Information Materials: Smart Materials for Adaptive Architecture

198 Pages·2017·15.36 MB·English

by  Manuel Kretzer (auth.)

Manuel Kretzer
Information
Materials
Smart Materials
for Adaptive Architecture
Information Materials
Manuel Kretzer
Information Materials
Smart Materials for Adaptive
Architecture
123
Manuel Kretzer
Chairfor Computer Aided Architectural
Design(CAAD)
Institute of Technology in Architecture
Zurich
Switzerland
ISBN978-3-319-35148-3 ISBN978-3-319-35150-6 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-35150-6
LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2016945987
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Foreword
Information Materials: Resonant, Potent Architecture
What kind of cities could result if we used the hybrid materials and new
building systems described within Information Materials? The renewed
‘softness’ that Manuel Kretzer describes within this book evokes surfaces
andstructuresofbuildingswithinacitythatfollowdenselylayeredformsof
diffusive,deeplyinterwovenmaterialsexpandingandcontracting,interacting
with their surroundings. These building materials can beconceived as filters
acting in oscillations: catching, harvesting, pulling, both expanding human
influence and in turn expanding the impact of the world on us. Networks
organizedinloopsandreflexesbuildupadeeplylayered,deeplyfissuredset
ofrelationships inwhichtherearemultiple sensitive boundaries.Anew city
designedtoeasilyhandleunstableconditionsofcoolingandheatinginrapid
cycles of shedding heat and warming and collecting heat again might look
likeahybridforestwhereeachbuildingismadefromdenselayersofivy-like
filters and multiple overlapping levels of porous openings. Like reticulated
snowflakes or the microscopic manifolds of mitochondria, intense reticula-
tion could form increased surface areas that make their reaction-surfaces
potent.
Paths to industrial application and commercialization are launched by
numerous examples of highly involved cycles of hand and machine-based
manipulations, accompanied by cycles of virtual projection and physical
prototyping. Key information materials are described including aerogels,
bioluminescent materials, bioplastics and dye-sensitized solar cells, electro-
luminescent displays, electroactive polymers, soft robotics, and ther-
mochromics. An appendix supporting application of the information with
contact information for material suppliers is included.
In a section devoted to historical precedents and theory, Kretzer reveals
theturbulencethathasaccompaniedcontemporarydiscussionsofmateriality.
Marx’s famous invocation ‘…all that is solid melts into air…’ implies a
revolution reacting to massive foundations and the framing of permanent
construction. Two centuries of synthesis within the Industrial Revolution
have left the world transformed, and yet that solid foundation still lingers.
Kretzer offers nuanced readings of new paradigms positioned to offer dis-
tinctlynewqualities.HeincludesPatrikSchumacher’soptimisticconception
ofParametricismalongsidetheearlynineteenth-centuryDurand’ssystematic
and encyclopedic treatment of architectural types, and in turn raises
v
vi Foreword
profoundly transformative visions that include Ludger Hovestadt and Vera
Buhlmann’s ‘Metalithikum’, the conception that solar energy can be con-
sideredaneffectivelyinfiniteresource,boundedonlybythelimitsofhuman
intellect.Inanswertothepoignantpoliticalimplicationsofsuchconceptions,
Kretzersetsoutaprovocativemodelofeffectivepublicactionframedbythe
social organization of the ‘Materiability Research Network’, a Web-based
open-source participatory community designed for sharing information on
fabrication and material synthesis. Ethical discussions accompany the prac-
ticalapplicationofCreativeCommonslicensing,offeredbyKretzerasalegal
framework that can support the evolving organization and collective con-
tributions of an information commons.
A synthesis proposing a renewed conception of architecture integrated
withmaterialperformanceentitled‘TowardANewSoftness’ispositionedas
a conclusion. The parallel and intertwined disciplines of applied craft, his-
tory, and analysis offer a compelling example of effective contemporary
architectural practice. The work is clearly written, beautifully documented
with unusually rich and precise visual documentation, and eminently read-
able. The clarity, focus, and special position of the author as an original
creatorandanactivistwithinthisemergingbodyofworkpositionsthiswork
asapracticalmanualdedicatedtocontemporarydesigncraft,ofinterestboth
to professional and broad publics.
Philip Beesley
Preface
Very slowly, over thousands of years, the ideal of the perfect machine was
approached—thatidealwhichhadoncebeenadream,thenadistantprospect,and
atlastreality:Nomachinemaycontainanymovingparts.
ArthurC.Clarke,TheCityandtheStars,1956,p.161.
Thecontentpresentedinthispublicationisanadaptedversionofmydoctoral
thesisthatIcompletedattheChairforComputerAidedArchitecturalDesign,
ETHZurich,inearly2016.Workingonmydissertationandonthisbookhas
beenanexceptional,occasionallyexhausting,butalwaysanexcitingjourney.
The knowledge that I gained on the field of information materials not only
made me broaden my horizon and experience many previously undisclosed
technologies, but especially introduced me to a myriad of fascinating indi-
viduals with whom I had the opportunity to exchange or collaborate, each
of them mentioned in the Credits section at the end of this book.
My interest in this field began in 2009, when working at the office of
Philip Beesley in Toronto, Canada. Employing shape-memoryalloys for the
actuation of his ‘Breathing Pores,’ made me wonder about the fascinating,
very particular behavior of these dynamic materials, which perform in
absolutesilencenotrequiringanythingbutelectricity.Thethinwires,which
are miraculously able to contract when heated, embedded in the untold
beautyofBeesley’sextraterrestrialinstallations,propelledmetoquestionmy
experience in mechanical systems and convinced me that there had to be a
softer, more organic side to mechanics and especially architecture.
After returning to Europe, from Canada, I had the privilege to receive a
teaching and research position at Ludger Hovestadt’s Chair for Computer
Aided Architectural Design, ETH Zurich, in early 2010. Once again I was
blownaway,thistimenotbyacertainmateriality,butratherbytheimmense
powers of information technology and their architectural application. The
work that is conducted at the Chair in terms of programming, computation,
and fabrication, and the people who do so, is outstanding and can hardly be
compared to anything else I have seen since. Operating in such a vibrant
environment had been a continuous inspiration and challenge and allowed
me not only to discover and understand the possibilities of code and algo-
rithms but also to freely develop my own agenda.
When commencing my dissertation in late 2011, my aim was to merge
and unite these two experiences, the physical world of smart materials and
vii
viii Preface
theimmaterialworldofcomputers,whichIrefertoasinformationmaterials.
A crucial part of this effort involved in extending my scope beyond the
domain of architecture and making me delve into the areas of engineering,
materialsscience,orevenbiology,disciplinesofwhichIonlyhadthefaintest
knowledge,buteachprovidedaplethoraofinspirationsandopportunitiesfor
creative design.
Now, roughly 6 years later, I am more than convinced by the immense
possibilitiesofemployinginformationmaterialsintoarchitectureanddesign
forthecreationofadaptivebuildings,spaces,products,andexperiences.Yet
evermore I am continuously fascinated by new ways of working, fostered
through cross-disciplinary exchange and collaboration, driven by optimistic
curiosity, and encouraged through models of openness and sharing. With
such prospects, I am highly looking forward to continuing this work in the
years to follow.
Zurich, Switzerland Manuel Kretzer
2016
Reference
ClarkeAC(1956)Thecityandthestars.OrionPublishingGroup,London
Contents
1 Current Global Challenges, the Concept of Adaptive
Architecture, and the Possibilities of Information
Materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 Global Developments and Their Relevance
for the Architectural Discourse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.2.1 Technological Advancements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.2.2 Demographic Growth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.2.3 Socio-anthropological Trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.3 Challenges for Architecture and Building . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.3.1 Junkspace or the Loss of Architectural Identity. . . 8
1.3.2 Superficiality and the Digitization
of Materiality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.4 Flexibility as a Spatial Method to Address Change
and Progress. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.4.1 Adaptive Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
1.4.2 Types of Adaptive Architecture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
1.4.3 Material Intelligence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
1.5 Information Materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
1.5.1 Potential of Information Materials
for Architectural Usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
1.5.2 Shortcomings of Current Information
Material Usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
1.6 Toward a New Softness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
1.6.1 A Different Kind of Material Thinking. . . . . . . . . 18
1.6.2 Structure of the Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
1.6.3 Line of Argumentation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
2 The Ever-Changing Nature of Materiality
and the Meaning of Materials in Architecture
and Construction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
2.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
2.1.1 Structure of the Present Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
2.2 Natural Materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
2.2.1 The Influence of Vitruvian Thought on Current
New Materialism Positions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
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x Contents
2.2.2 The Growing Detachment of Form
from Materiality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
2.2.3 The Domination of Human Intellect Over
Natural Materiality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
2.3 Industrial Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
2.3.1 Durand’s Grammars in Relation
to Schumacher’s Parametricism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
2.3.2 The Intellectual Emancipation of Form
from Materiality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
2.3.3 Technological and Material Advancement
During the Industrial Revolution. . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
2.3.4 Functionality Takes Precedence Over
Aesthetics and Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
2.4 Synthetic Materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
2.4.1 The Age of Plastics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
2.4.2 Utopian Visions for a Better Tomorrow. . . . . . . . 44
2.5 Intermediate Summary and Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
2.6 Digital Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
2.6.1 The Emergence of Digital Design
and Fabrication Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
2.6.2 New Instruments for the Architectural
Design Practice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
2.6.3 The Digital Chain: From Design to Production. . . 51
2.7 Information Materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
2.7.1 Programmable Matter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
2.7.2 The Soft Kinetics of Smart Materials. . . . . . . . . . 53
2.7.3 Definitions of Smart Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
2.7.4 Concepts for Information Materials
Usage in Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
2.7.5 Material Behavior in Regards to Energy,
Time, and Space. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
2.8 Final Summary and Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
3 Materiability—An Attempt for the Education
of an Information Material Literacy in Respect
to Emerging Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
3.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
3.2 The Process of Physical Making . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
3.2.1 The Inherent Dynamics of Information
Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
3.2.2 The Educational Framework
of the Materiability Approach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
3.3 Access to Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
3.3.1 Approaches for the Mediation of Material
Knowledge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
3.3.2 The Materiability Research Network:
Access to Information Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76