Plateau Courtyard, Deakin University

RESEARCH BACKGROUND
Voronoi tessellations are a mode of partitioning space into polygons, such that each region is situated closest to a particular point feature. Centroidal Voronoi tessellations (CVT) are a geometric subset in which the generating feature is located at the point of balance of the resulting Voronoi polygon.

RESEARCH CONTRIBUTION
Paul Minifie's (MNA) proposed roof of the Plateau courtyard at Deakin University uses the geometric properties of the CVT to describe an innovative structural system for roof spaces. A slender column is located at each Voronoi node, and a ring beam, supported by tensile members from the column, follows the Voronoi periphery. The geometry enables the beam to balance in equilibrium and to support a tensile fabric structure that stretches to the ground.

RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE
The Plateau Courtyard was published in 10 x 10_2 100 Architects 10 Critics, by Phaidon Press, 2005.

研究背景
沃罗诺伊图（Voronoi tessellations）是一种将空间划分为多边形区域的空间分区方法，可使每个区域最邻近某一特定点特征。质心沃罗诺伊图（Centroidal Voronoi tessellations, CVT）是一类特殊的几何子集，其生成点特征位于对应沃罗诺伊多边形的形心位置。

研究贡献
保罗·米尼菲（Paul Minifie，MNA）针对迪肯大学高原庭院提出的屋顶方案，运用CVT的几何特性，构建了一种适用于屋顶空间的创新结构体系。该体系在每个沃罗诺伊节点处设置一根细长立柱，由立柱伸出的受拉构件支撑的环形梁沿沃罗诺伊外围布置。此种几何构型可使梁处于平衡状态，并可支撑张拉至地面的张拉织物结构。

研究意义
该高原庭院方案刊载于费顿出版社（Phaidon Press）2005年出版的《10 x 10_2 100 Architects 10 Critics》一书。