Within this course we look at the potential of smart materials to create a performative, responsive architectural installation. The proposed project takes its inspiration from nature, in particular the behaviour of organisms and the for- mation of cellular colonies, in order to form an ecology of functional units that can both work autonomously but also in coordination with other units within the larger system.

The course is split into three parts. The first part “CELL“ is co-taught by Hironori Yoshida and investigates the creation of complex 3 dimensional modules that merge genera- tive design processes, digital fabrication, smart materiality and high performance structures.

The second part “HOMEO- STASIS” is supported by Weixin Huang and Lei Yu of the Tsinghua Univer- sity, China and focuses on the digital actuation of the proposed units and the required electronic infrastructure, phys- cial computing and control algorithms.

The last part “ECOLOGY “is joined by Tomasz Jaskiewicz and Andrei Pruteanu from TU Delft and looks at the commu- nication between the different units, their emergent behaviour, networked agency and response to their environment. The finished installation will be set up and exhibited at the Chair for CAAD.