Parametric design of adaptive shading elements based on Curved-line Folding

Imagine building envelopes able to actively adapt themselves in response to changing environmental conditions and performance requirements. Recent technological innovations are opening up the development of a new generation of climate adaptive (or responsive) building envelopes, offering the potential to reduce the energy demand while enhancing the indoor comfort. In order to attain this kind of adaptability, foldable structures can be used, providing change in the building envelope through motion. The folding/unfolding process of this kind of structures is interesting, particularly for the active control of solar radiation and daylight. Whereas designers and engineers have been experimenting with rigid foldable structures as climate adaptive sun shading devices, the use of curved-line folding in this context, remains unexplored.
The aim of this paper is to give an overview of the main parameters determining the geometry and the kinematic behavior of adaptive shading components based on curved-line folding, and their effect on the performance as a shading system. Since a lot of parameters should be taken into account, some of them being time-dependent, a parametric design approach is proposed. In this way, the parametric design of the adaptive shading system can be linked with day lighting and energy modeling software in order to evaluate and improve the performance of the adaptive shading system in an interactive way. In summary, this paper gives a first impression of the design process of adaptive sun shading elements based on curved-line folding.

ISBN:978-84-939565-3-0

Publication year:2013

Keywords:curved-line folding, curved crease folding, adaptive sun shading, kinetic façades, responsive building skin, origami structures