TENSEGRITY

Charles François (2004). TENSEGRITY, International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(2): 3519.

Collection	International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics
Year	2004
Vol. (num.)	2(2)
ID	◀ 3519 ▶
Object type

}“ The overal tensile \term{stresses

of the entire system” (S. BEER, 1994, p.13)

This neologism is a contraction of “Tensile (or tensional) Integrity”, an expression related to BUCKMINSTER FULLER's geometrical concept of the general conditions of equilibrium

of complex 

structures

, based on 

structural relationships

.

BEER writes: “According to this, the wholeness

, the 

INTEGRITY

of the 

structure

is guaranteed not by the local compressive 

stresses

where structural members are joined together, but by the overall tensile 

stresses

of the entire system” (p.13).

Tensegrity allows the redistribution of tensions within a structure

submitted to deformations, provided each 

element

in the 

structure

(generally speaking struts and wires) can bear both tensions or compressions. Some 

structures

of this type can even shift from one shape to another in reaction to external pressure, while still maintaining their general characteristics.

S. BEER relates tensegrity to the general notion of logical (or organizational) closure

. He derived his concept of 

Syntegrity

, as applied to human teams from the tensegrity 

model

.

For more about tensegrity, see R. CONNELLY and Allen BACK (1998, p.142-151) and Martin BROOKES (1999, p.43-46).