C-shells are a novel class of lightweight, deployable structures that transform from a flat layout into complex three-dimensional shapes. Composed of curved, flexible beams connected by rotational joints, these structures can be assembled in a stress-free planar state and then activated to deploy into their designed form through elastic deformation.

This project introduces a computational pipeline to explore and design C-shells efficiently. Two complementary approaches are developed: a forward exploration method, where designers start with a flat layout and simulate its deployed shape, and an inverse design method, where a desired 3D surface is translated into a flat linkage system using a custom geometric flattening algorithm. In both workflows, an optimization process refines the beam geometry to minimize elastic energy while maintaining the intended shape.

C-shells open new possibilities for deployable architecture and kinetic systems by enabling shape topologies that are unattainable with traditional linkage structures. Through a series of studies and prototypes, this project demonstrates the versatility and aesthetic potential of C-shells as a new paradigm in elastic deployable design.