RESPONSIVE SKIN+

This research presents an exploration into bamboo veneer as an adaptive material to help rethink building facades as organic, breathable skins rather than a mechanized barrier between human and nature. A series of physical experiments were conducted to study the deformation of a bilayer bamboo composite consisting of a bamboo veneer bonded with a clear cellulose film. The film, being non-reactive to climate, amplifies the curving motion of bamboo, along with its return to the initial position. The outcome of the research consists of a working, demonstrable prototype for a no-tech adaptive façade pattern that, while undergoing a biomechanical response, performs particular functions including shading and/or ventilation, leading to a truly material-integrated architecture.

Team: Manal Anis, Marcus Shaffer