IaaC bit 3.4.1

Implementing Advanced Knowledge

bits

3 .4.1 Interactive and Responsive Faรงade Systems IAAC - Research

Interactive and Responsive Façade Systems Nowadays physical computation, electronics and new technologies are more and more present in the development of architecture. Energy optimization systems, extended of the LED light installations embedded into architectural elements, devices that extract information from the environment and apply it in a creative form to architecture, or sensitive spaces that react to the users, are some examples of technological applications in the architectural field.

The opensource electronics, such as Arduino, and online communities have very much helped the generalization and democratization of knowledge and information over the last decade. This technology has endowed architects, designers and artists with cheap, powerful and easily usable and applicable tools to enhance development of concepts and ideas, in a rapid and efficient form without needing to contract the services of external companies or big investments in inflexible and expensive development.

The Physical Comuting Seminar developed as part of the Masters in Advanced Architecture of the Institute for Advanced Architecture of catalonia introduces the students to a practical way of using sensors, actuators and microcontrollers applied to the architectural field. Through the introduction to physical computing techniques, in particular Arduino, and the implementation of simple pratical examples, the seminar allows the students to design and develop an implementation or physical module using common elements to finally create an interactive application and build a 1:1 scale prototype of a modular and scalable system.

The elements used to develop the prototypes include sensors for light, temperature or vibration to capture information and actuators to generate movement or similar outputs. The main idea was to create something big and modular with a complex behavior from the creation of small simple items. Each group developped their prototype separately and then jointly implemented them. The prototypes not being necessarily interconnected.

The students proposed diverse applications and developed the most interesting, practical and efficient collaboratively implementing a multifunctional interactive and responsive façade system. The façade system was exhibited in the Moritz Factory in Barcelona as part of the “DEMO, exploring new fabrication processes”, organised by ADI-FAD, with the support of the Barcelona City Council and the Ministry for Education, Culture and Sport, from the 21st to the 31 of March this year. Iris gas panel: It is a pollution control facade that responds to polluting LPG gases Cover - Restless Leg Syndrome, Boney Keriwala, Shweta Das, Niel Parev Figure 1 - Light Sensitive Pattern, Rodion Eremeev, Sinem Samanci, Richard Aoun, Maria Czajczynska 2

like methane, propane and iso-butane emitted by vehicles. When there is a high concentration of pollutants the Iris boxes on the facade closes, so as to prevent the entry of these gases into the building. The Iris boxes are efficiently designed, 3D printed modules and the movement of their ‘leaves’ is controlled by a servo motor integrated into each module. The white stretchable fabric that forms the facade surface allows filtered light to enter, even while the iris boxes are closed so as to keep the interiors of the building well lit. The whole system can be made to respond gas sensors placed on the panel so as react to specific local conditions. In addition they can be programmed to react to the ambient gas levels in a place by connect to the “Smart Citizen” data base.

RLS - Restless Leg Syndrome:

This project aimed at exploring volumetric transformations through axial rotations.

The structural organization of the mechanism is inspired by the origami unfolding characteristics.

In fact, the structural units being mechanically linked to one another, only two motors are needed to trigger the movement of all the elements, and create an elegant degradation of shades on the facade.

Figure 2 -Bio Ceramic System Studies 4

Diaphanous:

Diaphanous is an exploration in facade panels + responsive skins. In the x, y, and z directions, dramatic geometric change is achieved with only very small mechanical movements. (Using four small, 6-volt servo motors with arm extensions) Diaphanous responds to changes in wind. The folded design of the polypropylene gives the surface enough stiffness to resist deflection in the wind, but enough flexibility to accommodate its large range of motion.

The wind sensor is built from a single circuit with 4 reed-switch controlled paths. Each reed-switch is associated with a different resistor value. As the wind sensor rotates, it turns a magnet around its axis, activating the individual reed-switches consecutively. In this way, the attached arduino is able to interpret the sequence of voltage change into a reading of wind direction.

DRXYA:

The DRXYA robot is calibrated to change its color and position based on the actions of a user. With the presence of a user within 1.5m from the robot, the color of the central ring changes from a rainbow display to blue. When the user’s hand is raised, the color of the inside ring changes to purple. When this color change occurs, the user is able to control the position of the color ring in x and y through the translation of Cartesian coordinates. This device has implications for responsive facades, 3D mapping, and visual communications.

Sound Wave:

The concept was to play with the noise that the cities produce and reproduce the movement of the sound wave on the bulding facade.

The idea is to make the building dance according to the “music” played by the city focucing in the interaction between people, sound and visual.

Phyto Sense:

The Arduitecture façade system is an interactive green facade that uses swept frequency capacitive sensing to play with light depending on touch. An array of plants selected by their texture lets the user interact and be in “touch” with them by fading light to the plants being touched.

Light Sensitive Pattern:

“Light Sensitive Pattern” is an Arduino based system, responds to light source by using a light sensor as an input. Depending on the light intensity/ time of the day, the system controls the amount of sun light coming through into interior space. The materiality and organisation of all elements allow for visual, harmonious movement to be achieved.

Figure 2 - Building Gestures, Efilena Baseta, Ece Tankal, John Giraldo, Daniel Giraldo

Figure 3 - Bio Ceramic System hardware work Figure 4 - Bio Photovoltaic Panel 6

Building Gestures:

This project is about a responsive facade controlled by Arduino Uno. The concept behind it is to create a building that can express different situations which take place inside or outside of it, forming “gestures” similar to facial expressions.

For the physical prototype, a flexible fabric has been chosen to represent the envelope of the building. Its deformation is being triggered by a rotating mechanism right behind it. The revolution of the axes is generated by stepper motors and is activated by an LDR sensors which have been placed on the textile.

Credits:

Author: Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia Program: Masters in Advanced Architecture 2013-2014 Seminar: Physical Computing - The Internet of Things Tutors: Alex Posada, Guillem Camprodon Projects and Students: Iris gas panel: Miguel Angel, Ashwini Mani, Dhwani Patel, Remita Thomas RLS - Restless Leg Syndrome: Boney Keriwala, Shweta Das, Niel Parev, Stephanie Bashir, Michele Braidy Diaphanous: Mary Katherin Heinrich, Agnieszka Janusz, Kateryna Rogynska, Elena Mitrofanova DRXYA: Ramin Shambayati, Robert McKaye, Sahil Sharma, Luca Gamberini , Christoffer Ryan Chua, Wen Shan Foo Sound Wave: Joshua Pio, Juhi Patel, Sebastian Alvarado, Mohamad Yassin, Raphael Libonati, Sofia Kcomt Phyto Sense: Alejandro Martinez del Campo, Apostolos Marios Mouzakopoulos, Carmen Aguilar y Wedge, Dimitrios Aidonis, Pablo Miguel Marcet Pokorny Light Sensitive Pattern: Rodion Eremeev, Sinem Samanci, Richard Aoun, Maria Czajczynska Building Gestures: Efilena Baseta, Ece Tankal, John Giraldo, Daniel Giraldo

Figure 3 -Phytosense, Alejandro Martínez del Campo, Apostolos Marios Figure 4 -Building Gestures, Efilena Baseta, Ece Tankal, John Giraldo, Daniel Giraldo Figure 5 -Building Gestures, Efilena Baseta, Ece Tankal, John Giraldo, Daniel Giraldo 8

Copyright Š 2014 Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia All rights Reserved.

IAAC BITS

IAAC

DIRECTOR:

IAAC SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE:

Manuel Gausa, IaaC Dean

EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Jordi Vivaldi, IaaC bits Editorial Coordinator

EDITORIAL TEAM Manuel Gausa, IaaC Dean Mathilde Marengo, Communication & Publication Jordi Vivaldi, IaaC bits Editorial Coordinator

ADVISORY BOARD: Areti Markopoulou, IaaC Academic Director Tomas Diez, Fab Lab Bcn Director Silvia Brandi, Academic Coordinator Ricardo Devesa, Advanced Theory Concepts Maite Bravo, Advanced Theory Concepts

DESIGN: Ramon Prat, ACTAR Editions

IAAC BIT FIELDS: 1. Theory for Advanced Knowledge 2. Advanced Cities and Territories 3. Advanced Architecture 4. Digital Design and Fabrication 5. Interactive Societies and Technologies 6. Self-Sufficient Lands

Nader Tehrani, Architect, Director MIT School Architecture, Boston Juan Herreros, Architect, Professor ETSAM, Madrid Neil Gershenfeld, Physic, Director CBA MIT, Boston Hanif Kara, Engineer, Director AKT, London Vicente Guallart, Architect, Chief City Arquitect of Barcelona Willy Muller, Director of Barcelona Regional Aaron Betsky, Architect & Art Critic, Director Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati Hugh Whitehead, Engineer, Director Foster+ Partners technology, London Nikos A. Salingaros, Professor at the University of Texas, San Antonio Salvador Rueda, Ecologist, Director Agencia Ecologia Urbana, Barcelona Artur Serra, Anthropologist, Director I2CAT, Barcelona

PUBLISHED BY: Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia ISSN 2339 - 8647 CONTACT COMMUNICATIONS & PUBLICATIONS OFFICE: communication@iaac.net

Institut for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia Barcelona

10

Pujades 102 08005 Barcelona, Spain T +34 933 209 520 F +34 933 004 333 ana.martinez@coac.net www.iaac.net