Lecture at Arup: A Collaborative Partner
Nikolas gave a lecture at Arup’s Offices in New York City last week attended by their staff of structural engineers, façade engineers, and specialist (“STAR”) engineers from the US, Canada, and London. In his presentation, Nikolas explored the unique and long-term collaboration between Nikolas Weinstein Studios (NWS) and Arup Engineers, namely Graham Dodd: Arup Fellow and Head of Material Sciences out of the London office. He also discussed the development of NWS’s glass textile system and its use in the world’s largest glass sculpture, Mangrove, recently installed at Solaire Resort North in Manila.
Nikolas endeavored to deliver 3 key messages to his audience of engineers to highlight the rewards of long-term collaboration and stepping outside of industry norms to drive innovation.
Key Messages:
Getting in Each Other’s Sandboxes
Working collaboratively across disciplines allows for fresh perspectives, and challenges established knowledge. Sometimes Graham and his team see ways of building things that we might miss, while the studio often pushes back on core engineering assumptions. This reciprocal exchange encourages everyone to approach problems with a broader, more flexible mindset.
Using Fuzzy and Interpretive Methods
Coming from a sculptural perspective, there’s comfort in initially using interpretive or "fuzzy" approaches rather than relying solely on quantitative methods. This approach involves suspending disbelief temporarily, allowing ideas to take shape before more reasoned, quantitative explanations are developed.
Rapid Iteration, Practical Testing, and Adaptability
The collaboration has evolved into one that supports quick, adaptable approaches, backed by hands-on practical tests. It’s essential to combine both digital tools and physical processes, allowing team members to move fluidly between computers, lathes, and other machines while using a range of intellectual skills. This highly iterative methodology enables rapid development: an idea can be tested overnight, refined the next morning, and adjusted based on immediate feedback, encouraging a dynamic, hands-on approach to problem-solving.
The content of Nikolas’s presentation highlighted the iterative nature of his creative process and what led to the development of the studio’s signature “glass fabric” medium. From there, Nikolas discussed his recently completed artwork in Manila, now the worlds largest glass sculpture, and Arup’s collaborative role with that project. Using three engineering "object lessons", Nikolas walked the Arup staff through an examination of how his creative vision and the Arup team’s engineering expertise merged to address complex design challenges.
Three Engineering Object Lessons – Innovations in Collaboration:
Dynamic Modeling of the Glass Matrix: A technique to forecast how the glass matrix would perform under gravity and seismic activity, with testing conducted to predict the theoretical performance of this emergent construction material.
Swivel Collar – Developed through close, collaborative iterations between engineers and fabricators, the swivel collar combined brainstorming with precise engineering to produce an efficient, multifunctional solution adaptable to multiple use scenarios.
Tie Cuff – Inspired by traditional lashing techniques in boat making, the tie cuff offers an adaptable fastening solution that operates beyond a binary on/off function. Its performance is incremental and intuitive, balancing simplicity with hi-tech precision.
NWS’s fabrication manager, Jonah Burns, presented on the complex, multi-functional custom hardware that was developed for Mangrove and he even brought some show-and tell pieces that were passed around the room to everyone’s delight- including examples of the swivel collars and tie cuffs that were discussed.
