iFemea (Intelligent Facade Engineered thru Morpho-Ecogenetic Aggregates)

The subject of this thesis is an investigation on an intelligent building skin that improves cross-ventilation (natural) through an embodied space. Intelligent refers to a composite system that either responds to an external energy or a system that can be manipulated and fabricated through a bio-mimetic process. Precedent building skin systems examined in this research provide various technical approaches used to ventilate the building as a "ventilative" device; a means to filter or circulate fresh air from one space to the other. A "mechanical" system will be integrated into a material, controlling possible aperture movements for element (light and/or air) absorption and transmission. The exact configuration will be determined based on the study of biomimicry in plants; which inherits a structure and circulatory system known as the study of morpho-ecogenetics. The aim of this work is to synthesize a membrane with a reinforced mechanical device to influence an aperture operation (open and close) that could be applied to both an external and internal skin of a facade. The term "skin" refers to a light membrane composite that is transparent and malleable and acts as a protective barrier to an interiorly occupied space. The design research will include several test phases that examine the material properties, structure, and applicability when methods such as mechanical, operational, and morphology are integrated.