Biomimetic kinetic façade as a real-time daylight control: complex form versus simple form with proper kinetic behavior

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to develop a methodology that extracts an architectural concept from a biological analogy that integrates forms and kinetic behavior to identify whether complex forms work better or simple forms with proper kinetic behavior for improving visual comfort and daylight performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The research employs a transdisciplinary approach using several methods consisting of a biomimetic functional-morphological approach, kinetic design strategy, case study comparison using algorithmic workflow and parametric simulation and inverse design, to develop an interactive kinetic façade with optimized daylight performance.

Findings

A key development is the introduction of a periodic interactive region (PIR), which draws inspiration from the butterfly wings' nanostructure. These findings challenge conventional perspectives on façade complexity, highlighting the efficacy of simpler shapes paired with appropriate kinetic behavior for improving visual comfort. The results show the façade with a simpler “Bookshelf” shape integrated with a tapered shape of the periodic interactive region, outperforms its more complex counterpart (Hyperbolic Paraboloid component) in terms of daylight performance and glare control, especially in southern orientations, ensuring occupant visual comfort by keeping cases in the imperceptible range while also delivering sufficient average spatial Daylight Autonomy of 89.07%, Useful Daylight Illuminance of 94.53% and Exceeded Useful Daylight Illuminance of 5.11%.

Originality/value

The investigation of kinetic façade studies reveals that precedent literature mostly focused on engineering and building physics aspects, leaving the architectural aspect underutilized during the development phase. Recent studies applied a biomimetic approach for involving the architectural elements besides the other aspects. While the biomimetic method has proven effective in meeting occupants' visual comfort needs, its emphasis has been primarily on the complex form which is difficult to apply within the kinetic façade development. This study can address two gaps: (1) the lack of an architectural aspect in the kinetic façade design specifically in the development of conceptual form and kinetic behavior dimensions and (2) exchanging the superficial biomimetic considerations with an in-depth investigation.

Citation

Hosseini, S.M., Heidari, S., Attia, S., Wang, J. and Triantafyllidis, G. (2024), "Biomimetic kinetic façade as a real-time daylight control: complex form versus simple form with proper kinetic behavior", Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/SASBE-03-2024-0090