This thesis explores the integration of kinetic and media features from facades to create architectural narratives, focusing on how facades can serve not just the occupants within but also engage and captivate passersby from the outside. The primary research question investigates whether it’s feasible to employ media and kinetic tools to craft facades that not only fulfill functional requirements like shading and thermal comfort but also function as dynamic mediums of aesthetic expression and storytelling.
The answer, as detailed in this report, is affirmative. The document is structured to guide you through the development process of the thesis’s two main parts. A facade piece capable of being parametrized in bulk to create various architectural forms, and its application in designing a visually striking pavilion for the TU Delft Bio-Based Lab. The lab’s requirement for an engaging and visually appealing structure underpins the motivation for this thesis.
This report chronicles a lengthy design journey beginning with an initial preview of the final pavilion design and the articulation of the research question. It proceeds with a summary of the pertinent literature review, followed by the evolution of design concepts—starting from the Maze, progressing through the Wave and the Flora, and culminating in the Urchin, which represents the synthesis of the explored design principles.
The document concludes with personal reflections on the project and an appendix containing extensive illustrations and sketches, which were too voluminous to include within the main body of the report.