Smart System_Proposal

Structure: Fiber Reinforced Polymer

*Make it flexible and dynamic to external stimuli. Pinned structural connection for moment and flexing forces. May need to incorporate phase changing or secondary skin to allow for movements.

Cladding System: Various materials

* "Scaled System" : A rhomboidal overlapping system able to vary the adjacent positions of the individual components (and slide past each other).

* "Sub-divided triangulation system" : A triangulated cladding system in which the individual pieces may fold in to, or away, from their adjacent counterparts due to a pivoting axis.

Internal Membrane System: Barrisol Stretch Ceiling

* This may have a piezoelectric framing system which would gather energy when the system would flex.

Insulation/External Sealant & System

*Phase changing composite (thermal and pressure sensitive?)

*CRG Shape Memory Polymers? (Translucent)

*Sugru (Flexible, water proof, and heat resistant) silicone based polymer.

Case Studies and Innovative Research

IdcT (Innovative Design and Construction Technologies) was a Congress held in Milan, Italy in 2009 which focused on innovation, analyzing projects, techniques, tools and materials from a critical and up to date view.

Within this field is a roaming workshop aast or Advanced Architecture Settimo Tokyo, which works with generative computational design. It allows testing of new approaches and techniques for design with 3D parametric software for both students and professionals.

Another good resource that has helped me out and given me some good examples of various projects and case studies are those of the CoDe Labs (Computational Design). In particular Co-De-it (Italy) and Made in California | Co.De.

If you want to learn more about parametric modeling and construction types that integrate with the smart systems and reactive skins, then this is a 13 week tutor driven program that from what I have seen has guided some pretty in depth and interesting studies.

Modular Solar Cladding System

Sulfurcell, a German photovoltaic company, has produced a modular cladding system that is blended with photovoltaic properties, which can not only be incorporated into new construction, but also be blended into the fabrics of existing structures to stimulate the design and power help to power the buildings.

"Sulfurcell Creates Solar Cladding for Modular Building Systems"

EICS Symposium

The "Engineering Interactive Computing Systems" is an annual worldwide conference and symposium that brings like minded people together to discuss research, problems, and possible solutions within this field through workshops, tutorials, demonstrations, ect...

Conference Overview

Companies & Products

Barrisol Stretch Ceiling

This material is an adaptive PVC material that incorporates many smart properties such as the ability to stretch and withstand great forces without ripping or tearing, and then retake it's original form when heat is applied. This system can be set for roofing, ceiling and wall units.

The Barrisol Universe

VERIFLEX by CRG Industries

Veriflex is a Shape Memory Polymer which allows infinitely customizable and reusable forms.

CRG Industries

PRIVA-LITE by Quantum Glass

Is an active glass that through an electrical charge may change from transparent to translucent with no alteration of light level. It offers the user the options of privacy, visibility, and even communication.

Quantum Glass

LKATherm Climatic System

This climatic system is flexible and can be used in all rooms as wall elements, cooling ceilings, or cooling sails.

It incorporates micronal, micronal plaster, and thermo active slabs.

Climatic System Brochure

Interactive Facades

Temporary Guggenheim Museum

Community Rowing Boathouse

Kiefer Technic Showroom

Parametric Systems

Parametric Housing Project

Project by : Joseph Choma

This parametric project is an interesting one that questions the theory of what a home is, and offers a unique perspective about having a programmable house and actually having the architect now not designing an individual home, but rather programming an independent interface in which a client could interact with.

Eco-Sustainable Housing - Parametric Design

This system based on a thinly cut limestone rhomboid framework, reacts to the environment and is able to flex with external stimuli such as wind and thermal pressures that either rearrange the framework or stretch/compress it into a lighter or thicker membrane depending on temperature.

Fluid - Amphibian Pavilion

This pavilion transcends ordinary and in this case stationary structures and is created to be a movable and interactive project that as of now has 3 possible routes that it is scheduled for.

Parametric Projects : Projects that are Almost There...

Self-Sufficient Street Light

Project Proposal

My proposal for the Smart Materials project is to first research Dynamic and Interactive structures, and then to further my research into the smart materials that will best accompany and be specifically applied to either structure such as the FRP (fiber reinforced polymers) with a cladding and membranes.

Extended Research

I also did some research on electroactive research and stumbled onto some interesting things regarding binary and interactive systems developed using composites, polymers and nano-technology. The main researchers in this field come from Festo. www.festo.com

Festo Bionic Learning Network 2009

Bank, Lawrence C. "Composites for Construction : Structural Design with FRP Materials," 2006.

-This book is a wealth of knowledge on fiber-reinforced polymers, and gives descriptions on not only the materials but how they are made, used, and why.

Cardarelli, Francois. "Material Handbook : A Concise Desktop Reference," 2000.

Page: 371-393 (Polymers & Elastomers).

-This book has a great deal of technical data and detailed overviews of some of the most extensively used polymers and elastomers in the field.

Original Research

Solar-Powered Electroactive Curtain

Smart Materials and New Technologies

Fibre Composite Adaptive System