Hygrosensitive Kinetic Facade

A full-scale meteorosensitive shading system based on wood’s self-actuated

hygroscopic behavior

Mingyue Nan1 , Zhenfang Chen2 , Liwei Liu3 , Ehsan Baharlou4

1,2,3,4
School of Architecture, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United
States
1,2,3,4
{mn9tea|zc8hs|ll6fd|baharlou}@virginia.edu

This research project presents a meteorosensitive kinetic façade system that

passively responds to environmental Relative Humidity (RH) fluctuation by
employing wood's natural hygroscopic behavior. The global shape-shifting
performance is based on the combination of a series of predetermined local
hygroscopic behaviors and modified by designated surface configuration. The
façade system will pack itself when the environmental RH increases and unpack
itself when the environmental RH decreases. This research project entails five key
stages: (1) material system research; (2) development of a computational tool for
simulation and iterations; (3) development and examination of joinery system; (4)
prototyping with the maple-spruce bilayer in different scales; and (5) the final
development and fabrication of a mesoscale hygrosensitive façade.

Keywords: Building envelope system, hygroscopic behavior, adaptive

architecture, bi-laminated wood material, kinetic façade

INTRODUCTION as problematic in architecture and building indus-

Wood is a commonly available material, yet there is
little discussion around its environmentally respon-
sive behavior, which is inherited from its biologi-
cal system. As a result of the unique structure of
the material, wood presents its special characteristics
and properties when exposed to a natural environ-
ment. It appears there are dimensional changes with
the corresponding environmental Relative Humidity
(RH) variation: it absorbs moisture and swells when
the RH increases and conversely it releases moisture
and shrinks when decreasing the RH. Consequently,
this anisotropic property has long been conceived
tries when compared to isotropic materials (Menges
2010).
With the various emerging computational ap-
proaches, researchers and designers can now doc-
ument and simulate material behavior almost per-
fectly (Wood et al. 2016; Abdelmohsen et al. 2018).
Designers establish and feed the computational ap-
proach with designated parameters and outcomes.
Consequently, the computer is informed and trained
on how to process the raw data and can generate the
possible outcomes in digital format. Once this kind of
computational tool is created, it can provide design-

D1.T2.S1. HEALTH AND MATERIALS IN ARCHITECTURE AND CITIES - Volume 1 - eCAADe 38 | 133
 ers with the possible design solutions using predeter-
mined but not experimental data or inform designers
about the probable inputs for the desired outcome
(Wood et al. 2016). Materializing the computational
design, by which designers can be freed from labor-
intensive work and instead devote themselves to dis-
covering design potential.
To capitalize on the hygroscopic behavior of
wood for architectural applications, this research
project focuses on the development of a mesoscale
prototype as a proof of concept and a parametric
model for intuitive design iterations and fabrication
processes. The parametric model is based on the Tim-
oshenko Equation and is calibrated by physical ex-
periments.
BACKGROUND
Wood Hygroscopic Responsiveness
Recent research studies on wood material respon-
sivity have investigated the exploitation of the hy-
groscopic behavior of wood in architecture, such as
self-shaping timber cladding for the Urbach Tower
(Wood et al. 2020) and a meteorosensitive building
skin for the HygroSkin Pavilion (Correa et al. 2013).
Some of the researchers (Wood et al. 2016; Rügge-
berg and Burgert 2015; Wood et al. 2018) have
focused on the production of wood bilayer com-
positions featuring two different species (hardwood
and softwood) laminated in a cross-grain orientation.
This bilayer composition creates an active layer (hard-
wood) which is allowed to shrink and expand with
variations in its moisture content (MC), and a pas-
sive layer (softwood) which remains relatively sta-
ble regardless of its MC changes (Rüggeberg and
Burgert 2015) (Figure 1). Hardwood and softwood
present different reactions to the environmental hu-
midity changes due to their distinct cellular struc-
tures (Menges 2009). The bilayer composition in-
tegrates two different material reactions from hard-
wood and softwood, thereby creating a tension of
forces which causes directional bending. Changes
in environmental RH also affects how a bilayer com-
position behaves. When increasing RH, the bilayer
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absorbs water and bends towards the passive layer,
whereas decreasing RH causes the bilayer to lose MC
and bends towards the active layer.
Figure 1
Bilayer composition
hygroscopic
behavior.
The hygroscopic behavior of wood has been uti-
lized in several architectural applications, including
building skins (Abdelmohsen et al. 2019; Abdel-
mohsen et al.2019; Holstov et al. 2016; Reichert et
al. 2015; Schleicher 2011), space frames (Forestiero
et al. 2018), and shell structures (Wood et al. 2018).
In particular, the paper by Reichert et al. (2015)
explores the application of hygroscopic behavior in
building skin systems. The installations and long-
term experiment introduced in this paper support
a reversible and repetitive hygroscopic quality in
an outdoor environment. The recent paper (Ab-
delmohsen et al. 2019) exhibits a series of façade
prototypes that make use of the hygroscopic prop-
erty of wood. Further, a grammar has been devel-
oped to describe the relationship between the pa-
rameters and the motion for further research (Ab-
delmohsen et al. 2019). In both papers, the hygro-
scopic elements deform in fixed positions or fixed
frames. The summation of each local deformation
achieves the shape-shifting manner of the whole sys-
tem. The development of the Urbach Tower employs
hygroscopicity in timber manufacturing. This marks
a shift from high energy consumption and heavy ma-
chinery intensive processes to a process where the
material shapes itself to a pre-determined configu-
ration with no energy and machinery requirement
(Wood et al. 2020). This project shows the po-
tential of applying wood’s hygroscopic behavior to
a large-scale architectural application. Another re-
search project, Augmented Grain also investigates
the combination of various programmed principle-
curvature compositions by interconnected joints as
a means to achieve the intended integral form and
bending performance (Wood et al. 2016). This re-
search project, as a proof of concept, unveils the
possibility of reversible global hygroscopic shape-
shifting performance through the contribution of di-
verse individual local predetermined hygroscopic be-
havior (Wood et al. 2016).
Adaptive Kinetic Facade System
In recent years, architects have raised awareness
about making buildings sustainable. As a corol-
lary, there has been an interest in incorporating ad-
justable technologies that can respond to shifting
environmental conditions. Building envelope sys-
tems greatly contribute to a buildings‘ carbon foot-
print and thus, have been widely studied and re-
searched by designers (Luo et al. 2019). With a tra-
ditional static façade system, all kinds of environ-
mental conditions have been carefully considered,
no matter how hot the summer day or heavy the rain,
have been carefully considered to fit the building
perfectly (Napier 2015). An adaptive kinetic façade
system will optimize itself to both enhance the ex-
perience of the people inside the building and im-
prove energy efficiency. The Arab World Institute is
among the first buildings to employ a mechanical
actuation façade system, which includes 240 motor-
ized apertures controlled by photo sensors (Hraska
2018). The Al Bahar Towers’ Mashrabiya shading sys-
tem (Attia 2017) and the One Ocean Thematic Pavil-
ion for EXPO 2012 (Knippers et al. 2012) are two
other classic examples that use a mechanical actua-
tion system. Further, some designers have even in-
vestigated material-based actuation façade systems,
which leverage materials that alter their properties
due to external stimuli, such as moisture, heat, or
light conditions (Kolarevic and Parlac 2015). The
Homeo Static Façade System (Decker 2013) and the
Smart Screen (Salvo 2018) are two examples that fall
under this category. These adaptive façade systems
transform themselves by responding to environmen-
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tal changes not only leaving a visual experience to
audiences through the beauty of shifting geometries,
but also reducing solar gain inside a building while
leaving gaps for natural light to enter, thereby main-
taining the internal illumination (Kolarevic and Parlac
2015).
Research Aims
By employing the hygroscopic property of wood, this
research project aims to create a hygrosensitive ki-
netic envelope system that passively responds to en-
vironmental humidity fluctuations; packing and un-
packing itself. In comparison to active facade sys-
tems, which apply actuating and regulating mecha-
nisms in façade architecture, the aimed passive sys-
tem is self-actuated and requires neither a microcon-
troller sensory system, nor an additional actuator sys-
tem. The preceding design and research projects ex-
tend the scope of understanding that interconnects
the defined local hygroscopic behavior with one an-
other to form a global reversible performance. At its
crux, this project capitalizes on wood’s hygroscopic
behavior through a computational method that re-
lies on an understanding of the complex structure
of wood in order to manipulate the bilayer com-
position’s shape-shifting performance to ultimately
achieve a predetermined configuration. Here, the
computational method dealing with parameterizing
physical material into digital data sets is regarded as
a bottom-up strategy, which integrates wood’s ma-
terial characteristics and constraints. Such shapes
the basic rudiment of the project. The subjective in-
tended surface scheme, on the other hand, as a top-
down approach polishes the physical form and mate-
rializes the proposed configuration, ensuring it is ap-
pealing and attractive.
METHODS
Material System
The material system of the shape-shifting façade is
composed of the hygroscopic wood bilayers, which
are connected by a joinery system. At the micro-
scale, the hygroscopic wood bilayer property is in-
 vestigated through a series of experiments. The ex- Figure 2
isting projects (Wood et al. 2018), set references for Aspect ratio
material selection and fabrication methods. Maple experiment.
and spruce are chosen as the materials for the active
and passive layer due to their performance and mate-
rial availability. The fabrication set up for the micro-
scale experimentation is as follows: (1) both maple
and spruce veneers are put inside a humidity cham-
ber for 24 hours to absorb moisture from the environ-
ment - they achieve an MC level of about 20%- 21%;
(2) cross-grain lamination, which means the grain ori-
entations of maple and spruce pieces are perpendic- 2. Geometry (Figure 3): square, hexagon, and bow-
ular to each other, is implemented to produce the tie shape samples cut from the square are examined
maple-spruce bilayers; (3) the maple-spruce bilayers in this experiment. Both irregular shape samples dis-
are vacuum-sealed to strengthen the lamination; (4) play a larger curvature than the square one. The pos-
all samples are moved to an indoor environment with sible explanation for this is that the decrease of the
a lower RH for deformation; and (5) the bending pro- continuous passive layer area reduces the restriction
cesses are captured by a position fixed camera and of the bending force.
the final deflections are measured by analyzing the
images. The bilayers bend due to a loss in MCs. Mea- Figure 3
sured by a pin-type moisture meter, the MC roughly Geometry
equals to about 7% at the end. experiment.
In order to understand the material behavior,
three sets of univariate experiments have been con-
ducted based upon similar researches (Abdelmohsen
et al. 2019; Reichert et al. 2015). The parameters ex-
amined are aspect ratio, geometry, and grain orienta-
tion. These experiments aim to find the relationship
between the values of these variables and the mag-
nitude and direction of the bending curvature.
1. Aspect Ratio (Figure 2): the aspect ratios (edge 3. Grain Orientation (Figure 4): the angle between
along the grain orientation to edge perpendicular to grain orientation and the short edges are set as 0 °,
the grain orientation) of the samples are 1:0.5, 1:1, 1:2, 20 °, 40 °, 60 °, and 90 °. The samples depict a clear
and 1:6 respectively. The deformation outcomes in- result: the curvature of the bending is perpendicular
dicate a negative correlation between curvature and to the grain orientation.
aspect ratio.

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Figure 4 Joinery System
Grain orientation The joinery system is developed to connect the small
experiment. wood bilayers together, transferring the micro-scale
local behavior to a mesoscale aggregated system
(Figure 5). Finger joints are used to ensure the tan-
gent connection between the flipped pieces. For the
final scale-up model, the proper number and size
of the fingers are examined and determined (Figure
6). Fixed knots occur where the rows are touched,
tightening them together and allowing later defor-
mation performance. Fixed knots are tested to en-
These experiments demonstrate the correlation be- sure the efficiency of the system. As part of this, leav-
tween each parameter and the bending behavior ing sufficient tolerance space to allow the bolts to
which can be manipulated in the design process. It slightly slide up and down, changing the material of
also provides the appropriate range for reference to the knots, and changing the method of making knots
achieve effective performances. These results are is essential. Elastic string knots are tested and used in
a comprehensive understanding of wood’s hygro- the final scale-up model because of their adaptabil-
scopic behavior and render a database for the ensu- ity to the whole system, expansibility when force is
ing investigation. applied, and efficiency during shape-shifting perfor-
mance (Figure 7).
Computational Tool
Figure 5 The computational model is developed based on the
Mesoscale aforementioned real-time physical experiments and
prototype: The the Timoshenko Equation (Timoshenko 1925) which
façade system is was developed to calculate bilayer metal curvature
composed of and adopted to simulate the wood bilayer’s hygro-
maple- spruce scopic behavior (Rüggeberg and Burgert 2015; Schle-
bilayers which are icher 2011; Wood et al. 2016). Given the specific
connected by finger wood species, the curvature is related to the change
joints and string in MC and the thickness ratio of the active and pas-
knots. sive layers. Guided by the Timoshenko equation and
the aggregation rules of the system, a computational
model of the façade is developed to simulate the
shape after hygro-expansion.
Moving from single wood bilayer pieces to a dig-
ital simulation model of the larger system provides
chances to foresee and examine the proposed scale-
up development. The local behavior of individual
strips can be effectively manipulated by changing
grain orientation and the level of MC. After experi-
menting with the various local behaviors and the ag-
gregation of such behaviors, the desired global per-
formance which will later be examined and calibrated
by the digital simulation emerged.

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 of the parameters as well as the joints’ performance. Figure 6
The first prototype is a four-row model to test the ba- Dimensions of the
sic aggregation (Figure 8a). Each row has six flipped finger joint.
pieces. This model expands in a low RH environment
after assembly, and it is the cumulation of local defor-
mation which induces a global shape-shifting perfor-
mance. The second set of prototypes are several sin-
gle rows that explores the impact of the configura-
tion of both grain orientation and the irregular shape Figure 7
of the rows (Figure 8b). The single pieces curl accord- Elastic string knots
ing to their grain orientation, shaping the morphol- test.
ogy of the entire connected strip. The third set of pro-
totypes are the connected rows. This set portrays the
effect of a combination of parameters, including dif-
ferent combinations of grain orientation and geome-
try in the system (Figure 8c). The fourth set is a single
row that consists of five 4’ X 8’ pieces (Figure 8d). This
set endorses the practicability of the final upscaling
model.
Figure 8
Mesoscale
prototypes: (a) A
prototype of basic
aggregation; (b)
Prototypes of single
row with variation
in geometry and
grain orientation;
Prototypes (c) Prototypes of
The objective of the project is to design a kinetic aggregated rows
façade system that can passively respond to the envi- with variation in
ronmental humidity changes. Through the novel ag- geometry and grain
gregation method, the hygroscopic behavior of sin- orientation; and (d)
gle wood pieces transfers to the shape-shifting of the A prototype to test
whole system. The small bilayer pieces are alternately scale-up model
flipped and interconnect by finger joints to form the practicability.
vertical rows. Then, the rows are connected horizon-
tally by the fixed joints to an integral envelope façade
system. The deformation behavior of each individual
piece will accumulate and contributes to the expan-
sion or contraction of the whole system (Figure 5).
Several mesoscale prototypes are developed
(Figure 8) to explore the possibilities and constraints

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Figure 9 Final Design and Fabrication
Design simulation The prototypes demonstrate how this system aggre-
and two major gated by the simple aggregation rule can have var-
parameters, grain ious forms. These models also suggest having an
orientation and MC. operation from the global scale. The final design
combines a bottom-up material system investigation
and a top-down proposed morphology configura-
tion. The basic façade system has six pairs of rows.
Each row has 8 or 9 pieces of bilayers. Grain orien-
tation and change of MC are two major parameters
of the façade system. By adjusting these two param-
eters, the expansion width after shape-shifting and
the proportion of the shading and the opening area Designing the global shape of the façade constitutes
can be defined. The angles between their grain ori- the top-down process in this project, which attempts
entation and the horizontal plane controls the ex- to add one more layer of variation to it. Several
pansion size of the system. The Timoshenko Equa- different surfaces have been considered for use as
tion simulation indicates the positive correlation be- the trimming surface, including repetitive patterns
tween MC changes and the magnitude of the curva- and surfaces in different morphologies. Trimmed
ture. In this system, the shading ability of this façade by two proposed wavy surfaces, the dynamic form
is twofold: the rows function as a vertical shading corresponds with the shape-shifting function of the
device; and second, to supplement this, the defor- façade. This operation results in the creation of dif-
mation caused by grain orientation enables this sys- ferent local conditions. These single pieces behave
tem to allow part of the systems to directly block the differently in shapes, curl directions, and curvatures
sunlight. The rows with larger angles have a smaller (Figure 10).

Figure 10 horizontal expansion and exhibit larger areas that di-

Global performance rectly block the sunlight. These assist in developing
of the physical a better shading ability. The rows with higher lev-
model and local els of MC after equalization present larger openings.
behaviors. The combination of these two parameters creates the
possibility of manipulating the façade configuration
and shading ability. After testing different combina-
tions of grain orientation and MC in the simulation
model, the grain orientations are finally set to 0 °, 15 °,
30 °, 45 °, 45°, and 30 ° respectively. The wood MC lev-
els are 18%-20% for the four pairs of rows on the left
and 22%-23% for the two pairs of rows on the right
(Figure 9). The shape-shifting performance is actuated by the
embedded hygroscopic property and the design is
intended to amplify this property by aggregating the
local deformation to create a whole system perfor-
mance. Therefore, a fixed frame has been developed
to showcase this environmentally induced behavior.
A wooden frame with an aluminum rail on top hangs

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 the façade and allows free sliding. This frame sys-
tem enables the movement generated by façade it-
self. The forces from each row push the adjoining
rows to move. The summation of these forces causes
the expansion and contraction of the façade system
as a whole.
Several characteristics of wood, such as the un-
evenly distributed grain texture have not been con-
sidered in this model, which could generate unpre-
dictable results. The operational limitations, such
as the precision of the operation also cause unpre-
dictability. However, measures have been adopted
to mitigate such unpredictable behaviors. First, the
parameters are limited to grain orientation and MC.
Second, the distances between the front and back
cutting surface are relatively stable so that the aspect
ratio of each piece is similar. Third, elastic string knots
are designed as the joints to make up the difference
in dimensional changes of each strip.
The fabrication process is customized according to
the computational model where the principles of
mechanics and corollary parameters are taken into
consideration to design the final installation (Figure
11). The final installation presents a building en-
velope as a façade system, which self opens and
closes given changes in environmental humidity. The
fabrication process starts with the production pro-
cesses of the small-scale wood bilayers. A 4 ¼ ’X 4
¾’X 6 ½’ wood frame wrapped with plastic sheets
is built as a humidity chamber, allowing the wood
pieces to achieve the expected MC levels. During
140 | eCAADe 38 - D1.T2.S1. HEALTH AND MATERIALS IN ARCHITECTURE AND CITIES - Volume 1
this phase, the RH in the chamber is controlled to
99% to let the wood slabs absorb moisture. Both
maple and spruce are cut to relatively large slabs.
These pieces stay inside the chamber for 36 or 48
hours to achieve the designated MC levels, which
are 18%-20% and 22%-23% respectively. Subse-
quently, the maple and spruce pieces are laminated
by polyurethane glue and sealed in a vacuum bag for
12 hours to strengthen the adhesive. Later, these bi-
layer pieces are laser cut into the designed configura-
tions. To prevent moisture loss during the laser cut-
ting process, the active layer sides are taped before
cutting. The cut bilayer pieces are then connected
into rows by finger joints where polyurethane glue
is applied. These rows are sealed in a vacuum bag
for another 12 hours to strengthen the adhesive and
keep the rows stable. Finally, the separated rows are
connected by elastic strings through the precut holes
to assemble the façade system, which is hung on a
wood frame with rolling wheels in order to support
and smooth the transformation during the dehumid- Figure 11
ification process. Design and
fabrication process.
RESULTS AND REFLECTION
Shape-shifting Performance
The façade expands to approximately 3’ wide during
the first 36 hours (Figure 12). Afterward, it contin-
ues responding to the low humidity in the indoor en-
vironment where the RH is around 20% and gradu-
ally expands to 4’ wide after 30 days. It remains sta-
bilized thereafter. When the whole facade is placed
into 99% RH conditioned environment again, it per-
forms a radical shape-shifting morphology transfor-
mation in 36 hours, closing to 1/2’ in width. However,
the facade behaves unevenly afterward and even-
tually start to crack and fracture. This is due to an
operational mistake: the RH at different heights of
the façade is unequal, thereby causing the different
contraction and expansion behaviors on each part of
the façade. Hence, this experiment exhibits both the
possibility and the limitation of the reversible pack-
ing and unpacking performance. This reverse exper-
iment indicates that the façade requires an environ-
Figure 12
Façade
shape-shifting
performance.
ment where the RH is equally distributed throughout
the environment.
CONCLUSION
This research project provides a proof of concept for
a meteorosensitive envelope system. A mesoscale
façade that is passively responsive to environmen-
tal humidity changes has been constructed. Notably,
this façade system scales up from a micro-scale ma-
terial structure and characteristic to form a global
shape-shifting performance structure. The combina-
tion of material study, the development of compu-
tational design morphology, and the performance of
the systematic behavior represent the key features of
this research project. However, given time and ma-
terial limitations, the reverse feature of this kinetic
façade system has not been convincingly tested. A
foreseeable problem is that when placed in a high RH
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environment for long enough, the curvatures of all
bilayers could be completely reversed. The joinery
system requires further study to adapt to this situa-
tion so that the proposed façade system can function
with the utmost efficacy in an outdoor environment.
Furthermore, in this presented project, the specifi-
cally designed scale and thickness of the wood pieces
provides strength to the system. This self-supporting
ability is worth further investigation and exploration.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This presented research was the outcome of the 2019
Research Studio Wood Proto-architecture 2.0 at the
School of Architecture, University of Virginia. The au-
thors would like to thank Yin-Yu Fong, Kirk Gordon,
Nicholas Grimes, and Mengzhe Ye for the knowledge
gained from their project “Self-forming Hygrosensi-
tive Tectonics” (2018) at the School of Architecture,
 University of Virginia. They would also like to thank
Melissa Goldman and Trevor Kemp for their support
and guidance throughout the fabrication labs.
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