Drawing on recent advances in the field of Soft Robotics, this hands-on workshop introduced students to the design and fabrication of soft actuators. Specifically, pneumatically driven silicone elastomer actuators (“pneu-nets”) where explored as architectural elements and surfaces that can change their shape.
Guest lectures included “Aesthetics and Perceptronium: Experience as a State of Matter” by Alexander Wilson, and “Sensuality of the Synthetic” by Michael Wihart.
The final results where two interactive installations showcasing possible applications of soft actuators in an architectural context.
Guest critics for the final presentation included Antonio Scarponi of ConceptualDevices and Dave Pigram of supermanoeuvre.
Tutors: Karmen Franinovic and Dino Rossi