Find products

Use our product finder to search for products and materials

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive news about events and exhibitions, innovation and materials on the latest building product innovations, case studies and more.
I have read and agree to the terms and conditions of usage and The Building Centre's Privacy Policy.

Adaptive Structures: the future of our built environment

Talk
Thu 1 Sep 2016

As part of the Adaptive Structures exhibition, this panel discussion will reflect the possibilities offered by the new engineering design paradigm of adaptive structures. Expert speakers will explore the meaning of adaptability from both experiential and environmental perspectives.

Speakers include:

- Mike Davies, founding partner of RSH+P

- Stephen Fox, chief executive of BAM Nuttall Ltd

- Alex Haw, director of Atmos Studio

- Ed McCann, director of Expedition Engineering

- John Prewer, architect and designer at Gamechanger Technologies

- Gennaro Senatore, research associate at University College London

- Jane Wernick, director of Jane Wernick Associates

- Chair: Lewis Blackwell, executive director of strategy and development at The Built Environment Trust

This event is free to attend but booking is essential.

Background information

Despite huge technological advancements all around, the way everyday building structures are designed has not changed fundamentally for over 100 years; design a structure to be strong, and then check to make sure it does not move around too much. Why should the built environment industry not rethink this basic assumption?

Recent research and development led by Gennaro Senatore of University College London in collaboration with Expedition Engineering, has demonstrated that unlike conventional structures, adaptive structures can successfully change their shape to prevent excessive movement caused by loads, indicating that we could now achieve super-slender structures that use much less material, less whole-life energy and achieve very high levels of performance. But is this practical in the real world?

       

Generously funded by:

                 

Supported by:

Keep exploring