The aim of this research is to explore a hybrid system of active and passive actuations for responsive architectural skins, which can reform and adapt based on environmental stimuli and user’s demands. With this project we expect to have full command over the skin with different methods of adaptability and control. This will be achieved by using mechatronics as the active elements of the system and programmable shape-changing materials as passively actuating elements. For the purpose of this research, we have defined architectural skins as the interface between exterior and interior spaces. On the exterior a skin has the potential to interact to environmental stimuli while creating a meaningful enclosure that could foster diverse interactions with its users.
In architecture, responsiveness has been of particular interest when dealing with climatic adaptation. Environmental conditions change constantly, therefore architectural skins need to be environmentally-responsive for the building to be energy-performative and comfortable for living. In addition, Users’ needs change unpredictably during the day, so as occupancy patterns and activities held indoor, thus an architectural skin which could interact with its different users flexibly, make our spaces more productive, sustainable, social and meaningful. Adaptive and responsive architectural skins have been investigated in both research and practice in recent years. The two main categories of these skins are actively and passively actuated skins. Considering potentials and limitations of both systems we see the potential of combining them resulting in a hybrid system of passive and active actuations. Thus we can have advantages from both systems, for instance from the passive, Its embedded responsiveness with less or no energy consumption, and from the active, having a user-controllable system. Here we show how these two skin systems can be integrated in an environmentally-responsive, user-controllable hybrid system robotic material. Our analytical work started by investigating the passive actuation of thermo-bilayers, followed by studies on potential active actuation of the system. After successful tests on the active control we worked on a user interface for the user control. Finally, we fabricated our hybrid demonstrators in different scenarios and actuating strategies.
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ITECH M.Sc. Thesis Project 2020: Actively Passive - A hybrid system for user-controllable environmentally-responsive architectural skins
Edith Anahi González San Martin, Jeongwoo Jang, Hooman Salyani
Thesis Advisers: Yasaman Tahouni, Jan Petrš
Thesis Supervisor: Jun.-Prof. Hanaa Dahy
Second Supervisor: Prof. Jan Knippers