BioDigital Architecture: Digitally-Growing Structure, Space, Surface, & Components Dennis Dollens research is focused on biodesign and bioarchitectures role as a part of nature. His projects are based on software that enables to embed nature’s intelligence (nature’s function) to buildings/building components by translating the organic and “regenerative processes” of natural world. His studies on “biodigital” take biological principles (naturally occurring) to create a computer algorithms which is used to generate architectural forms. One of the experiments he worked with this technique is the structural integrity of branching trees that started by developing variety of digital models of branching system. This study is followed by series of scripts that could generate models of branching; later these scripts and digital models were used to designing a branching building that eliminates the structural deficiencies of cantilevered systems. It resulted with an active form, more flexible system that can be used in regions where earthquake is a major structural problem. Also, it has the potential of being a self-shaded system that can environmentally move and be a truss system. Further studies of the branching system resulted with the branch matrix that can functions as sensor nodes with leaf-cluster systems for air filtration & ventilation, sound baffling and heat-light control.”
— Nilay Akbas
RESEARCH RESOURCES
Dollens, Denis. Digital-Botanic Architecture: D-B-A. Sante Fe: SITES Books. 2005
Focuses on his research on biodesign and bioarchitectures and ways nature in translated
into the design world.
Dennis Dollens. “Architecture as Nature: A Biodigital Hypothesis.” Leonardo 42, no. 5 (2009): 412-420. http://muse.jhu.edu/ (accessed September 6, 2013).
Research on “biodigital – software that enables to design and bring nature’s
intelligence to buildings and building components which can actively work with
the building to provide better design solutions.
Dollens, Dennis (06/30/2010). “Architecture, eTrees, & Nature Architettura, eTrees, & Natura”. Disegnare con (1828-5961), 3 (5), p. 43. <http://s3.amazonaws.com/mcneel/misc/docs/DBA2-72dpi.pdf>
This source is based on his research experiment on the structural integrity of
branching trees. It explains the process of digital modeling and creation of
mathematical computer algorithms which are used later on to design branching
building.
