2012 | [parametric] Climbing Wall [system]

Climbing Wall system allows for full control over free-form configuration

The parametric Climbing Wall system is a fully integrated design system that facilitates the design of a freestanding triangulated wooden structure of virtually any shape and size within the constraints of the comprehensive system. The systemic design concept has been applied here to the design of climbing walls, in close cooperation with client Mountain Network for the climbing wall in Amsterdam . The design system is directly connected to an automated production system, which allows for seamless production and the realization of any given design. The system is set up to allow the end-user to freely create limitless variations and shapes that can be build almost immediately. The geometrical output that is produced by the parametric design scripts developed by ONL [Oosterhuis_Lénárd] is formatted in such a way that it directly drives the proprietary production process, realizing a fully integrated file to factory solution for customized free-form timber constructions.

base triangular component front side
base triangular component back side

Base triangular component

The basis for the parametric climbing wall system is a single triangular component that integrates structural beams, climbing surfaces, perforations for the grips. The CNC produced triangular components are simply bolted together to form the bigger structure. No secondary structure is need to build up the complete climbing wall, neither is there any support structure needed to stabilize the climbing wall system. The system is designed as to accommodate free-standing walls especially customized for [indoor] climbing. The parametric system organizes the triangular components in a diagrid mesh, and gives full control over the respective angles between the components by tweaking the curves that drive the parametric system. The parametric system comes with an app that can be used by any non-professional designer. The user-designer of the climbing wall can choose his/her climbing challenge, setting the level of difficulty of the climbing trajectories.

the components are bolted together to form the free-standing structure
parametric design system in Grasshopper | tesselation evaluation