- Zaha Hadid-designed DDP... 22,000 (49%) of 45,000 panels are double-curved panels...
- High precision (25mm joints) and limited budget... Mass customization was a major challenge with existing methods...
- 3 years of R&D, panel fabrication cost slashed from $7,000 to $260 per m²... Production time reduced to 15 minutes...
This paper, authored by Ghang Lee and Seon Woo Kim, covers three years of research conducted to address challenges related to the mass customization of double-curved metal panels, focusing specifically on the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) building.
Abstract
Contrary to general perception, the mass customization of double-curved metal panels with minute variations remains a difficult challenge. This paper reports the results of three years of research to develop a new hybrid sheet metal processing technique for fabricating the double-curved metal panels of the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP).
The DDP, designed by Zaha Hadid, features an abnormally high proportion of double-curved panels. Out of a total of 45,000 façade panels, approximately 22,000 are double-curved panels. Despite the complexity and diversity of panel types, the joint width is merely 25mm. Precision and a limited budget were key requirements.
Through trial and error, the project team succeeded in developing 'Multipoint Stretch Forming', a new economical sheet metal forming method that combines multipoint forming and stretch bending. Several machines and prototypes were custom-built and tested for this purpose. Using this new method, the fabrication cost for a typical double-curved panel was $260 per m², which was significantly lower than die casting ($7,000 per m²) or hydroforming ($3,000 per m²). Furthermore, the average fabrication time per panel was reduced from several hours to 15 minutes.
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