canadian pavilion at venice architecture biennale 2010

‘hylozoic ground‘, canada’s official national pavilion for this year’s la biennale di venezia, is an experimental piece of architecture that explores the qualities of contemporary wilderness. designed by canadian architect and sculptor philip beesley, the installation is constructed out of an intricate system of transparent acrylic meshwork links, covered with a network of interactive mechanical fronds, filters, and whiskers.

image © designboom (also main image)

the root of the project’s name, ‘hylozoism’, refers to the ancient belief that all matter has life. true to its source, the whole installation functions similarly to a giant lung, breathing in and out around its occupants. the interactive piece of architecture responds to human presence and movement by tens of thousands of lightweight digitally-fabricated components which are fitted with microprocessors and proximity sensors.

image © designboom

‘hylozoic soil’ explores how the built environment can affect humans on an emotional and poetic level, bridging the gap between the animate and the inanimate. the technologies used in the construction of the installation has the potential to be applied and translated to fields beyond the discipline of architecture such as geotextiles, material science, environmental engineering, robots, and biotechnology.

image © designboom

weed detail image © pierre charron

filter detail image © pierre charron

(left) swallowing column detail (right) filter detail images © pierre charron

(left) breathing column (right) breathing column detail images © pierre charron

filter layer protocells image © pierre charron

reflexive membranes

cloud layer

image © designboom

all drawings courtesy philip beesley architect

filter cluster plan

filter cluster elevation

filter layer assembly diagram (3) filter feather (4) leaf spring (5) connection to adjacent filters (6) tension cable (7) tension hook (8) lever arm (9) shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator (10) sled assembly

skeleton typical configurations

feather typical configurations

(left) hylozoic section – first generation (right) hylozoic section – second generation

detailed hylozoic section (1) lily canopy element (2) anemone weed (3) hylozoic burrs (4) breathing pore column (5) swallowing column (6) sensor lash assembly (7) umbrella structural unit (8) cricket cluster (9) clamping needle assembly (10) filter cluster (11) whisker assembly

breathing pore assembly diagram (1) breathing pore assembly actuated position (2) breathing pore assembly rest position (3) adjustable SMA clip (4) SMA (5) lever (6) tensioned tendon (7) strengthening gusset for main spine (8) gland clip (9) copolyster tongue (10) tongue clip (11) arm units for attachment to mesh (12) tongue struts (13) feather

(left) senso lash assembly diagram (right) swallowing actuator assembly diagram – second generation

swallowing actuator assembly diagram – third generation (1) main air supply (2) main electrical harness (3) air muscle (4) local air supply (5) arduino/SMA valve mount (6) 1/8” elbow (7) 1/8” coupler (8) detachable coupler (9) 1/4” to 1/8” reducer (10) SMA valve (11) 1/4” tee (12) flow reducer/diffuser assembly (13) 3-way mainfold (14) threaded adapter (15) braided polyster sleeve (16) latex bladder (17) metal hose crimp

cricket layer assembly diagram (1) cricket cluster plan (2) cricket cluster elevation (3) cricket rhomb (4) stalk (5) actuator mount (6) shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator (7) cricket resonator

chevron assembly diagrams (1) chevron cutsheet tessellation (2) snap-fit assembly (3) basic mesh assembly (4) column mesh assembly (5) column cap plate (6) transition column taper (7) basic mesh assembly (8) kissing pore base plate (9) column assembly (10) breathing column assembly

petal assembly diagram (1) lily cap hanging plate (2) lily cap assembly (3) lily petal attachment point (4) silicon petal attachment point (5) adjacent canopy attachment point

(left) lily canopy assembly diagram (1) lily cap assembly (2) lily petal (assembled) (3) ily umbrella assembly

(right) lily umbrella assembly diagram (1) filter assembly attachment point (2) bifurcation members (3) connection to main lily canopy (4) main umbrella spine elements (5) lily canopy assembly (6) junction plate assembly

additional credits and acknowledgement: coordinator and supporter: canada council for the arts, the royal architectural institute of canada supporter and collaborators: natural sciences and engineering research council of canada, the social sciences and humanities research council of canada, MITACS accelerate, the ontario arts council, university of waterloo, university college london, syddansk universitet media sponsorship: azure magazine