ShapeShift

‘ShapeShift’ is an experiment in future possibilities of architectural materialization and ‘organic’ kinetics. The project explores the potential application of electro-active polymer (EAP) at an architectural scale. EAP offers a new relationship to space facilitated through its unique combination of qualities. It is an ultra-lightweight, flexible material with the ability to change shape without the need for mechanical actuators. The thesis project was realized in September 2010 by Edyta Augustynowicz, Sofia Georgakopulou, Dino Rossi and Stefanie Sixt and supervised by Manuel Kretzer at the Chair for Computer Aided Architectural Design, ETH Zürich and the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Material Science (EMPA), Dübendorf.