Channelbeta - Speciale - Shigeru Ban per L’Aquila: un’inspiegabile occasione persa

M. : Mister Bini …
D. : Don’t call me "Mister", please! Otherwise I will not answer any more to your “contorti” (I use the same expression that you use in yours mails) “reasoning”.
M. : Architect Bini : where bring off “utopias”?
D. : Thanks for yours considerations about my BiniSystem. To analyse the automation’s history for construction structures you can take a lot of information from my web-site www.binisyetems.com where there is a paper called "Construction automation". Furthermore, if you have opportunity to read the Italian review Focus (number 113, February 2002) you might read two articles by Dr. Parlangeli. The last is “Interview to Dante Bini: the self-built constructions”
Skyscrapers self-made by robots directed by the main PC: it’s not science fiction but this is what was realised in the Nineties in Japan. Thanks to “Smart” (Shimizu Manufacturing system by Advanced Robotics Technology), an innovation technology developed by the team directed by Yasuyuki Miyatake, member of Shimizu Corporation, that let construction of Jyuroku Bank,in Nagoya (Japan). What? Dante Bini. Italian architect, expert of the automation’s construction site and engineering consultant for Shimizu, he says: «The place for the building is covered with a shed, provided inside with rails working like ways for robots. The robots are guided by the main PC, they choose, lift, set and fix with full precision all the building’s components ». This innovation, Bini says, will fulfil a Copernican revolution in Architecture: in the future the design of the buildings will happen a function of technologies (robotics) that will realise all that.

M. : The robotic applied to building construction is necessary to manage vey big building-sites-cities where converge construction and plant design works, very complexes and high dangerousness for the workers, they have to be under control. In Japan, China and Arabia this is reality. Do you even involved in design project for “city of the future”? Right?
D. : With the multinational company Shimizu Corporation of Tokyo I presented just in Helsinki a paper about that theme: do you know? By Shimizu – the main important company that left me involved in unprecedented and unbelievable projects for Italy and even in USA – I was appointed to project the town infrastructures for a million of people, in a case, and six hundred thousand, in other case. The infrastructures that I will have propose to realise with automatism. The Japanese’s people have done yet a big step in extraordinary robotic field; in fact in Anagoja city a skyscraper of twenty metres still exist. It’s was built entirely by robots, without human help, manager’s aid a part – a group of ten men white dressed, engineers with white gloves, robots’ “manoeuvres”. This advanced level of technology in construction is unknown in Europe and a little bit more in USA, and it is employed only by Japanese’s. My great interest for the robotic, automation site-construction in particular, it’s exactly science of physic applied. It’s persuade me not only to project with Japanese’s the incredible structures, for example the million people cit, but even to think about spatial project, extra terrain. In fact I was involved in design of two lunar bases with Shimitzu. I even contributed to project for a hotel that turn around the Heat. So, I would never been involved in these projects if I will have been in Italy!

M. : Oh yes, the paper about Tower City ("Material, Design and Construction for the 21 sty. Century International Restarci Workshop" in 1991). It’s extraordinary to think about these immense anthills that were yet in the designers’ minds of the past time like Sant’Elia that has advanced all that with hers visions of the mechanised city. Now it’s just reality. But I think that for the people it’s not the best perspective to live in these immense communities like sardines! Therefore I think even that all the project designers need, and all people that will collaborate to these works, it’s the preservation of human condition inside these future’s towers, creating all that for the man can be an “optional” and so pushing to increase psychological impact. But, now I ask you what your opinion is? Would you never live in these towers?
D. : I think that all we dream – more or less – the lonely house on the hill or front to sea with an unlimited orizon. The more human version of TC is my purpose for Kyoto that you can allow in web page on my site at the point 13 of BiniSystem section. Moreover think about thousand of people that always need a shelter because of natural disasters, mass-immigration, ethnic devastation, wars and any other event that can let them homeless. Often it builds without criteria and encroaching lands that wouldn’t be builds-up.

M : Seeing that first you have underlined the opportunity to work in innovation technology field, what do you think it would to do the part of the Italian government about?
D. : The Italian government should abate the tax on all the enterprises costs for the researches, like in Japan… develop and screening. This is a question that we don’t understand. Why the Italy doesn’t offer these tax reliefs? At the end I must underline that while the Italian mentality and the Italian’s aptitude makes him the most receptive and right for the innovation, invention, etc…, he don’t find in homeland the fertile land, both to academic and politic level; that terrain discovery here in America and that exist even in Japan.

M: What advantages there are working in USA
D. : Well, the American’s technologies – talking about scientific researches in software and robotic field – are very advanced; they are at the same level to their Japanese’s. For this reason anytime that I propose constructive systems where I apply automatism, I receive more receptivity. For example only now I call about this arguments there are journal, reviews, mass-media, interested and I even receive a lot of mails, above all from Americans, Japanese’s, Australians too recently. Well, even the media, radio and TV have to simplify and push the researches in Italy – this is my modest consideration. From this point we will start. It can be transferred any new technology, even because in Italy the costs of prototypes are lower than here in USA. In fact I go in Italy myself, when I have to do a new prototype.

M. : Where exactly in Italy?
D. : Well, in Bologna and generally in Emilia, the robotic is pushed in a way very considerable, and naturally in the Milanese area too. In fact during this days I being realise dynamic pneumatic forms – the so-called “pneumoforms” – which I talk you to build cheap houses just in twenties minutes. I can lift very heavy loads today with a new system, that I have just now patent in Italy and with Italians means but transferred in America because in Italy nobody hear me; in Italy we have enough substratum if politically it would be facilitated.
M. : I consulted some book about pneumatic construction and I rate very interesting the Otto Frei’s texts … I would like to ask: which period do you think the most significant to begin an historical excursus about the possibility to use pneumatic methods in constructions?
D. : I’ve meet often Frei Otto and her daughter during international congresses, but we lose sight of each other, and I don’t know if it’s always active. Frei elaborated at the Stoccarda’s University a exceptional researche about pneumatic structures. Theirs first two book – dedicated me " Zugbeanspruchte Konstruktionen " and “Band 2”, they are a very important inspiration source for me. Frei is one of more important structural pioneers of ours times. Ah, the fabulouses Sixties! They looked ventured many personages with the calibre of Hans Isler, Felix Candela and Buckminster Fuller e Mario Salvadori. During these years the spatial shapes talk for the first time, like any times before in Architecture.
Think that only with the PC’s coming we have elaborated (after) the structural calculations for shapes almost impossible to define, geometrically even! During following years a lot of people emulate or imitates them – just with computers’ help and “Finished Elements”. Just from Sixties, I insist on looking for construction philosophy appropriate to their big inventive genius and enough for a case it’s born the new concept of “auto-construction” or “automation-construction”, which nobody had ever thought and that at the beginning it consent me to realise many structures without know never if “they will left standing!”. At the end the PC help even me and all they that believe in me.
M. : In your last interview during your travel in Tuscany you’ve talk about yours BiniSystem like construction systems, flexible and adapt to schools, airports, resorts, houses and an infinite variety of project. Give me an example.
D. : In Puglia I advise you to visit almost two touristic villages made with Binishell, together near to Monopoli (Torre Cintola in Capitolo and the other in Cala Corvino). That alternative method to build geodetic domes on the terrain after it had been patented and a construction company born and built many domes around the world. The patent which I refer it gives the possibility to build a dome only with a unique concrete casting completely and uniformity reinforced a precompressed. That means save time in construction and have a static result most satisfactory.
M. : Otherwise regarding the Aerospatiale field, even in Italy, when and how commissioned you for the first project?
D. : Historically the first geodetic spatial structure self forming, called Binistar was realised in Bari from E.GE.CON./Fratelli Dioguardi S.p.A...Never anybody in the world tries to take a similar experiment! I think that the structure always exists. To have more information in regards you can ask to famous “Cavaliere del Lavoro” Prof. Ing. Gianfranco Dioguardi of the same named company.
M. : You, an Architect made in Italy, what do you admire in yours Italian colleagues? And, at the same time in which do you doubt?
D. : Any times that I return in Italy, and particularly in Florence, I can’t escape to admire the great attention of Italians to interpret ate the difficult art of Restoration with the recovery and upkeep of incomparable works of Architecture put in a urban context that respect an ambient that all the world admire.
Now I ask me if polarizing on this praiseworthy work we wander off from the innovation’s spirit and creativity that Architects. Engineers and Builders of the past times gave us. I don’t want that would lost that called by Gianfranco Dioguardi “Research Adventure”, in the introduction of my book entitled metaphysically (like termed from Dacia Maraini) “A cavallo dell’Aria”.
M. : Wath happen othervise in foreign countries about innovation technology field?
D. : What “the other” does? Some people excogitate didactic formulas that stimulate the youngest, that push them to unit themselves in theirs garages to invent Google, Apple, Microsoft ecc… Others propose drastic innovations in construction science and permit the realisation of SMART System; they project TRY 2004, Tower City, and Kyoto for the 21st Century. They develop new materials or, you don’t say, they push themselves in spatial researches to stand up to the problems that extreme environments impose.
[..] I’m persuaded that it’s necessary learn and be teacher of today… I think that it’s absurd impose to youngest our old and arrogant point of view without try encourage them to follow intuition and make advantage of their creativity in a world completely different and always evolving. We don’t have to built like Romans of ancient times but with criteria of our age, considering the use of new materials and standards of economic, environmental and temporal sustainability
M. : And now a summary about Binishell : you can present us the main results touched today?
• sustainable - less material less waste and smaller carbon footprint
• high quality - more consistent and stronger
• affordable - cheapest way to build
• revolutionary - using air pressure to lift and shape reinforced concrete buildings
• simple low tech - no special equipment and no special materials
•proven - over 1,300 built in 23 countries
•fast - reducing construction schedules by between 60 and 75%
•strong - naturally resistant to high winds, earthquake, floods and fires. The constructive method
“armoured” is calculate using GSA finite element that give positive results about deformation even
if put under big loads.
•flexible - infinite variety of shapes, scales, uses and finishes
•inexpensive - reducing construction costs by an average of 50%

a cura di Mariangela Martellotta

LINKS:

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