TITLE:
Inspiring Responsive Interior Architecture from the Inherent Hygroscopic Behavior of Pine Cones
AUTHORS:
Loka S. El-Darir, Dalia S. Alabassy, Suzan H. El-Gazar, Lubna S. El-Darir
KEYWORDS:
Hygroscopic Behavior, Hygroscopic Actuators, Responsive Architecture, 3D-Printed Wood
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biosciences and Medicines,
Vol.7 No.11,
November
29,
2019
ABSTRACT: Architectural Engineering has experienced a new trend that incorporates Synthetic Biology Concepts and expressions. This trend is not only limited to borrowed terminology, but also extends to embrace new types of construction processes derived from living organisms’ actuating properties. The linkage between biology, architectural engineering and interior design could restructure the current physical applications of materials used in design to give new forms and patterns inspired from Plants behavior with efficient and adaptive characteristics. As a result of the growing need for responsive new design models to more flexibility between design process and the attributed fundamental properties of materials, there is a strong relationship between design and the composition of materials. This can be achieved by co-evolutionary design strategy, already applied in synthetic biology, by applying computational simulations to express the behavior of Plants to set a computational tool based on morphological and biological principles. Natural actuators, like Pine cones, have the ability to move their scales upon humidity gradient; as this, Hygroscopic behavior gives substantial stability to the inner relative humidity. In this paper, the importance of “hygroscopic behavior of Pine cones” is analyzed in designing spaces that actuate to generate responsive morphological patterns where different wood layers begin to react. A pavilion was designed in accordance with the actuation in plant organs which respond to changes in environmental humidity. We also present the results of an experimental study that was conducted on different humidity ranges. The goal of this study is to achieve a new level of studies on the biomimetic transfer of the plant motion principles into movable technical systems.