Funicular: Hanging Models

The rational form that gravity reveals. Antoni Gaudí designed buildings — including the Sagrada Família — using hanging, or "funicular," models. A string loaded with weights sags into a catenary/funicular curve set by the load at each point. Invert that curve and you get a form that carries its load in pure compression, with no bending — the classic technique of form-finding. Funicular makes that method digital. ■ The operation is the design process 1. Span strings between dots on the base (orthogonal or radial grid) 2. Place weights and let the load sink the curve 3. Tune each weight (stepless), its position, and string lengths toward your target form 4. Invert, and verify the self-standing compression structure Connections can cross levels, and changing one point makes every layer below follow physically. ■ Three form-finding engines ・Antoni Gaudí — masonry vaults / ruled-surface shells ・Frei Otto — minimal-surface tensile membranes ・Heinz Isler — smooth thin shells from an inverted hanging cloth Wall thickness and surface bulge are adjustable parameters. Generation is non-destructive — return to the frame and regenerate anytime. ■ Finishing Trencadís (broken-tile mosaic), stained glass, terracotta, and palette-based coloring. ■ Design principles ・Experience load → curve → inversion through direct manipulation, not sliders ・Turntable object-rotation view; direct string dragging ・Branch your explorations by duplicating; export images ・Fully on-device (offline) The core is free. Pro (a one-time purchase, no subscription, no ads) removes scale limits on dots, levels, and base dimensions, and unlocks all art finishes. For iPhone and iPad. Build your architecture with Gaudí's method.