Interactive and deployable structures offer new ways for contemporary architecture to address challenges related to climate change, adaptability, and user interaction. This research investigates the potential of utilizing knitted textiles for complex deployable hyperbolic structures to create new potentials in flexible architectural forms. By integrating soft, elastic materials to create the surface of these complex geometries, this approach fosters adaptability in both form and function, offering new solutions for responsive design.
Knitted textiles are inherently elastic, providing an ideal material for structures which move and are deployable, especially in the case for accommodating complex geometries like hyperbolic curves. Rigid materials often struggle to achieve the same versatility. Furthermore, the integration of elastic yarns and various knitting techniques are used to develop a unique surface material for expanding and contracting dynamically. These textiles can adapt to shifting conditions, creating more complex spaces that could be responsive to their surroundings.
Advancements in digital modeling and material study underpin this work. Through iterative testing, physical prototypes, and digital simulations, the project can evaluate how knitted textiles perform under transformable conditions. This process informs the design of the human scale prototypes, including a deployable hyperbolic tower composed of stacked modules. The result of this research is the design for three human scaled prototype hyperbolic towers which are designed to expand and collapse while maintaining stability, demonstrating the feasibility of integrating knitted materials into deployable architecture.
Deployable structures offer resilience and adaptability, responding to climate, weather, and user demands. By creating more possibilities for complex geometrical forms and working with textiles we can see broader potential uses of deployable structures in design, by shifting the focus to adaptable spaces over static forms.
This research project addresses material innovation, digital technologies, and responsive design, to reimagine architectural possibilities.

Concrete tilt-up construction has established itself as one of the most popular building methods because of its simplicity, workability and adaptability. The process is cost effective in terms of time, labor and economy. These qualities have helped the tilt-up process stand out in comparison to other building practices. With a rich history of evolution and adaptation, the method has been gradually perfected to complement the needs of various scales of construction. It minimizes excess preparatory work, cuts down on wasting resources and promotes efficiency in all aspects of the construction project. Though the tilt-up method is not suitable for certain types of applications, it is quite successful at contributing to a certain architectural typology. It takes advantage of the most popular and readily available building material today (concrete) and can be used to produce versatile architecture that meets the ever-growing demand of the contemporary market. However, it does have its shortcomings- tilt-up employs the use of a material with a very high carbon footprint and it adopts a non-biodegradable material like polystyrene or rigid foam boards as an insulating material that challenges the future sustainability of the system.

This paper explores the evolution of the tilt-up construction process from its humble beginnings. It tries to elaborate on the reasons behind its rise in popularity as an industry standard building process; and comments on the trajectory it is taking towards a sustainable future. The paper discusses the pros and cons of the tilt-up process and its limitations as a construction method. The tilt-up process has provided the industry with an efficient and reliable building process, but it does have some detrimental effects on the environment. This paper attempts to discuss some of these issues such as habitat loss for a variety of species and offers potential resolutions.

ABSTRACT: Flexible structures integrate advanced formability techniques with flexible materials and the principles of bending-active systems. Architectural design tools and structural systems provide a framework for developing foldable bending-active shells. These systems have emerged as a significant approach in the pursuit of lightweight and sustainable architectural designs, aiming to minimize environmental impact. A central aspect of these structures is achieving optimal performance while reducing energy and material use. Their ability to withstand applied loads is largely derived from their geometric configuration, which is determined through a form optimization process known as form-finding. This process necessitates a shift in the computational methods employed in architectural modeling.

Recent advancements in simulation techniques have enabled deeper exploration of bending-active structures, informed by the evolution of materials, historical precedents, and innovative applications. This research introduces an original structural concept that leverages bending-active principles. The proposed system demonstrates the potential of using flexible materials in shell structures to enhance stiffness and structural efficiency. The design process incorporates fundamental geometric principles, utilizing folding techniques to achieve the desired form. By employing folded bending-active surfaces, the stiffness of the structure is augmented through the introduction of curvature, resulting in a highly efficient and adaptable system.