Projects per year
Personal profile
Research areas
Performance through thickfolds
approaching climate-responsive behaviours through shape, materialisation and kinematics.
Addressing adaptive solutions to architecture requires responding to a changing climatic environment instead of statically resisting it. As the demands on the performance of contemporary buildings and their climate-skins are increasing, new alternative, eco-effective and resource-saving approaches are essential. The ability of adaptation opens - like in nature - the perspective to optimise climatic behaviour within a given local context.
The principle of folding contains dynamic aspects with the capability both to adjust shape through its changing geometry [form] and the specific movement embedded in the fold pattern [kinematics].
In this PhD project, folding is investigated phenomenologically, exploratively as well as experimentally, to exploit and document on how climate-responsive performance potentials can be utilised in architecture. ‘Origami technology’, as the emerging, cross-disciplinary field behind it, transfers principles from the ancient art of paper folding into sophisticated design applications.
The project proposes an initial concept, which was developed through explorative design studies, to preserve the foldability of the material despite the thickness of a (sandwich) panel. It is referred to as the thickfold concept.
Performance aspects are empirically investigated in three main test series which focus on shape [change], materialisation and self-actuation. The methods of investigation cover dynamic computational simulations, climate laboratory tests and material tests for thermo-responsive behaviour.
In summary, this project identifies and indicates climatically beneficial aspects based on the dynamic principle of folding and through the materialisation towards a thickfold.
Torsten Sack-Nielsen
Architect maa, ir. and MSc. in Architecture,
PhD Fellow at Aarhus School of Architecture
January 2017
Research area
- Architecture
- climate adaptive facades
- Sustainability
- smart materials
- bionic principles
- responsive facades
- dynamic facades
- user comfort
Projects
- 1 Finished
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File
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Performance through thickfolds: Approaching climate-responsive behaviours through shape, materialisation and kinematics
Sack-Nielsen, T., 5 May 2017, Aarhus: Arkitektskolens Forlag. 271 p.Publications: Book / Anthology / Thesis / Report › Ph.D. thesis
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Engaging (through materials) in Architecture
Sack-Nielsen, T., 30 Dec 2015, Engaging through architecture. Ahrenkiel, A., Daugaard, M., Verbeke, J. & Rasmussen, J. (eds.). Aarhus: Arkitektskolens Forlag, p. 25-26 2 p. (ARKIPELAGET; No. 11).Publications: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Book chapter › Research
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Performative
Sack-Nielsen, T., 15 Dec 2015, SUSTAINABILITY: An imperative for plurality and context. Unterrainer, W. (ed.). Aarhus: Arkitektskolens Forlag, p. 64-65 2 p.Publications: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Book chapter › Research
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Approaching climate-adaptive facades with foldings: Shape - Kinetics - Materiality
Sack-Nielsen, T., 2014, What’s the Matter?: Materiality and Materialism at the Age of Computation. Voyatzaki, M. (ed.). p. 795-804 9 p.Publications: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Article in proceedings › Research › peer-review
Activities
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Workshop Bygningstypologier & Klima
Katrina Wiberg (Organizer), Torsten Sack-Nielsen (Organizer), Ask Raun Olsen (Participant) & Eirini Angeli (Participant)
13 Sept 2023Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
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Finalizing the thesis document
Torsten Sack-Nielsen (Participant)
15 Apr 2016Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
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FRG meeting
Torsten Sack-Nielsen (Participant)
11 Apr 2016 → 12 Apr 2016Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
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Academic Writing Workshop
Torsten Sack-Nielsen (Participant)
10 Feb 2016 → 12 Feb 2016Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
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Ph.D. Course AAA
Torsten Sack-Nielsen (Participant)
14 Dec 2015Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in workshop, seminar, course