Dynamic façades and computation: Towards an inclusive categorization of high performance kinetic façade systems

This chapter provides a panorama of the current state of computationally controlled dynamic facades through a literature review and a survey of contemporary projects. This was completed with an underlyings interest in understanding how innovative design solutions with the capacity to ‘react to’ and/or ‘interact with’ the varying states of climatic conditions have been developed. An analysis of these projects was conducted, and led to the identification of tendencies, which were subsequently synthesized and articulated. While most classifications are limited to describing the movement or structure needed to achieve morphological transformation, an important recommendation is to also consider control as a determining factor. For this reason, the culmination of the investigation presented here is a proposal for a classification structure of dynamic facades, developed according to the functional modus operandi of each structure in terms of movement and control.