Bavois, Switzerland - 2008
Sentient ecologies is an algorithmically generated housing structure that follows phototropic behaviors of plants and produces instead of consumes energy. The project expands the Chateau Bavois, a 600 year old medieval castle, through 14 units of sustainable, energy producing, sentient housing with a view to provide the old castle a renewed autonomy. Wind, earth, and solar energy are harvested by each of the sentient units. Each unit has a certain, but limited intelligence, but as a collective the units exhibit swarm intelligence and act as a sentient ecology to help each other and the old castle out.
Smart ornament - The tectonic patterns of the old castle are randomized, parametrised and captured in “smart ornament” algorithms which in turn are deployed to generate the organic wall patterns. The overall shape of the new buildings is not designed, but is grown, based on phototropic algorithms. The surfaces mimic natural survival strategies of plants and grow towards the sun.