No. 62. Conceptual Design of Structures. - Proceedings of the International fib Symposium - 29 June - 1 July 2023 - Oslo, Norway PDF format

It is with great pleasure that we present the papers of the fib International Symposium on Conceptual Design of Concrete Structures, held in Oslo, Norway, from 29 June to 1 July 2023.

It is highly important to develop our thinking around the key concept of conceptual design. Conceptual design is essential; it is a tool for improvement, and improvement is necessary. The challenges ahead are more demanding and more urgent than ever before. Therefore, the motto of the 2023 Symposium in Oslo is:

“As the challenges ahead are more severe than before, we need better conceptual designers than before.”

In this Symposium, we focus on the development of conceptual design skills. We deliberately use the term develop rather than learn or teach. In this context, the emphasis is naturally placed on young conceptual designers, or those who are becoming conceptual designers.

We do not aim to limit the content of the fib Conceptual Design Symposium in Oslo, except that all contributions must address conceptual design. The presentations are intended to be relevant to participants close to the concrete industry and to benefit from the unique environment of SALT.

SALT is a nomadic art project featuring pyramidal structures called hesjer, based on traditional coastal construction methods. Norway has one of the world’s longest coastlines and a rich coastal culture, where people have long fished in harmony with nature. Fishermen traditionally constructed fish racks to dry fish in the wind. Dried fish not only provided nourishment but also became an important export product that contributed significantly to the development of Norway.

The pyramidal structures have been developed in collaboration with architect Sami Rintala. Árdna – the Arctic Pyramid, Langhuset, and Naustet together make SALT a unique space for experience and reflection, where diverse groups of people can gather, collaborate, and generate new ideas.

The papers were peer reviewed by the National and International Scientific Committee, comprising a mix of experts who are members of the Technical Council of fib and members of the Norwegian Concrete Society. Ingrid Lande from the University of Agder (UiA) and Samindi M. K. Samarakoon from the University of Stavanger (UiS) organised the review process and prepared the programme.

We, the Organising Committee and the host institution, the Norwegian Concrete Association, would like to thank everyone who contributed to the fib Symposium 2023. We are grateful to the authors and hope that you find the papers innovative and useful references for your work and for the industry as a whole.