Dec 27, 2017 | By Tess
Canadian architecture firm Philip Beesley Architect Inc., known for its innovative “living architecture” designs, has unveiled its latest creation: Astrocyte. The conceptual piece of architecture, which was presented as part of Toronto’s Expo for Design, Innovation and Technology (EDIT) 2017, combines 3D printed lighting components, sensors, glasswork, chemistry, and artificial intelligence for an ethereal and immersive architectural experience.
Traditionally, architecture conjures up images of grandiose, static buildings. As Philip Beesley and a number of other cutting edge architecture firms are proving, however, the future of architecture it anything but static.
The notion of “living architecture” that Phillip Beesley is exploring, for instance, asks the question of whether architectural structures and buildings can “integrate living functions” and whether they can go beyond existing architectural functions to be more interactive with the humans that encounter or inhabit them.
Astrocyte is a pretty compelling example of the potential that living architecture, as a field, has.
The massive structure, which can be described as a sort of aerial scaffold, consists of roughly 300,000 components—some of them 3D printed—and integrates a number of different technologies and elements, such as AI features, a responsive soundscape, and chemicals.
The piece was developed in collaboration with Beesley’s Living Architecture Systems Group at the University of Waterloo and spatial sound institute 4D Sound. Its structure is said to be inspired by biophilic design and, specifically, astrocyte nerve cell compositions, which are known for their star-shaped configurations.
In terms of its “living” qualities, the large-scale scaffold is capable of reacting and responding to its viewers’ movements. For instance, it is programmed to emit patterns of light, sounds, and even vibrations for certain types of interactions it has with the people in its surroundings. These reactions are meant to elicit an emotional response and connection from viewers.
“The work is robust, yet delicate in nature, and this seems to encourage different ways of acting,” said architect Philip Beesley. “Observing people interacting with these spaces is quite striking because extraordinarily gentle and respectful responses tend to happen. Have we caused someone to experience a different, and perhaps healthier form of interaction?”
The intricately designed structure also incorporates custom glasswork features which house different types of oils and inorganic chemical substances. These elements, explains the architecture studio, were included to mimic the composition of organic life and create a sort of “chemical skin.”
On its own, Astrocyte is already an impressive and awe-inspiring piece of architecture. Philip Beesley is not only hoping to inspire its audiences, however, as the work is a critical exploration in how to build living architectures that could eventually have self-repairing features and fully responsive organic environments
“PBAI Studio works with a wide consortium of artists, engineers, scientists, and researchers as a central member of the Living Architecture Systems research group,” Beesley added. “We explore the possibilities of next generation architecture, responsive environments, digital media and immersive sculpture. So we are asking, how might buildings and our environments begin to know and care about us? And might they start, in very primitive ways, to become alive?”
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