Wings

Project details

Programme

Cluster RC2

Wings combines pneumatic elements with curve folding principles to generate adaptive and lightweight structural elements that change shape in response to human behaviour. This research focused on the exploration of different shapes, topologies and curve folding principles, generating a catalogue of shape-changing building elements. In parallel to the material development, a custom feedback control system was developed to sense humans’ motions and emotions and translate them into material states, in real-time. This work questions the relationship between humans and space, proposing a soft and responsive environment connected to human emotion and perception.

Students

Introduction

Wings Room Interior Space

Human-Material-Robotic System

Wings aims to create a responsive lightweight building system, combining pneumatic elements with curve folding principles. The system is robotically controlled enabling shape changes in response to human behaviour.

Aggregations of Wings Modules

Wings units can be combined into a larger system, generating a wide range of transformable spaces and dynamic spatial experiences.

Background

People spend more than 80% of their time in indoor spaces, and most of people's experiences are based on daily routines. It is important that architecture responds to the emotional needs of people.

Methods

Wings Canopy

Material Actuation System: Design and Fabrication

Wings modules are designed using numerical form-finding techniques. Different patterns and topologies can be tested and materialised through a custom fabrication approach to generate inflatable folding elements.

Typological Design and Physical Prototypes

WINGS systems comprised of airbags modules with creases. The shape of the airbags and the pattern of the creases determines the folding behaviour. Multiple topologies and patterns have been simulated, fabricated and tested in the physical word.

Physical Prototypes

Design Options

Wings' modules can be arranged to interact in multiple ways. They can self-form and morph into multiple shapes to interact with users and articulate the space.

Interaction

Wings Room Interacting With A Human

A human interacting with Wings' physical robotic system at a closed state.

Wings Robotic Behaviour

The robotic control system process input data (from ultrasonic sensors and camera) to compute control data (air valves and lights), through a custom design and control interface.

User's Pose-based Behaviour

User's movements are detected by the camera and processed by the custom control algorithm. This translates them into control values.

Emotions-Based Behaviour

User facial expressions are detected by the camera. An algorithm based on open-cv and CNN machine learning translates the expressions into control signals.