A team from MIT’s Self-Assembly Lab and BMW’s design department have developed liquid-printed inflatable materials that can change shape and form, post-manufacture. Considered the first fully printed inflatable structures, the materials are air and water tight, but can expand and contract using air pressure controlled by a pneumatic system. This process allows for customization and manipulation of 3D printed objects based on the user or the application. The liquid-printed pneumatics will be on display until Nov. 18 at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum as part of the “The Future Starts Here” exhibition. [Self Assembly Lab]
From flooring to façades, cork has entered the mainstream building sector as an renewable, environmentally friendly, viable construction material. Blaine Brownell, AIA, highlights new product offerings. [ARCHITECT]
Researchers at Washington State University have developed a one-step process for 3D printing composite products using more than one material—a feat previously unachievable by scientists. This new capability could allow for better control over “properties like heat conduction, corrosion protection, as well as environmental adaptation in their materials,” according to a university press release. [Washington State University]
Courtesy Michael Green Architecture/Lotus Equity Group
In the latest podcast episode of ArchitectChats, Craig Curtis, FAIA, president of technology and construction company Katerra’s architecture division discusses his practice’s emphasis on R&D and mass timber production and design. [ARCHITECT]
Architects now have access to an array of customizable, market-ready pre- and post-occupancy technologies with which to assess the success of their designs. But will they use them? [ARCHITECT]
