estudio guto requena's interactive light creature façade for WZ jardins

estudio guto requena’s interactive light creature façade for WZ jardins
images courtesy of guto requena
above photo: andré klotz

the forty year old façade of hotel WZ jardins in são paulo, brazil has been recently renovated by estudio guto requena. half urban art, the sheet metal exterior was designed to integrate the surrounding area both during the day and throughout the night. an urban camouflage of sorts, the edifice is covered with pixelated blocks of blue, gray and gold. the palette was created with the help of a computer program that recorded and analyzed on-site ambient noise over a 24 hour period.

air quality color chart

then, using the gathered data and its corresponding high points and low points, requena created visualizations representing morning, afternoon, evening, and night. the auditory timeline was then theoretically wrapped in a spiral around the building in its entirety. peak levels are gold, slightly quieter is navy blue, almost silent is light blue, and complete lack of noise is a muted grey.

at night, frequently changing air pollution levels are represented on the building 
photo by andré klotz

at dusk, the ‘light creature’ comes alive. embedded in the metal skin, is 200 strips of low energy LED lights that create an interactive dynamic between the city, its inhabitants, and the hotel. the so-called creature behaves autonomously, reacting in realtime to environmental stimuli and people. ambient noise picked up through on-site microphones directly affects the form and motion of the fluid façade.

light blues and greens represent good air quality 
photo by ayla hibri 

also included in the three-point tier of interaction, is air quality measurement. using in situ sensors, the building is able to change colors minute-by-minute to reflect local air quality. pollutants hurt the creature, and is depicted through warm fiery tones such as deep reds and oranges. when conditions take a turn for the better, cooler blue and green hues appear. a mobile app further allows the public to interact with the ‘light creature’. using touch and voice, the screen and microphone transmit data which registers on the jardins’ façade. 

façade detail 
photo by ayla hibri

nighttime concept breakdown 

guto requena demonstrating app 
photo by ayla hibri

day time façade  

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: nick brink | designboom