Academic | B.Arch

Kineticoco
Ecological Research Semester 

Center for Architecture, Science, and Ecology (CASE)

Spring 2015 
Professor: Demetrios Comodromos
Team: Dillon Webster, Elizabeth Sammartino, Graham Billings
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
New York, NY

Project: RPI’s Center for Architecture, Science, and Ecology is in need of a test bed that is able to test CASE environmentally performative technology while curating an experience for visitors. The visitor experience must communicate the benefits of CASE technologies and provoke commonly accepted ideas about building technologies. The CASE technology in Kineticoco is the Coconut panel, which regulates air quality.

KinetiCoco is a kinetic louver system made out of coconut desiccant material (a CASE technology). It combines the demands of coconut as building material, the space-making and air-flow optimized organization of louvers, and the educational benefits of user operability. The coconut material is both a reusable, sustainable material that is currently being thrown away as well as a natural air filter. This project is a prototype for coconut material usage as well as the integration of several other CASE technologies.

Skills + Software: Wood working, model making, 3D printing, full scale mock ups, and coconut material research were involved in the development this project. Rhino, Adobe Suite, Grasshopper.