What are "Kinetic Buildings"? | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Advances in mechanics, robotics, and environmental systems have enabled the creation of kinetic buildings, which can reposition their structures to change appearance, create usable space, and respond to environmental conditions.

Key Insights

• 👶 Kinetic buildings are not a new concept and have been around for centuries, with examples such as bridges and drawbridges.
• 🦾 Advances in mechanics, robotics, and environmental systems have greatly expanded the possibilities for kinetic buildings.
• 🏛️ Kinetic buildings can respond to environmental conditions by incorporating responsive facades or moving mechanisms.
• 🖐️ Computational design and simulation play a crucial role in the development of kinetic buildings.
• 🏛️ Kinetic buildings can provide optimal daylight and a comfortable indoor climate through mechanisms like perforated shutters and adjustable panels.
• 😒 Retractable roofs on stadiums and flexible use of stadia through retractable pitches are examples of kinetic elements in sports venues.
• 🇰🇷 Kinetic buildings are not limited to a specific region, with examples found in Abu Dhabi, Tehran, South Korea, and various European countries.

Transcript

kinetic buildings can reposition parts of their structure to change their appearance to create different usable space or to respond to environmental conditions technically it's a concept that's been around for centuries from bridges that can raise allowing ships to pass right back to the first draw bridges that appear on castles but now in the 21st... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: What are kinetic buildings?

Kinetic buildings are architectural structures that can change their appearance and create different usable spaces by repositioning parts of their structure.

Q: How are kinetic buildings designed to respond to environmental conditions?

Kinetic buildings, like the alcohol towers in Abu Dhabi, are designed with responsive facades that shade glazing from intense sunlight. Computational design teams simulate how these facades will operate in different seasons and angles before manufacturing and installation.

Q: Can you provide an example of a kinetic building that uses rotation to create different spaces?

The Higher House in Tehran features three rooms that can rotate through 90 degrees on motorized turntables. This allows the rooms to open up views and access external terraces during summers, while moving back into the structure to keep heat in the core during winters.

Q: How do kinetic buildings incorporate moving mechanisms inspired by biology?

The one ocean thematic pavilion in Yo Sioux, South Korea, integrates an array of moving lamellas in its building skin. These lamellas offer shading to internal spaces during the day and different lighting configurations at night, inspired by a research project on biological moving mechanisms at the IEEE TKE University strip guard.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Kinetic buildings can change their appearance and create different usable spaces by repositioning parts of their structure, a concept that has been around for centuries.

• Advancements in mechanics, robotics, and environmental systems have opened up new possibilities for kinetic buildings.

• Examples of kinetic buildings include the alcohol towers in Abu Dhabi with responsive shading facades, the rotating rooms of the Higher House in Tehran, and the one ocean thematic pavilion in Yo Sioux, South Korea with moving lamellas for shading and lighting.