ofir albag designs a study space in milan for his thesis on soft robotics

ofir albag explores in his thesis project ‘pump it up — responsive soft-robotic architecture’ the possibilities of combining the emerging need for smart architecture with the capabilities of soft robotics. the thesis, developed in the architecture computation technology lab ‘ACTLAB‘ at the politecnico di milano, culminates in the design proposal for an original soft-robotic, weather-responsive study capsule, to replace the existing open-air study spaces around the university’s campus, which are unable to provide with comfortable study conditions for long periods of the year.

the study capsule in a closed configuration

milan based architect ofir albag‘s study capsule proposal is a pre-fabricated shelter consisting of a fiberglass and aluminium structure which is enclosed by a soft-robotic skin made of 8 silicon pneumatic-network actuator components. each one of these silicon ‘wings’ has an embedded network of air-cavities inside which is designed to make them roll up or down when pressurized, into a number of possible configurations, depending on the climate conditions. the responsiveness of the system is enabled thanks to a set of sensors, valves and an air-pump, all regulated through a microcontroller, located at the top of the structure.

interior view of the space

soft robotics is a relatively new field in robotics inspired by animals such as octopus or starfish, which by using innovative elastic materials to emulate biological structures and mechanisms allows for unprecedented advantages over traditional ‘hard robotics’. unlike hard robots, that are fabricated from metals and often heavy and expensive to make, soft robots are relatively lightweight, cheap and easy to produce, they require simplistic designs and controls to generate a wide range of mobility and they are more resistant, in many ways, than their hard-bodied counterparts to damage and degradation.

soft component prototype. curls up when inflated

the project’s skin system protects it from the rain and sun while also providing for an enclosed, insulated space which can be climatically controlled for optimal comfort. a compact HVAC system incorporated into the shelter allows for comfortable conditions inside the space in hot summers or cold winters.

soft component prototype. curls down when inflated

ofir albag’s work is investigating the increasingly more relevant yet unexplored crossroad of disciplines, where architecture meets automation — the point in which architecture becomes a machine. it is motivated by the idea of a new kind of building, one that is not merely a lethargic mass of material, a passive container, but rather one which is alive, it breathes and adapts, it is aware.

prototype fabrication

the component, air-pump and light sensor all connected through the microcontroller

the thesis project ‘pump it up’

design development

component fabrication hypothesis

possible configurations of the weather-responsive skin system

exploded axonometry of the structure, soft-robotic envelope and technological systems

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: apostolos costarangos | designboom