ARCH-4980.3 | Carla Leitao, Adjunct Professor

ADAPTABLE INFRASTRUCTURE
Reef Morphology + Coastal Habitation

ANDREW PENNACCHIA

The current built environment consists of static structures designed with the objective of creating a solid system that uses only the inherent strength and durability of material and connection to combat environmental pressures. Usually in a built structure, weak points have to occasionally be supplemented by additional framework that allows for a maximum deformation. However, when a built structure’s stability is compromised, it will either be evacuated and demolished, or will collapse unexpectedly, resulting in catastrophic physical damage and human casualties. Recent research in various technological fields has opened the door to the evolution of material properties by beginning construction at the atomic level.

According to Manuel Delanda in Smart Materials, the first step in gaining intelligence in materiality is the integration of sensors into structure. An analysis of the developments within the field of nanotechnology demonstrates the ability to design an intelligent structure on a nano-scale, built with sensor components and actuators that respond to various stimuli. Both the response of the structure, as well as the stimulus can be variable, and the process can be designed for a specific, targeted outcome. Further advancements in nanotechnology has even allowed for intelligent structures to evolve over time, and adapt to dynamic environments. By understanding the applications of this technology, one can extrapolate the logic involved and begin to implement it at larger scales, on both a physical [material] and informational [immaterial] level.

On the global scale, our way of life is often threatened by both the natural and anthropogenic environments in which we live, and when these pressures overlap, the consequences may be beyond conceivable prevention. These conditions will continue to challenge our civil infrastructure and current construction practices. Therefore, a more advanced built environment must be designed that is not static, but variable, and one that can sense stress [disaster] and recover to a stable configuration for inhabitants.