At the London Design Biennale, a joint interdisciplinary research group of scientists and designers from leading universities around the globe is presenting the innovative self-shaping materials it has developed, based on harnessing natural processes for the benefit of humankind and directed toward more natural and environmentally friendly industrial production.
White lab coats and studious researchers with test tubes are not the immediate association brought to mind by the London Design Biennale, but the Automorph Network joint research group, Led by Prof. Eran Sharon of the Racah Institute of Physics at the Hebrew University and by Dr. Arielle Blonder of the Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning at the Technion, is all about challenging preconceptions. Together with Benoit Roman, Lining Yao and Antonio De Simon they formed the core of Automorph Network, that no intention of limiting themselves to the traditional methods of disseminating research knowledge.
Automorph’s work focuses on self-morphing materials, and the advantage of the group lies in its combination of different paradigms and the unique expertise brought by each member.
The Creative Differences exhibition, which showcases the group’s developments at the London Design Biennale (this year titled “The Global Game: Remapping Collaborations”), was born out of a study that began in Prof. Sharon’s lab at the Hebrew University over 20 years ago. The Automorph development was carried out with the enthusiastic support of the president of the Technion Prof. Uri Sivan and the president of the Hebrew University Prof. Asher Cohen, who also personally inaugurated in the opening of the exhibition in London.
The exhibition presents various systems of self-morphing materials, which are at the very forefront of science. They imitate material processes that occur in nature in order to grow and develop. The use of self-morphing materials as synthetic materials, and even as construction materials, has the potential to radically change the design and manufacturing processes of complex structures and to reduce the ecological footprint they generate. Essentially, these materials are active participants in the production and shaping process, according to their inherent qualities and characteristics, in a similar way to how things happen in nature. Thus, the accepted view of material production as involving noisy and polluting processes can be replaced with wonder at materials “that form themselves” efficiently, cost-effectively, and elegantly.
Prof. Asher Cohen, president of the Hebrew University: “The works displayed in the exhibition represent some of the values that underpin our research at the Hebrew University—interdisciplinary collaboration that brings together excellence in a variety of fields with ecological action, in order to create a greener and better world for future generations. I am proud that this project stems from work carried out at the Hebrew University, and I am delighted to be in London to see it take on physical form at one of the most internationally respected forums in the field of design and innovation.”
Prof. Uri Sivan, president of the Technion: “I congratulate Dr. Arielle Blonder and the Automorph research group on this initiative to present and make accessible this unique and original combination of science, technology, and design, and to do so in such an artistic manner. This message is fully aligned with the spirit of the Technion, which binds these fields together based on an appreciation of the essential importance of the arts and humanities in technological institutions. It should also be noted that the exhibits on display at the Biennale presents new methods for sustainable production, which will reduce environmental harm and contribute to the environment and to all our lives.”
The exhibition presents three imaginary “landscapes”: field, city, and underwater. Each environment features exhibits that self-shape before the visitors’ eyes. For example, the city environment presents materials that change under the influence of heat and have the potential to be used in the construction industry. In the under-water landscape, the ceiling is made of a material that inflates to create a complex topography, which lets in light in a way that recalls the calming experience of being underwater. This material was developed as part of research conducted at a laboratory at the Sorbonne.
To expand this community of people working on self-morphing materials, a two-days workshop was held at the Biennale including lectures from leading researchers in this field. The second day was hands-on workshop in using these innovative new production methods hosted by Antonio Forte from King’s College in London. With the support of PSL university from Paris and UCL university from London the event brought together people from different disciplines as well as students from Israel, Paris, and London who were awarded scholarships to participate.
Five research centers are involved in the project: The Racah Institute of Physics at the Hebrew University; the Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning at the Technion; the PMMH laboratory at the Sorbonne in Paris; the Morphing Matter laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh; and ISSA in Italy. For the exhibition, the network teamed with the Institute for Computational Design and Construction at the University of Stuttgart and with the textile artist Tzuri Gueta from Paris.
Among the large group of people that made Creative Differences come true should be mentioned; The artistic contribution of Dominique Peysson, the exhibition design by Ofri Dar, the sound installation by Alon Peretz and the creative direction of Lihi Berger.
The group’s members hope that the exhibition serves as another stage in the establishment of a community of researchers and professionals from different disciplines who will work together to expand the self-morphing field.
Pictures: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1uUouyaPNeVUl4OSW31Ucff1k1U5Wo3wY