# Elastic Architecture - Studio Jan Knippers > Despite the common perception of our built environment as something static and permanent, architects and engineers have been seeking reconfiguration and adaptation throughout the history of architecture. This led to many concepts and technical solutions that might facilitate arc… ## At a glance - Format: On-demand course - Price: €550.00 (list €650.00) - Difficulty: Beginner - Duration: 7 Sessions (28 Hours) - Schedule: Dec 2, 2021 & Jan 20, 2022 - Instructors: Jan Knippers, Axel Körner, Anna Krtschil - Categories: Architectural Design, 3D Modeling, Design Workshops, Structural Analysis - Software: Grasshopper 3D, Rhinoceros 3D, Karamba3D - Students: 22 - Rating: 5.0 / 5 - Canonical: https://paacademy.com/course/elastic-architecture-studio-jan-knippers - Enroll: https://paacademy.com/course/elastic-architecture-studio-jan-knippers --- ## About this course Elastic Architecture is a studio workshop on PAACADEMY led by Prof. Jan Knippers that introduces material-driven elastic deformation as a design strategy for architecture. Drawing on biological elastic mechanisms and projects such as the One Ocean Pavilion and Flectofold facade, participants learn simulation and form-finding techniques using Grasshopper 3D, Karamba3D, and SOFiSTiK. Working in small groups, participants apply elastic design principles to a practical architectural design task across five structured sessions. ## What you'll learn - Material-Driven Design: Explore the potential of elastic deformation in architecture, focusing on how materials can inform design processes. - Simulation Techniques: Learn various simulation and form-finding strategies to effectively design with elastic mechanisms. - Bio-Inspiration: Understand how biological systems can inspire innovative architectural solutions, enhancing both performance and aesthetics. - Collaborative Project Work: Engage in small group projects to apply learned concepts and techniques in practical design tasks. - Technical Workshops: Participate in hands-on workshops using tools like Grasshopper 3D and Karamba to implement elastic design principles. ## Methodology The workshop aims to introduce the potentials of material-driven deformation behavior for architectural applications. Thus, various simulation and form-finding strategies will be introduced to design with elastic deformation and motion. The workshop participants will work in small groups (3-4 students) on a small design task to exercise the taught skills. The workshop will be integrated within parts of the ITECH Seminar “Form and Structure”, which provides an introduction into various structural systems, simulation strategies, and their potential for architectural design. **Session 1** Opening Lecture by Prof.-Dr. Jan Knippers (Introduction lecture to elastic deformation in an architectural context) Karamba Workshop **Session 2** Workshop Q&A **Session 3** Sofistik Workshop Workshop Q&A **Session 4** Workshop Q&A **Session 5** Submission Assignment ## Curriculum ### Session 1 - Part 1 (03:39:22) ### Session 2 - Part 2 (08:40:00) ### Session 3 - Part 3 (05:57:36) ### Session 4 - Part 4 (07:21:03) ### Session 5 - Part 5 (01:36:29) ## FAQ ### What is Karamba3D and how is it used in architectural form-finding and simulation? Karamba3D is a parametric structural engineering plugin for Grasshopper that allows designers to analyze and simulate structural behavior directly within the design environment. It calculates stress, deformation, and load distribution in real time as geometry changes, making it particularly well-suited to form-finding workflows where structural performance is part of the design logic. In the context of this workshop, Karamba3D is used to simulate and evaluate elastic deformation behavior in material-driven architectural systems, bridging computational design and structural analysis. ### What does the Elastic Architecture studio workshop by Jan Knippers cover? The studio workshop investigates elastic mechanisms as an architectural design principle, drawing on biological systems where fibrous material deformation, rather than mechanical hinges, drives motion and adaptation. Participants learn simulation and form-finding strategies in Grasshopper and Karamba3D, explore how form, structure, and material interrelate in elastic systems, and develop small group design projects applying these principles. The workshop is grounded in research from projects including the One Ocean Pavilion, the Flectofold facade shading device, and the Urbach Tower. ### What background do I need to join the Elastic Architecture studio workshop? The workshop is research and design studio in character and is suited to participants with some prior computational design experience, particularly in Grasshopper. An interest in structural behavior, material systems, and bio-inspired design is central to the studio's approach. The workshop uses Karamba3D for structural simulation alongside Grasshopper and Rhinoceros, so familiarity with parametric workflows will help participants engage with the form-finding and simulation components. ### What will I produce through the Elastic Architecture studio workshop? Working in small groups, participants will develop design projects that apply elastic mechanism principles to architectural applications, combining material-driven deformation strategies with computational simulation in Grasshopper and Karamba3D. The output is a developed design proposal informed by simulation and form-finding techniques, presented through the studio's collaborative design and critique format.