Smart Flexibility: Advanced Materials and Technologies
24.07.2015 – 09.08.2015

RMIT’s Design Research Institute presented Smart Flexibility: Advanced Materials and Technologies, an international touring exhibition developed by Materfad, Barcelona’s materials centre.

Can a system achieve intelligence by combining the control of a flexible structure with the properties of an active material? The answer is 'Yes', and you could discover it at Smart Flexibility.

The exhibition presented international projects developed by universities and firms from ten countries, including three research projects from a selection of RMIT’s design research leaders. The exhibition sought to explore the current capabilities of structures and materials designed to raise awareness of and adapt architecture to its environment.

The contemporary works and projects involved materials, sensitive systems and articulated supports that enabled us to imagine the functionalities and flexible architecture that could be provided. The harvesting of wind and solar power, electrical and thermal energy generation, perception and adaptation to climatic conditions, to acoustics and lighting environment, user detection and modification of spaces through movement or even emotion, are the challenges of tomorrow’s spaces and were the drivers of the exhibition.

Smart Flexibility is a key feature of the Design Research Institute's Design for Impact festival.

Materfad Curators: Valérie Bergeron, Javier Peña
Exhibition Design: Cate Hall
Graphic Design: Sean Hogan, Trampoline

Please note changes to opening hours during Smart Flexibility:
Tuesday – Friday 11am – 6pm
Saturday 12 – 5pm*
Closed Sunday* and Monday

*Open Saturday 25 & Sunday 26 July, 10 – 4pm (Melbourne Open House) and
Sunday 9 August, 10 – 4pm (RMIT Open Day)

Installation view, images courtesy of Tobias Titz