Design environments for material performance

The research project that induced the Dermoid (Fig.1) installation investigates the making of digital tools by which architects and engineers can work intelligently with material performance. Working with wood as a material, we were especially interested how the bend and flex of wood, can become an active parameter in the digital design process. Traditional building structures facilitate load bearing through a correlation of compressive and tensile forces passing loads linearly through the building envelope. However, materials hold internal forces that can be incorporated into structural systems thereby reducing material use and leading to a more intelligent and potentially sustainable building practice. [2] [6]