Deformation Tectonics

This project is a reflection of an architecture student attempting to capture the spontaneity and emergent behaviour of materials and fabrication techniques. Architecture and material are inextricably linked. Deformation Tectonics is a study of a specific type of material tectonics and its related design strategies. Trying to understand the capabilities of 4D printing for architectural systems. The research is divided into 3 parts – Material Tectonics, Digital Fabrication, and Construction.

First being Material Tectonics, my initial study focused on the deformations that occur when basic 2d patterns are 3D-printed with a shape memory polymer on different stretchy fabrics, investigating the fabrics’ heat resistance, stretchability, and interaction with filaments.

Digital Fabrication - The gathered findings are utilized to create a digital physics simulation that replicates the real time deformations and might be utilized for form finding at the architectural scale. This programmable deformation can help with the conceptualization of dynamic formations.

The Final Step is Construction – Testing 4d printing structures on bigger architectural systems and detailing out the construction details and possible joineries for such systems.

The result sits at the intersection of robotic 4d printing as a negotiation between digital simulations and physical materiality. Where design happens in between emergent form development and attaining an ordered structural stability only through the local interaction.