Autoreactive architectural facades – discussing unpowered kinetic building skins and the method of evolutionary optimization

Kinetic responsive surfaces are recently being consistently explored in building skins to introduce spatial and energetic adaptability. However, the growing use of computer-controlled systems has increased the overall energy dependence, requiring the search for more ft solutions. This paper explores the development of autoreactive systems – unpowered kinetic devices, embedding functional materials, triggered by changes in the surrounding latent energy conditions – and is divided in three steps. The first step describes the concepts at the base of the design, defining motion parameters and mapping reactive and autoreactive motion patterns. The second step analyses 20 examples of kinetic architecture (powered and unpowered) in the framework of that mapping. The third step introduces a method to apply the parameters and the mapping through a process of cumulative selection. The paper is therefore a contribution in terms of content and of method to the development of autoreactive technologies. The outcome is meant to be used as an alternative to a case to case study, allowing a more conscious fast choice between design solutions. Autoreactive architectural facades – discussing unpowered kinetic building skins and the method of evolutionary optimization.