Lebanese University

Faculty of fine arts and architecture

3rd Branch

Seminaire
‘’ Kinetic response façade as resilient design’’

Supervised by:
Dr. Yarhtreb Sabsabi
Dr. Wael Webess

Prepared by:
Hadi Moussa

Year:
2022-2023

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 Table of contents
I. Abstract …………………………………………………………………………………………………….6
II. Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………………6
1. Definition of kinetic responsive facades……………………………………………6
2. Importance of resilient design in architecture………………………………….7
III. Historical background……………………………………………………………………………….8
IV. Core of study……………………………………………………………………………………………10
1. Climate-aware facades as a facilitator.…………………………………………………....10
2. Climate Kinetic Responsive Façade Types…………………………………………………13
A. Solar Kinetic Responsive Facades……………………………………………………13
 Responding through Whole Building Movement.……………………………14
 Transformable Shading Systems…………………………….………………….……17
 Integrated Kinetic Shading Systems with PV Cells……………..……………20
B. Wind Driven Kinetic Responsive Facades………………………………………..23
 Air Current Responsive Facades……………..………………………………………23
 Integrated Air Current Responsive Facades with Wind Turbines…….26
3. Classification of kinetic Façade…………………………………………………………………29
A. Geometric Transformations……………………………………………………………29
B. Façade function………………………………………………………………………………33
4. Design Principles and Benefits………………………………………………………………….35
A. Design principles of kinetic responsive facades………………………………………..35
B. Benefits of kinetic responsive facades for building performance………………36
5. Challenges and Considerations for Kinetic Responsive Facades as a Resilient
Design Feature………………………………………………………………………………………….37
A. Technical challenges of designing and implementing kinetic responsive
facades……………………………………………………………………………………………………..37
B. Economic considerations of incorporating kinetic responsive facades into
building design…………………………………………………………………………………………38
C. Environmental considerations of kinetic responsive façades…………………….39
D. Other considerations for the use of kinetic responsive facades in resilient
design……………………………………………………………………………………………………….41

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 6. Case studies……………………………………………………………………………………………..43
A. Kolding Campus, South Denmark University…………………………………..43
B. ARAB WORLD INSTITUTE PARIS, JEAN NOUVEL.……………………………..51
C. THEME PAVILION ONE OCEAN, SOMA.……………………………………………54
V. Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………………….60
1. Future directions for research and practice………………………………………………60
2. Final thoughts on the use of kinetic responsive facades as a resilient design
feature…………………………………………………………………..…………………………………61
VI. References……………………………………………………………………………………………….62
Table of figures
Figure 1: One Ocean, Thematic Pavilion EXPO 2012 of Yeosu.......................................................8
Figure 2: One Ocean, Thematic Pavilion EXPO 2012 of Yeosu.......................................................8
Figure 3 : intelligent Skin basically for adaptation of building to climate....................................12
Figure 4: quadrant house.............................................................................................................16
Figure 5: Sharifi-ha house............................................................................................................ 16
Figure 6: heliotrope solar house..................................................................................................16
Figure 7: Kiefer Technic Showroom building...............................................................................19
Figure 8: Melbourne’s Council House 2 building.........................................................................19
Figure 9: Institute du Monde Arabe.............................................................................................19
Figure 10: House of Natural Resources........................................................................................22
Figure 11: the RMIT Design Hub in Australia...............................................................................22
Figure 12: The Energy & Environment Innovation Building in.....................................................22
Figure 13 : manitooba hydro place..............................................................................................25
Figure 14 : San Francisco Federal Building...................................................................................25
Figure 15: kfw westarkade...........................................................................................................25
Figure 16: greenway self-park......................................................................................................28
Figure 17: Strata Tower in south London.....................................................................................28
Figure 18: Melbourne City Council House 2.................................................................................28
Figure 19: geometric transformations.........................................................................................29
Figure 20 one axis sliding.............................................................................................................30
Figure 21 the situla complex facade............................................................................................30
Figure 22 tessellate metal surfaces facade..................................................................................30
Figure 23 multi axis sliding...........................................................................................................30
Figure 24 kiefer technic showroom facade..................................................................................30
Figure 25 vertical folding............................................................................................................. 30
Figure 26 lab building graz university of technology....................................................................30
Figure 27 horizontal folding.........................................................................................................30

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Figure 28 henning Larsen SDU kolding building...........................................................................30
Figure 29 one axis rotation vertical..............................................................................................30
Figure 30 al bahr towers..............................................................................................................30
Figure 31 multi axis rotation........................................................................................................30
Figure 32 Arab world institute Paris............................................................................................ 31
Figure 33 scaling based on 2d rotation........................................................................................31
Figure 34 physical prototype of scissornet..................................................................................31
Figure 35 scissors façade unit......................................................................................................31
Figure 36 prototype of square-tic facade.................................................................................... 31
Figure 37 square tic façade unit...................................................................................................31
Figure 38 homeostatic building facade........................................................................................31
Figure 39 deformation in physical properties..............................................................................31
Figure 40 electroactive display system by SOM...........................................................................31
Figure 41 deformation in visual properties..................................................................................31
Figure 42 adaptive fritting system............................................................................................... 32
Figure 43 internal kinetic skin......................................................................................................32
Figure 44 external kinetic skin..................................................................................................... 32
Figure 45 various pattern shapes.................................................................................................32
Figure 46 different façade materials............................................................................................32
Figure 47 mega faces platform.................................................................................................... 33
Figure 48 adaptive solar skin....................................................................................................... 33
Figure 49 umbrella and thermal vail systems..............................................................................33
Figure 50 integrated concentrating solar facade.........................................................................33
Figure 51 SEG three conditions....................................................................................................34
Figure 52 the hygroskin pavilion skin...........................................................................................34
Figure 53 the Q1 headquarters....................................................................................................34
Figure 54 south façade of federal building..................................................................................34
Figure 55 sound responsive wall..................................................................................................34
Figure 56 The exterior view(left) and interior view (right) of the Kolding Campus......................44
Figure 57 The Site Plan of the Kolding University SDU................................................................46
Figure 58 The colored shutters on the façade.............................................................................48
Figure 59 A Mashrabiya, Alhambra in..........................................................................................51
Figure 60 South façade of Arab World Institute..........................................................................51
Figure 61 Close-up of a façade module........................................................................................52
Figure 62 The diaphragms are placed between two...................................................................52
Figure 63 Kinetic façade element of the Arab World Institute, Operating as a camera diaphragm
..................................................................................................................................................... 53
Figure 64 Components of a camera diaphragm...........................................................................53
Figure 65 Opening process of a camera diaphragm.....................................................................53
Figure 66 Kinetic façade of the One Ocean Pavilion....................................................................54
Figure 67 Several stages of opening process...............................................................................54

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Figure 68 Cross-section of lamella at the middle of the height...................................................56
Figure 69 Production of GFRP lamellas.......................................................................................56
Figure 70 Mechanism of bird of paradise flower........................................................................57
Figure 71 : Scheme of the actuating system for the lamella........................................................58
Figure 72 Buckling mechanism of the kinetic façade elements...................................................59

Table of tables
Table 1 Responding through Whole Building Movement............................................................16
Table 2 : Transformable Shading Systems...................................................................................19
Table 3: Integrated Kinetic Shading Systems with PV Cells..........................................................22
Table 4: Air Current Responsive Facades.....................................................................................25
Table 5: Integrated Air Current Responsive Facades with Wind Turbines...................................28
Table 6: Classification of kinetic facades shape according to its geometric.................................30
Table 7 : Classification of kinetic facades configuration according to pattern.............................32
Table 8 : Classification of kinetic facades according to its Function.............................................33

I. ABSTRACT:

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Recently, office buildings have been designed with larger glass areas to allow
more natural light and better views of the outside. However, this has caused
unintended consequences such as increased energy consumption, glare, and heat
gain. The traditional function of building envelopes as a physical barrier between
indoor and outdoor spaces has been challenged by these new design trends.
Architects have attempted to create dynamic systems by using computations and
kinetic systems that enable building components to move in response to the
surrounding environment, including light, heat, wind, or humidity. In order to
address these issues while maintaining the advantages of glass facades, various
design trends have emerged, including double skin, adaptive, intelligent, and
kinetic facades. High performance facades are considered a novel idea for
sustainable design that can better adapt to the environment and improve indoor
environmental quality.

II. INTRODUCTION:
1. Definition of kinetic responsive facades
As the world grapples with the effects of climate change and the need for
sustainable practices, the design of buildings has become a critical area of focus.
Buildings consume a significant portion of energy and contribute to carbon
emissions, making it essential to adopt sustainable building practices. One such
practice is the use of kinetic response facades, which have emerged as a popular
solution to the challenges posed by traditional glass facades.

Kinetic response facades are a type of dynamic facade that allows building
components to move in response to their environment. The facades can adapt to
changing conditions such as light, heat, wind, and humidity, resulting in improved
indoor environmental quality and reduced energy consumption. This type of
facade is becoming increasingly popular among architects and building designers
due to its versatility and ability to address the challenges of traditional glass
facades.

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Because of the significant job that responsive façade applications play in
decreasing energy use and expanding solace levels during the beyond couple of
many years, various examinations about different responsive exterior systems
and applications have recently been led.
Building facades are subjected to a variety of shifting external climate conditions
because they are located at the intersection of the interior and exterior. Since
customary structure veneers commonly have static properties and can't adjust to
these changes, changing to environment responsive structure exteriors might
introduce potential open doors by exploiting the versatile abilities and
empowering the progress from "fabricated I This exposition centers principally
around how individuals act.

2. Importance of resilient design in architecture

Resilient design is becoming increasingly important in architecture due to the
growing impact of climate change and natural disasters on the built environment.
Resilient design involves designing buildings that can withstand and adapt to a
variety of stressors, such as extreme weather events, sea level rise, and power
outages. Resilient buildings can not only protect the health and safety of their
occupants, but also reduce the economic and social costs of disruptions caused by
these stressors. In addition, resilient design can also lead to more sustainable and
energy-efficient buildings, which can have long-term benefits for both the
environment and the building occupants. As a result, architects and designers are
increasingly incorporating resilient design principles into their work to ensure that
buildings can withstand a wide range of challenges and remain functional and
safe over time.

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Figure 1: One Ocean, Thematic Pavilion EXPO 2012 of Yeosu

Figure 2: One Ocean, Thematic Pavilion EXPO 2012 of Yeosu

III. Historical background:

The concept of a kinetic response facade is a relatively new development in the
field of architecture, but its roots can be traced back to the early 20th century.
Architects and designers have long sought to create buildings that are responsive
to their environment, incorporating features that allow them to adapt to changing
conditions such as temperature, humidity, and wind. The kinetic response facade
is a natural evolution of this concept, incorporating advanced materials,
technologies, and design strategies to create a building envelope that is both
functional and aesthetically pleasing.
The idea of a building facade that responds to its environment can be traced back
to the early days of modernism. Architects such as Le Corbusier and Walter
Gropius sought to create buildings that were functional, efficient, and
aesthetically pleasing. They incorporated features such as large windows, natural
ventilation, and shading devices to help regulate temperature and light levels

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inside the building. However, these early designs were limited by the materials
and technologies available at the time. It wasn't until the mid-20th century that
advances in materials science and engineering began to enable the creation of
more responsive building envelopes.
One of the earliest examples of a kinetic response facade is the Alcoa Building in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Completed in 1953, the building features a unique
aluminum skin that was designed to reflect sunlight and reduce heat gain. The
skin also incorporates louvers that can be opened or closed to regulate the
amount of light and air entering the building. This design was a breakthrough in
building envelope technology, and it set the stage for further experimentation
and innovation in the years to come.

In the 1960s and 1970s, architects began to explore new materials and
technologies that could be used to create more dynamic building envelopes. One
of the most notable examples of this trend is the Pompidou Centre in Paris,
designed by architects Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers. Completed in 1977, the
building features an exposed steel and glass facade that incorporates mechanical
systems for ventilation and heating. The facade is designed to be flexible and
adaptable, allowing it to respond to changes in weather and occupancy.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, advances in computer technology and materials
science enabled architects to push the boundaries of building envelope design
even further. One notable example is the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain,
designed by architect Frank Gehry. Completed in 1997, the building features a
complex, undulating titanium skin that is designed to reflect light and create a
dynamic, ever-changing appearance.
Today, the concept of a kinetic response facade has become a key element of
resilient design. Resilient design is an approach to building design and
construction that seeks to create structures that are better able to withstand and
adapt to environmental and social stressors. The kinetic response facade is an
essential component of this approach, as it allows buildings to adapt to changing
conditions in real-time.

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The development of the kinetic response facade has been enabled by advances in
materials science, computer technology, and engineering. New materials such as
smart glass, which can change transparency in response to sunlight, and shape-
memory alloys, which can change shape in response to temperature, have
opened up new possibilities for building envelope design. Computer modeling and
simulation tools allow architects and engineers to test and optimize the
performance of kinetic response facades before they are built, reducing the risk of
failure and ensuring that the facade performs as intended.
In conclusion, the concept of a kinetic response facade has a long history in the
field of architecture, dating back to the early days of modernism. However, it is
only in recent years that advances in materials science and engineering have
enabled the creation of truly dynamic and responsive building envelopes. Today,
the kinetic response facade is a key element of resilient design, allowing buildings
to adapt to changing conditions.

IV. Core of study:

1. Climate-aware facades as a facilitator:
An enormous number of structures with veneers that are indistinguishable from
each other as far as the materials utilized, appearance, and configuration
approach have been developed because of late headways in building
configuration rehearses. As a result, indoor environments have become painfully
isolated and completely reliant on mechanical and electrical systems for extended
periods of time to meet user needs. As a result of their dependence on both
electrical and mechanical systems, mechanical ventilation, air heating/cooling
systems, lighting systems, and all other systems required to provide an acceptable
and comfortable indoor environment have increased building energy
consumption rates. These systems require not only energy input but also
advanced control systems to be able to follow the constantly changing ambient
conditions. This constant demand leads to the creation of manufactured indoor
spaces that are covered by buildings' facades. These facades typically function as
a barrier that aims to prevent any interaction between the building and the

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surrounding environment rather than acting as a mediator between the
conditions on the inside of the building and those on the outside.
We can deduct from the foregoing that, despite the fact that the primary function
of a building envelope is to conserve energy and control tenants' comfort,
environment-adjustable veneers can have the capacity to enhance residents'
comfort through heat control, air quality and ventilation, sunshine and moisture,
and the reduction of power consumption. Surprisingly, in some cases, they can
even switch electrical energy from unique sustainable regular sources rather than
simply reducing the structures' energy utilization rates and electrical interest.
The use of kinetic response facades is part of a larger movement toward
sustainable building practices, which focus on reducing the environmental impact
of buildings while enhancing the well-being of their occupants. As architects and
designers continue to explore new solutions for building design, kinetic response
facades are becoming an increasingly popular choice due to their adaptability,
efficiency, and aesthetic appeal.
This paper will explore the concept of kinetic response facades as a resilient
design solution for buildings. We will examine the benefits of using this type of
facade, including improved energy efficiency, reduced environmental impact, and
enhanced occupant comfort. Additionally, we will examine the different types of
kinetic response facades and their respective benefits, including double skin
facades, adaptive facades, intelligent facades, and kinetic facades.
The paper will focus on kinetic facades as they are the most suitable option for
addressing the challenges of traditional glass facades. We will examine the
different types of kinetic facades and their functions, including kinetic facades for
energy efficiency, ventilation, shading, and aesthetics. We will also explore the
various geometric transformations of responsive kinetic facades, including
rotation, translation, and deformation.
Finally, the paper will examine case studies of buildings that have implemented
kinetic response facades as a resilient design solution. We will analyze the
benefits and challenges of using this type of facade, as well as the lessons learned

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 from these projects. By examining these case studies, we hope to provide insights
into the best practices for designing and implementing kinetic response facades.
So, the use of kinetic response facades represents an innovative and sustainable
solution to the challenges of traditional glass facades. As architects and designers
continue to explore new ways of creating resilient buildings, kinetic response
facades offer a dynamic and versatile design solution that can enhance the
environmental and human performance of buildings. Through the examination of
the benefits and challenges of this type of facade and case studies of its
implementation, this paper aims to contribute to the growing body of knowledge
on sustainable building practices.

Figure 3 : intelligent Skin basically for adaptation of building to climate

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 2. Climate Kinetic Responsive Façade Types:
Normally, climate responsive façades act in response to external ambient factors
in the purpose of providing acceptable indoor environmental conditions which
can be described in terms of thermal comfort, indoor air quality, acoustic
performance and visual performance, as the way building façades respond to
external factors can have huge influence on the human comfort and satisfaction
in multiple ways.
Climate responsive façade can have many different classifications according to its
control types, used materials, movement strategies, applied technologies, etc.
while in this research kinetic responsive facades are categorized based on the
affecting stimuli which is in this case, the climatic factor it is responding to, at
which its behavior is based on an occurrence of change in heat, light, or air
current. This research is mostly concerned about exploring and clarifying the two
most significant environmental responsive façade types, which are solar
responsive facades and natural air current (wind driven) responsive facades.
The first type is the solar responsive facades which continuously adapts to
external solar radiation in the form of the amount of daylight that needs to be
balanced continuously during the day in order to provide both thermal and visual
comfortable indoor conditions, as well as the thermal gain from solar radiations
which continuously change throughout the day and throughout the year and is
one of the most affecting factors on passive heating and cooling design. The
second type is wind and air current responsive facades, as air current and wind
are considered to be a significant environmental factor that is needed to be taken
into consideration in buildings design as it can significantly affect occupants’
comfort as well as building performance.

A. Solar Kinetic Responsive Facades:

Solar responsive facades are responsive to the variable amount of solar radiation
that buildings are subjected to most of the times in different formats, and can
usually be achieved through the control of solar heat, solar light or both. In order
to achieve this, different strategies can be implemented in the dynamic façade

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design such as, kinetic movement whether of the whole building or only parts of it
or through the common applications of external kinetic shading strategies.
Another significant purpose of solar kinetic responsive facades application can
sometimes be generating electrical energy from solar energy in order to decrease
buildings demands and to improve buildings overall performance through the
complete or partial dependence on energy harvested from natural and renewable
resources.
1. Responding through Whole Building Movement:
This type of movement is considered to be complicated as sometimes the design
requires the whole building or some parts of it to move or rotate. An example of
the whole building kinetic movement is Heliotrope solar house in Germany, which
is the world’s first energy positive solar house, the building is mounted on a pole,
and it is set to rotate around 180 degrees through the day, in response to the
preferred solar orientation. Despite the fact that the fixed solar panels installed
on the top of the building produce the energy needed to make it a positive solar
house, we are mostly interested about the kinetic motion strategy of the whole
structure of the building that rotates so as to direct windows towards the sun in
winter while during summer the building rotates to provide shade. A different
type of motion can be found in the Sharifi-ha House in Iran, at which the building
facade is composed of three movable boxes with a new and innovative structural
system, this system allows the three parts of the house to individually and
dynamically respond to solar radiation and occupants needs, through sliding &
rotating to provide different angles of solar exposure throughout the day. One of
the most recent and significant examples clarifying the innovation in creating
buildings that moves is the Quadrant House in Poland. The idea behind the design
was to provide part of the house with the ability to move and to react according
to the movement of the sun during the day and the year. The terrace of the house
is designed to rotate independently with different angles, and the control

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