Abstract:
Technology, one might claim, is designed to recapitulate biology: as we strive to design physical objects and architecture that are adaptive, responsive and ever evolving, we find ourselves immersed in Nature’s way. Yet, after years of practice in transforming materiality for adaptive physical interfaces, we realize that it is the combination of the two worldviews — both natural and engineering approaches — that generates a method including their best facets: adaptation with speed, transformation with accuracy, growth with control and response with augmented purposes.

This talk begins with reflections on natural materials, on their adaptive and transformable behaviors across scales. A few research projects will be described, each representing different levels of integration between natural and engineering approaches in order to achieve interfaces with a dynamic output of physical materiality.

Note: some of the projects included were conducted in collaboration with reseachers at MIT Media Lab, where the speaker went for her graduate school. Specific credits will be addressed in the talk.