Thinking/Creating with Active Materials

Actuated Matter

The Actuated Matter workshop explored the application of smart materials and their ability to transform space into responsive, adaptive environments.

 

The Actuated Matter workshop explored the application of smart materials and their ability to transform space into responsive, adaptive environments. We developed a speculative model for membrane structures that exhibit properties of sensitivity, resilience, and decay. By physically engaging with the behaviours of active materials, we experimented with the threshold between the electronic and mechanic, the analog and the digital. The workshop followed a do-it-yourself approach and resulted in the development of sonic, luminous and moving modules that will populate and activate the environment. This workshop was part of a recent research initiative called “Emotive Environments” funded by Zurich University of the Arts.

Organized by Karmen Franinovic and Florian Wille, 2011. in collaboration with Manuel Kretzer CAAD ETH and Daniel Bisig ICST ZHdK, and guests from Loop.ph Laboratory.

Participants: http://blogs.iad.zhdk.ch/emotiveenvironments/participants-actmatter/

Workshop website: http://blogs.iad.zhdk.ch/emotiveenvironments/actuated-matter/

Published at  K. Franinović, M. Kretzer, D. Bisig, F. Wille, M. Gmachl and R. Wingfield “Actuated Matter”. In Performative Materials In Architecture And Design. ed. Rashida Ng and Sneha Patel. Intellect Books, Ltd. July 2013.