The Saltator is a long-span structure, which is an ensemble of form, function, and aesthetics inspired by the ground-breaking works of Gaudi. The furniture extends Gaudi's designs and other conventional funicular forms, by exhibiting a unique balance of tension and compression forces in 3D space. The structure shows how to minimize the volume of construction materials and reduce the carbon footprint of a structure while preserving the necessary mass for structural performance. The Greco-Roman wrestling technique, Salto, has inspired the structural form.

Masoud Akbarzadeh is a designer with a unique academic background and experience in architectural design, computation, and structural engineering. He is an Assistant Professor of Architecture in Structures and Advanced Technologies and the Director of the Polyhedral Structures Laboratory (PSL). He holds a D.Sc. from the Institute of Technology in Architecture, ETH Zurich, where he was a Research Assistant in the Block Research Group. He holds two degrees from MIT: a Master of Science in Architecture Studies (Computation) and a MArch, the thesis for which earned him the renowned SOM award. He also has a degree in Earthquake Engineering and Dynamics of Structures from the Iran University of Science and Technology and a BS in Civil and Environmental Engineering. His main research topic is Three-Dimensional Graphical Statics, which is a novel geometric method of structural design in three dimensions. In 2020, he has received the National Science Foundation CAREER Award to extend the methods of 3D/Polyhedral Graphic Statics for Education, Design, and Optimization of High-Performance Structures.

PSL is an interdisciplinary research lab connecting architecture, structural engineering, computer science, mathematics, and material science to enrich architectural geometry and to reconcile function, form, and technology. PSL aims to bridge the gap between architecture and structural design using geometry, which is considered the common language between these two inextricable disciplines. At PSL we intend to push the boundaries of research in the field of architectural technology, and we are continually looking for teams and individuals to interact with across various academic disciplines.