The goal was to allow the system to spread in full sun and fold away when not needed. It was important to do it in a way that dispersed the light and reduce the intense glare creating a more ambient light condition.
We struggled with various different materials and systems but all agreed an integrated material approach was preferable. This led us away from laminated composites, and spring-loaded resistance elements towards origami and simple folding mechanisms.
Drawing by Phil Handley
By closing the small distance in the middle using a simple armature on a servo we could close the whole unit through an inbuild gear system. Light sensors mounted on each unit varied the input of data into the servo, which was translated into a certain degree of rotation. An articulated joint allowed the rotation to be translated into the linear motion that opened and closed the unit.
Drawing by Phil Handley
The matrix of units was suspended on a diagrid net of 1/16th inch steel wire. Using Ecotect we mapped average light conditions throughout the 3D space of the courtyard. We then used that data to determine the size and location of each unit to provide maximum shading where it was needed most. To overcome the fact that the sun is always moving, we attached high torque servos to each corner of the net and created a script that pulled at variable rates in relation to the sun’s location. This technique allows a second layer of hierarchy to the system, and further contributes to the adaptable nature of the shading device.
The final model iteration was this.
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Drawings by Amir Shahrokhi
