Research's IaaC - Students Research - EcoMachines as Infrastructural Networks

By means of material manipulation, deployment of rules of differentiation and the processing of digital data fields: the workshop explored several forms of physical kinetics, interactivity and connectivity through the construction of gradual systems in the form of eco-machines. This informing and controlling of abstract behavioral structures is what has been understood as a principle of self-sufficiency in relation to dynamic environments. Framed operations in which a specific natural phenomenon is observed an integrated into artificial cycles.

The Aquascape machine is a system created to obtain water filtration through a process of sedimentation. It is developed through the study and definition of different rules of connectivity between systems of spheres organized in layers. The machine can have different behaviors through size variation of the spheres according to differentiated gradients. The population of spheres is treated like cavities and built up through a layering system of cardboard sheets in order to explore the prototype’s physical behavior of absorption, channeling and water storing. Team: Chiara Farinea, Giota Piperidou, Abel Patacho, Frosso Charalambous Dora Christoforidou, Fani Natou

Expansion & Contraction A mesh type structure or \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"weave\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" responds to internal and external activator \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"chambers”, which enables it to expand and contract. These movements were later constrained by a series of fixed and flexible joints, which enabled a more specific observation of the structure’s behavior. Depending on the placement of these “chambers” and also on some constraints rings that were applied either on the extremes or on the middle area, there were a series of variations and behaviors that could be appreciated and were mapped for the further development of the structure. Team: Gabriella Castellanos, Chrysokona Mavrou, Karlo De Soto, Fotis Vasilakis, Natlia Miranda, Cristobal Bernal.

The project starting point considers the symbiotic dynamics of the lichens, based on two vital processes of most of the ecosystems: photosynthesis and fermentation. The structural and geometrical configuration has been generated to allow daily blooming, provoked by the CO2 production, oxygen absorption and sunlight management. According to the symbiotic principle two material fields are proposed: the down one dedicated to the fermentation process and related to the decomposition of plants organic waste, and the upper one, dedicated to photosynthesis and plant growing. The test of the machine proliferation in a territorial scale is based on the definition of gradients that consider the different quantities of organic waste production, of CO2 production and O2 absorption between the urban areas and the agricultural fields. Team: Berardo Matalucci, Fabiano Spano, Lilieth Apancio, Walle Phiriyaphongsak, Vasileios Ntovros.

Different resolutions of maps gradients get translated into variations of density through the proliferation of a given family of objects in a field. The parameters are set to transform these objects creating an extensive catalog of elements with the aims of altering their own dynamics of interaction and to help differentiating the changes in density. The final result is an abstraction of these densities that generated a pattern-making machine, which then made evident the difference in dynamics of the pieces. Connectivity emerges as a primary issue of investigation. Team: Diego Camargo, Alfonso Pezzi, Enrico Crobu Honghao Zhao, Carmen Ferrando, Guillermo Ivan

The Eco-wings are kinetic structures arranged as modular systems. The composition is based on the addition of single pieces that are transformed into combined objects creating a sequential path. The sequence simulates the movement of the waves and the wing. These objects create choreography by producing a system of opening and closing among the structure. These structures are constantly changing and alternating their position along a semicircular path between 0 and 180 degrees. Team: Assad Rassel, Massiel Santos, Luz Escobar, Gabriel Ochoa.