27. July 2023

New service: Parametric design for tendril structures

Tendril structures in novel organic shapes with depth effect. This is made possible by a new service from Jakob Rope Systems. The key is parametric design integrated into a digital planning process.

With a new service Jakob Rope Systems offers more possibilities for the design of trellises. The previously geometric shapes of the trellises are now being expanded to include more complex organic structures with variable depths. The key to this is parametric design, which is integrated into a digital planning process and subsequent production and execution.

"We bring a 3-dimensionality to our customers' greening architecture" explains Fabian Graber, Head of Technology at Jakob Rope Systems. "In this way, we want to provide urban planners, architects, landscape designers and builders with highly individual and novel forms that can be used to develop tendril structures and thus urban greening in new dimensions”.

The first customer projects are already being created for vertical greening on building facades and on infrastructures running along railroad lines and roads. Other areas of application are also conceivable. "On the one hand, we support our customers on specific requirements and realize their project up to the finished installation. But we can just as well accompany the development of an initial idea as a partner and help with further concretization," says Fabian Graber.

Parametric design – Realization with GreenSolutions

Based on ideas, customer wishes or concrete requirements, Jakob Rope Systems develops a parametric model that virtually maps the desired tendril structure. This makes the shape visible on the screen and allows it to be varied for further planning steps. Certain parameters are digitally stored in the computer, such as the length of the spacers, their position and distances from each other. In this way, further tendril structure patterns can be derived virtually very quickly from a basic shape.

From the virtually finalized tendril structure, Jakob Rope Systems develops the further steps, such as the detailed calculations for construction and the material requirements. This is followed by the assembly of the tendril structure with the existing Jakob range of rope and net systems for greening (GreenSolutions).

Digital planning – limitless possibilities

  • The parametric design treats the spacers of the tendril structure as variable quantities. Thus, the length of the spacers as well as their number and their distances to each other vary within a defined tolerance range. The resulting variants of tendril structures are almost limitless.
  • The lengths of the spacers can vary. This creates an organically curved and malleable surface of the tendril structure, which creates a depth effect.
  • The distances between the spacers vary horizontally between 500 to 1500 mm and vertically between 500 to 2000 mm. This makes shaping possible and, at the same time, adaptation to specific structural conditions and customer requirements.
  • In the case of trellis structures for greening, it is common for the spacing between the spacers to be smaller at the edges than at the other points. This variation in spacing is considered as an additional parameter that allows for a more diverse and visually appealing design.
  • For the structural implementation of the tendril structures, the Jakob solutions: Webnet, GreenGuide and GreenTrellis are used.

Our engineering team will develop your tendril structure. Contact us for questions and more information:

Fabian Graber
Head of Technology
fabian.graber@jakob.ch