The first Wind Activated Façade was designed as an independent solution, for a Business Hub, in an up and coming commercial area of Ahmedabad. The initial design was further refined for another Commercial-Use building, close to the first site. Because the buildings in consideration were without any noticeable ornamentation, the brief for the facade design in both the projects, stressed the need for an ‘identity’. ‘The facade must captivate the interest of the city, bringing in business as well as recognition.’ The two briefs also shared an intention of ‘dynamic’.

We looked at novel techniques where motion could be created on a facade, using independently and abundantly, available sources of movement (e.g. wind). We also looked into possibilities for such dynamic facades that did not need any electrical input. I was tasked with designing the structure and its workings. The back structure remained the same in both the Business Hub and the Commercial Use projects. However, I experienced major setbacks with the panel movement and its durability.

• The nylon studs would explode

• The panels would get locked in the neck

• The movement of the panels was not fluid

• Assembly was cumbersome and there were too many components that needed fixing.

From all the mistakes made in the first project, I was able to refine to a better solution for the second project. The Wind Activated Façade consists of a structure - a vertical grid in steel fixed along the front face (or side of the building facing strong perennial winds) – on which aluminum panels are hung such that they possess exactly one degree of freedom and pitch around the fixed part of the panel, without falling off, when winds flow past them.

When the design refinement of the second installation began, the client was keen on using some source of renewable energy in the upkeep of the facade. The most popular option was solar panels. However, a chance discussion with an engineer got me interested in piezoelectric systems. A potential application within the mechanism of the wind panel swing was perceivable. In theory, the wind-driven panels would tap onto a piezoelectric generator placed behind each panel. Enough swing was available to produce a small amount of energy; fit that across forty thousand panels, and that’s a lot of energy. However, costs, long-term maintenance and the broad risks involved in setting up such a system implied too great an investment of time and money for the client. The idea was dropped.

The project gave me an opportunity to come up with solutions within restricted possibilities. It involved a lot of research to find lasting and cost-effective materials and methods. Studying about materials (synthetics/metals), durable coatings, fabrication, etc. left me with insight that I can utilise in future projects. Stressful situations, where a lot depends on one’s choices, decisions, and actions and, unexpected issues (e.g. exploding components), were conducive to a lateral approach to solving problems. Plenty of mistakes were made. I am not particularly proud of this project. However, I am mildly fulfilled by it, in that through the process of it all, my understanding of things grew.

Apical Reform Design Team

Creative Inputs - Darshan Soni
Design and Engineering - Maharshi Bhattacharya