METAMORPISM: towards a New Kinetic Architecture

Kinetower + exclusive interview with Kinetura

Author: Oliver Van Poucke

“…Kinetura brings flexibility to life….

The Kinetower is Kinetura’s concept for a building whose façade elements responds to the sunlight or for the user inside. Kinetura is design team of Barbara van Biervliet and Xaveer Claerhout established 2006. Meanwhile they both run the architecture office Claerhout-Van Biervliet since 1995. Kinetower is interesting design to promote their

“The Kinetura concept is adding a new dynamic dimension to common static design and architecture. By making use of the flexible characteristics of specific materials combined with motion-based technologies, objects transform in a silent and nearly imperceptible way into a contrasting shape with a completely different functionality and expression.

As if a extra dimension were involved…”

This concept truly shares the philosophy of kinetic architecture. Their current focus is relation of light, time and space. To approach kinetic lighting towards installations and products, as in comparison to kinetic lighting system of Philips, is really amazing and will be covered on Kinetic Architecture.Net soon. Their products will be showcased at the Euroluce 2011 12-17 April in Milan, Italy. Recently I had the opportunity to interview with Xaveer Claerhout of Kinetura, which goes as follows…”

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“In 2004 we designed a first multi-functional transformable furniture piece (a bench/writing table).

Since 2005, we are working on this notion of densification of functionalities by using flexible properties of certain materials to transform the artefacts. We call this process of transformation : Metamorphism. The term is referring to the geological slow change of rock due to changing external pressure and temperature. Of course the term is also referring to the Ovid’ s Metamorphoses.

Our research resulted in 2006 in our first prototypes and patent of metamorphic lighting-fixtures. The main concept behind is that light-modulation combined with physical transformation of the fixture creates a new design dimension. A different world of responsive forms appears. Usability become cinematographic. Light and architecture can seamlessly be brought together and can have a new almost organic impact on the users mental state of mind. You can see the transformation of one of our basic-lamps called the “Santiago” (published by TAL) (see movie Santiago lamp). The lamp serves in closed position as orientation light. Once opened the light can illuminate the wall or floor. This basic model just won the IF Product Design Award 2011.

“…We call this process of transformation : Metamorphism…..”

The metamorphic concept was opened up and applied to architecture after successfully presenting the first lamps on the SOF A-exhibition in New York (see movie New York lamp). In 2008, just after submitting our 2nd patent (deformable slat system), we exhibited in Verona where The Kinetower and some metamorphic lamps were showed for the first time to a broad public from all over the world. The response was overwhelming and sometimes even very emotional. Several publications and exhibitions followed the success of this premiere of the new kinetic architecture based on flexibility.

Kinetura tries to respect the ‘form follows function’ approach extended with an extra dynamic dimension. A transformable skin as an energy-regulator. The way this new functional metamorphic architecture responds to its use and the environment is at the same time the ever changing expression of the architecture.

The Kinetower-movie shows how a building comes to life (see extracts of movie Kinetower). Wim Mertens, the Belgian composer who wrote the music for “the belly of an architect” by Peter Greenaway, especially composed the music for the Kinetower (‘the grasp of letting go’) : architecture no longer as frozen music. The metamorphic architecture becomes cinematographic. The architect as a director.

At this moment we are also implementing our concept of metamorphism on other fields such as interior applications. ”