Navigating the balance between extreme and contemporary ideas
Artist-Turned-Scientist Pioneers Self-Assembly in Construction
Skylar Tibbits SM '10, a tenured associate professor of design research in MIT's Department of Architecture, has been at the forefront of revolutionizing the construction industry with his work at the Self-Assembly Lab. The lab, co-directed by Tibbits, focuses on the study of self-organizing systems, programmable materials, and transformable structures that respond to their environments.
Tibbits' journey began during his time as a lecturer in MIT's Department of Architecture, where his graduate work served as the foundation for his groundbreaking art installations. One such installation, VoltaDom, was created in 2011. For the Institute's 150th anniversary celebration, VoltaDom was installed at MIT, showcasing the artist's innovative approach to complex structures made from algorithmically designed and computationally fabricated parts.
During the assembly of VoltaDom, Tibbits realized the need for elegant construction code for algorithmically designed structures. This realization led to the focus of his current work at the Self-Assembly Lab: promoting self-assembly in construction. The lab's research agenda is geared towards creating intelligent, programmable materials and structures that self-construct and adapt by harnessing and working with natural forces instead of conventional, static construction methods.
The Self-Assembly Lab's work extends beyond construction, delving into the study of systems that respond to their environments. For instance, they have developed inflatables with complex internal geometries that change shape based on air pressure. They are also studying how to redirect lava flows through strategic, adaptive materials resilient to extreme conditions.
Internationally, the lab collaborates on projects such as Growing Islands with partners in the Maldives. Here, they design submersible objects that promote sandbar and island growth by harnessing wave energy to counteract coastal erosion and sea-level rise. This research demonstrates the lab’s shift towards merging computational design, materials science, and natural environmental forces to create dynamic, self-assembling architectural and environmental solutions.
Tibbits' art installations, including VoltaDom, have been featured in galleries worldwide. However, his current work at the Self-Assembly Lab is poised to have a much broader impact, potentially reshaping the construction industry and offering innovative solutions to environmental challenges.
- The Self-Assembly Lab, co-directed by Skylar Tibbits, is focused on researching self-organizing systems, programmable materials, and transformable structures that can respond to their environments, aiming to promote self-assembly in construction.
- Tibbits' current work at the Self-Assembly Lab centers around creating intelligent, programmable materials and structures that self-construct and adapt by harnessing and working with natural forces, rather than relying on conventional, static construction methods.
- The Self-Assembly Lab's research, such as the Growing Islands project in the Maldives, demonstrates a shift towards merging computational design, materials science, and natural environmental forces to create dynamic, self-assembling architectural and environmental solutions, which could offer innovative solutions to environmental challenges.
