emerging forms of electronic music and digital urban culture.[www.mutek.cl] MUTEK produces a cycle of festivals distributed across three continents, establishing an international platform for collaboration, investigation and experimentation into contemporary digital urban culture.





03.8.1 muelle baronTo situate the festival in its south_pacific context, ARQZE collaborated with MUTEK CHILE in the design of a festival environment on the baron pier, opening a new developmental axis for the city of valparaiso, anticipating emerging urban practices in this port city that has since been defined the cultural capital of chile.

03.8.2 micromutek 2003the micromutek event in january 2003 was configured around the installation of the 100m2 screen that integrated the functionality of the existing cranes into the articulation of a spectacular stage that resignified the pier as an event space for the 2700 public that enjoyed the 14 hour event.

03.8.3 shapethe cranes are rotated inversely and asymmetrically hoist the lightweight membrane into its modeled location, where its aerodynamic fuselage negotiates the 100km/hr coastal winds through a minimal deformation of its hyperparabolic surface. the final shape inflects a delicate negotiation between a shade and a screen.

03.8.5 information skythe mutek screen was designed originally to receive the projection of particle animations, spatializing their appearance by provoking an acceleration across its varied frontality. the scale of the image is unprecedented, and the 7000 ANSI lumens projector cast an artificial information sky across the dance deck.

03.03.06 mutek.cl 2004In january 2004 ARQZE produced the spatial field on muelle baron for the 48 hour MUTEK.CL festival, complementing the crane stage screen with the shockwave tent configured as the kbar, and the structure for the real time pavilion [see k_lab]. During the afternoon the festival revealed the performance of the crane stage screen as a dynamic shading device, with the public taking advantage of the mobility of 120 red beanbags to displace themselves continuously across the deck in time with the shade.

03.03.07 synthetic cityThe MUTEKNATION animation competition was projected simultaneously on the crane screen and inside the kbar, including live footage and playback of the afternoon performances, generating a complex system of interrelations in which the musical performance was situated. The spatial field conditions established a correlation with the intense quadraphonic sonic field without being subordinated, producing an integrated eventual situation [synthetic city] that redefined the festivals 48 hour habitational cycle in Valparaiso.

03.04 k_skin

03.04.01 introductionKskin is a tensioned membrane designed to wrap the patio of the ozone restaurant in santiago making it habitable during winter. The proposal was developed integrating dimensions of the place, spatial objectives, and the brand of the sponsor kent.

03.04.02 modelingthe complex geometry of the surface of the k skin is the result of advanced digital modeling, negotiating in continuity the encounter between the orthogonality of the existing construction, and the elastic and geometric requirements of the tensioned membrane.





03.04.03 surfaceThe surface has factor five complexity, achieving a consistency of curvature which is more related to aeronautic fields than traditional architectonic forms. K_skin generates a trans_scalar environment, adding amplitude and spatial ambiguity to the patio with a futuristic and integrated gesture.

03.04.04 transparencyk_skin establishes a relation of visibility combining and incorporating elements of the patio of ozone through a grid of transparent circular panels inspired in the logo of the kent brand. The k dot of kent is understood as being distinguished by the introduction of blue filters that superimpose and tension different lectures and spatialities.

03.04.05 fixingThe edges of the existing edification are regularized by a stainless steel rail that simplifes the geometry and produces a uniform condition for fixing. This rail established the limits of the modelled reality, defining an edge condition that acknowledges a certain resolution of local contingency while blurring others. The Nylon straps that fix the membrane to the rail are stitched to a circular patch of material which is thermo sealed to the main membrane.

03.04.06 canalesIn the east edge of the patio a formed stainless steel gutter is introduced which integrates a fixing rail in its edge. This gutter allows the regularization of the patio geometry and the organization and presentation of the existing rainwater management. An inverse form of this element is located above the highest edge of the membrane to cover an opening that allows the escape of the smoke produced by the barbeque below.

03.04.07 performanceThe k_skin generates an environment that receives direct solar radiation in the morning, heating the material fabric and passively generating agreeable temperature on winter days that continues into the night, being complemented by the heat from the barbeque. At night the membrane offers a projectable surface, forming a large immersive screen that is visible inthe outide patio and the upstairs bar, relating all of these space.

03.04.08 evacuation. The form of the membrane registers and guides the evacuation of the smoke and combustion gasses of the barbeque through a chimney created between the membrane and the dividing wall.

03.05 palapa deployable suspension home

03.05.01 habitational system.palapa is a mexican word for a living space configured from an overhead structural shade from which hammocks are slung. reinterpreted by ARQZE, the palapa applies geodesic geometries in the generation of a habitational system that generates 90m2 of interior space with constant sectional variation.

03.05.02 suspensionThe system is designed to be deployed on a natural floor surface, replacing the certainties of a horizontal plane with the exceptional strength of the geodesic frame, allowing the suspension of artifacts and furniture.





03.05.03 palapa 01The palapa is a generic product with multiple applications, and ARQZE has produced two prototypes in different constructional systems adapted to different conditions. The first application was in a natural location under the peinetas mountains in southern chile. It provided a spacious and luminous living environment for a family holiday protected from the habitual summer rain.

03.05.04 structural systempalapa 01 was fabricated in galvanized steel tubing with compressed bent and perforated terminals. The system weighed 300kg and could be easily transported in a pick up.

03.05.05 earthdanceThe same prototype was subsequently sold to the earthdance festival organizers who use it each year to contain a bar and exhibition space during the three day festival in isla del Maipo.

03.05.06 palapa 02 klabThe second prototype was developed as an infrastructural support for the K_Lab, a real time pavilion exhibited during the MUTEK.CL cultural Bienal, presenting the appropriation and integration of digital media occurring within the department of architecture of the Santa Maria University.

03.05.07 interfaceThe k_lab investigated the contamination of categories produced by the hybridization of on line communication culture and the person to person interaction of music festivals. Equipped with an integrated system of hardware and software, the k_lab implemented interactive interfaces between the festival public investigating the emergence of new forms of urban culture.

03.05.08 structural systemThe structural system was developed using a bolted system of stamped steel discs and galvanized tubes adapted from components developed for the shockwave hangar.

03.05.09 membranethe membrane was designed integrating a grid of transparent circular panels that established a frontal visibility and reflected the brand identity of kent cigarettes who sponsored the k_lab during the MUTEK.CL festival.

03.06 Incuba soft urbanism infrastructure

03.06.1 soft urbanismincuba is a project for a deployable pneumatic infrastructure that permits the temporary transformation of vacant urban sites into habitable spaces with a rentable value, allowing the emergence of innovative programs in the development of new commercial and professional practices. The project was a produced through a collaboration with the organization of developmental reengineering UNO in Santiago





Chile. Incuba is an architectonic response to the uncertainties of contemporary planning agendas, allowing speculation through actions that are reversible.

03.06.02 pneumaticsPneumatic tecnologies offer a solution to the large clean span of the infrastructure together with the requirements for economic assembly. The pressure difference between the interior and exterior is aproximately 0.1 atmospheres and is maintained by standard ventilation fans. The seal between the walls and the floor is effected through a channel that is excavated on the site then filled with water used in the cooling strategies. The pressure difference is maintained through the use of rotating doors in the public entrances and a pressure chamber in the service access allows the introduction of large scale components into the main space.

03.06.03 flexiblityincuba is generated from a sectioned torus, establishing a large unitary void of 2000 m2 with a constant variation in its section that potentiates different forms of activation supported by the introduction of smalller scale components adapted to specific programme requirements. The entrance is articulated through a large sunlit patio that opens the traditional hermetic geometry of inflatable structures, and allows for the introduction of a food court that establishes an active interface with the street.

03.06.04 energyThe external membrane is double, generating a layer of air that can be managed in response to different climatic conditions, producing heating and cooling strategies. When solar radiation is excessive the air in this layer can be vented directly minimizing the pasage of energy into the central void. This extraction of energy by airventing is complimented by a system of sprinklers distributed across the outer surface of incuba that produce a film of water during the summer that results in cooling through evaporation. Heating of the central void in winter is produced during the day through the direct introduction of the preheated air from this outer layer.

03.07 F.01

03.07.01 fidae expoF.01 is a proposal for a system of modular clear span tents that was developed in colaboration with WIENECKE CAMPING Ltd as an infrastructural support for the FIDAE bienal aeronautical expo in Santiago Chile. The system is lightweight and has a minimum number of in situ elements. It is easily demounted and transported, allowing it to be used in other locations for other events in the interval between expos.

03.07.02 moduleF.01 is based on a clearspan module of 30 x 30m that can be linked in series to produce larger volumes, and can incorporate support programmes in its perimeter through an annex that is 6m deep. Laterally the interior spaces can be left open or closed and controlled through the introduction of traslucent membrane screens. Entrance to the interior is articulated through the legs of the pedestal.

03.07.04 tensegrityThe structural system is organized around four perimetral compression masts that incorporate an articulated connection to a base pedestal, and support a network of tension cables that serve to raise the membrane. In the centre of each module there is a tenegrity mast that establishes the vectorial force flow necessary to give shape to the membrane. The tension forces are transmitted from the masts to the membrane





through a series of compression rings that are open and permit the ventilation of the spaces.

04 Products

04.1 Geodesics04.1.1 Bungydome04.1.2 Domes04.1.3 Palapa04.1.4 Shockwave

- Sw 200- Sw 300

04.2 Tents04.2.1 catabatic04.2.2 fish

04.3 Skins

04.4 Pneumatics

05 Team

partners::

Pol taylorArchitect RIBA , Striathclyde University.

Marcelo BernalArchitect, Universidad Católica de Valparaíso.




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