Bio-mimetic Approaches to Kinetic Facades: A Design Proposal for a Light-Responsive Facade Module.

Abstract

Facades are important for controlling light entering a building and ensuring optimal conditions for occupants. But light can also cause discomfort, such as glare and overheating. Natural light changes with the time of day, the weather, and the season. Creating a responsive structure can enhance the visual quality and energy efficiency. Because of their properties, kinetic facades can react to various stimuli, such as heat and sunlight. In this paper, we discuss bio-mimetic approaches to kinetic facades and how they can be used to develop a design proposal for the light-responsive facade module. Motors drive most kinetic facades, which adds to the maintenance costs, thus,shape memory alloys (SMAs) are investigated as actuators. Facades should be visually appealing and reflect the bio-mimetic concept of the project while allowing natural light to pass through. The results show that the suggested solutions are both feasible and aesthetically pleasing, thus comparable to traditional kinetic facade workflows. In conclusion, if bio-mimicry is to be used in large-scale construction, it is imperative that it is examined for the effects of different environmental conditions on bio-mimetic patterns.