A Comparative Study on Responsive Facade Systems

Abstract

As the interaction between architecture and technology have increased, the technology changed the decisions made on the building designs. The developments in building technology, material sciences, engineering and robotics have opened up a new perspective in architecture leading to kinetic architecture. Among the examples of the kinetic architecture, responsive facades have become more significant in the last decades due the advantages they provide. Compared to the conventional façade systems, the responsive facades are multifunctional since they can reduce the building’s heating and cooling loads, control daylight transmission, allow natural ventilation and provide optimal indoor environment for the occupants. In recent years, various responsive facades have been realized in response to the changing environmental, functional or spatial conditions. Although they seem similar in terms of the functionality, their systems are different. This paper aims to propose a comparison matrix to analyse and compare such responsive facades systematically according to their system types, movements, functions, control systems, response time and visibility.