Tensile Architecture

260 Pages·2020·107.196 MB·English

by  Philip Drew

Tensile Architecture
Philip Drew
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First published 1979 by Westview Press, Inc.
Published 2019 by Routledge
52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
Copyright© 1979 by Philip Drew
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any
form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented,
including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publishers.
Notice:
Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used
only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 79-7357
ISBN 13: 978-0-367-28986-7 (hbk)
Contents Acknowledgements vii
Preface XV
Maps xviii
Part One: Traditional Tensile Architecture
The Tents of Nomad Cultures
Chapter 1 Tents and Nomads 2
Chapter 2 Ice Age Tents 6
Conical Tents of Northern Eurasia and Northern America
Chapter 3 Northern Eurasia 8
Chapter 4 Northern America 18
The Kibitka of Central Asia
Chapter 5 The Kibitka 28
The Black Tent of the Middle East
Chapter 6 The Black Tent 41
Chapter 7 North Africa 49
Chapter 8 Arabia 58
Chapter 9 Iran and Afghanistan 70
Chapter 1 0 Tibet 79
The Tents of Urban Cultures
Chapter 11 The Ancient World 85
Chapter 12 Middle Ages and Renaissance 99
Part Two: Suspension Bridges 1 21
Chapter 1 3 Early Suspension Bridges 1 22
Chapter 14 Modern Suspension Bridges 1 29
Part Three: Modern Tensile Architecture 141
Chapter 15 Early Tension 142
Chapter 16 Linear Tension 153
Chapter 17 Surface Tension 166
Chapter 18 Revival of the Tent 176
Conclusion 186
Notes 188
Bibliography 219
Index 235
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Acknowledgements I wish to express my gratitude to the many persons who encouraged and supported
this research. I gratefully acknowledge my debt to Frei Otto whose ideas and work
inspired this study, and to a considerable degree. influenced my interpretation of
tensile phenomena. My initial interest in the early development of tensile building
was excited by the unsuspected technical parallels between Professor Otto's
prestressed tensile surface structures and traditional tents. The large collection of
prints depicting nomad and 16-19th century European tents assembled by
Berthold Burkhardt of the lnstitut fUr Leichte Flachentragwerke (I L) demonstrated
that tensile buildings had once existed in the Ancient World.
The translation of a number of important ethnographic works greatly assisted my
research. The former Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Newcastle.
Professor J. J. Auchmuty. generously agreed to make funds available for the
translation of Feilberg's study of the black tent by the Magal Translation Institute·
Ltd. Tel Aviv. and Ms Keren Bisset translated E. Rackow's Das Beduinen Zeit
(1938). The translation from the Russian of the section devoted to Siberian
dwelling types in M.G. Levina and L. P. Potapova's ethnographic Atlas of Siberia
substantially advanced the discussion of northern Eurasian tent groups. Professor
G. C. Curthoy volunteered to translate the key terms and later Ms Maggie Kent of
the Darwin Museum made a full translation.
I profited from the advice of specialists outside Australia who responded to my
request for information. and they include: Peter A. Andrews; Ms M. E. Burkett; Mr
Neville Williams; Dr Yigael Yadin; C. B. G. Walker. the British Museum;
M. Sheldon Williams. Bodelian Library and Dr Helge Larsen. Danish National
Museum.
The cooperation of the library staff at the University of Newcastle in locating
books and articles is deeply appreciated. The British Museum and the Bibliotheque
Nationale. Paris. supplied microfilms of manuscripts in their collections relating to
Renaissance tents. I am indebted to Mr Frank Zabrana of the Department of
Metallurgy at the University of Newcastle for his dedication and skill in making the
numerous photographic illustrations. He was assisted in this task by Arthur
Johnson.
The research has profited greatly by the criticism and suggestions of Ms Jennifer
Taylor. and by Dr Harry Woffenden at the School of Architecture. The University of
Sydney.
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