Michal Marvan
Matematický ústav v Opavě, Opava
Geometrically defined nets and surfaces are considered integrable if it is possible to find exact expressions for them that depend on any finite number of arbitrary parameters. Pseudo-spherical surfaces are a classic example, but there are many more, including ones with applications in natural sciences or design. For instance, Voss nets model elastically bent lath structures with planar cladding, which represents one of the approaches to large-span free-form architecture. Integrability not only helps us to determine shapes that can be achieved with a given technology, but exact shapes (e.g., shapes with a symmetry) are likely to be of greater aesthetic value than those created by hand.