2019 participants
Philippa Mcleod-Brown
In Architectural Design there is a growing interest in active materials which respond to changes in their environment by altering their shape or structure. Hygromorphs are an active material which change shape in response to moisture – expanding when wet and contracting when dry. A new class of Hygromorphs have been identified which use bacteria spores (which swell and shrink by up to 12% when subjected to humidity changes) applied to the surface of latex to create a material which flexes in different humidity levels. Using these materials, we could build membranes which act like pores of the skin – allowing buildings to sweat as humidity rises. My projects looks to establish methods for programming this new material by patterning spores on the latex surface so the materials responds predictably to humidity conditions typically found in the built environment. The project also looks at challenges faced by designers when conducting scientific research.
Funding source: Newcastle University
Project supervisor: Dr Martyn Dade-Robertson