Tensional Integrity
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// Patrik Schumacher Studio
Studio Master: Patrik Schumacher
Assistant: Pierandrea Angius
// Students:
Carolina Saenz (Mexico), Delfina Bocca (Argentine),
Faten El Meri (Canada), Jose Rodriguez (Spain)
// Project description:
Tensional Integrity sees the user of spaces as a dynamic entity whose needs create a set of always-changing conditions. Therefore, there is a demand for architects to anticipate the future spatial needs of users. The project proposes a novel type of architecture that breaks away from the rigid norms of contemporary structures, allowing flexibility for both the architect and the user of the space. This type of architecture must also be flexible, lightweight and kinetic to allow for real-time transformation.
Through an iterative form-finding process that uses data and generative computing, we are able to digitally test outputs in order to find the optimised result. Through physically testing these outcomes, we are able to study the behaviour between different elements. These outcomes should process three main types of input: information about environmental conditions, users’ activity data, and data regarding user’s adjustments of the system. This procedure is generative and process- driven, which has allowed us to understand what the most essential structural characteristics are in kinetic and adaptive frameworks.
The research tries to create a direct link between architectural design concepts and the processes of building construction through file-to- factory processes. We developed four areas: material aesthetic and properties, ornamental tooling, tectonic jointing and surface-structure integration. The architecture is designed through a process of direct interaction with physical materials and real-time interactions within the environment. Tensional Integrity digitally and physically analyses the different possibilities of interconnection of the components of both systems - house and vehicle - as well as the interface between the systems.
