Free Paper Example on the Impact of Kinetic Architecture in Buildings and Urban Spaces

Kinetic architecture is a concept through which buildings are designed to allow parts of the structure to move, without reducing the overall structural integrity. Buildings are built through this concept as a way of enhancing their aesthetic qualities, to enable them to respond to environmental conditions, and also to perform functions that would be impossible for a static structure. The increased implementation and use of kinetic architecture resulted from the advancement in electronics, mechanics, and robotics, which gained a broad application in the late 20th century. Design based on a dynamic interaction impacts the individuals' experience and provides awareness of the changing environments (Maria, 2009). The term Kinetic refers to everything produced by movement and, therefore, kinetic architecture is a building that is constructed and built by motion, which impacts traditional, economic, social and psychological, and structural envelope and environmental aspects.

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Social and Psychological Aspect

Buildings and urban spaces should be designed around their occupants because architecture triggers physical and psychological well-being. Architects create a socially relevant force through the consideration of human behavior and by thinking of the complexity of both unique and cultural circumstances. Such structures as kinetic architecture and urban spaces highly contribute to the sociological and psychological factors influencing human behavior. Kinetic structures grow through the advancement of technologies, mechanics, and electronics, which are everyday life inputs. Despite the progress, urban spaces are minimal due to the development of more structures, which has led to architects, building dynamic structures that morph with the nature of urban areas. It has led to the population in urban areas understanding the divergence of their current environment. Accepting the convenience of the settings not only positively affects people's social life, but also physiological impacts on them because psychological benefits of physical activities are influenced by the social environment (Spirduso, Poon, & Chodzko-Zajko, 2008).

Traditional Aspect

Architecture is a manifestation and expression of culture. Therefore, kinetic architecture should acknowledge and respond to the cultural needs and values of the society with which it interacts. Architecture has always been perceived for many centuries as the design of static buildings that will last for extended periods of time and the traditional design tools reflect this approach. Kinetic architecture has today impacted these conventional designs by incorporating dynamic properties that accommodate environmental or utilization changes. The integration of mechanics, electronics, and computer technology has changed traditional design tools into a contemporary architectural design that requires a shift in thinking and designing (Quantrill, 1995). Most urban spaces are almost entirely occupied to provide efficiency that smoothly and positively impacts human behavior. As such, suitable design tools must be well utilized to produce kinetic architectural designs that create an integrated environment of all the dynamic systems with a rapid prototyping approach. Architecture has grown beyond traditional models to kinetic components that allow the adoption of spatial geometry according to changing needs.

Economical Aspect

Kinetic architecture entails utilizing the various systems that are facilitated by the advancement of technology. The general implications of using such methods in the design include space efficiency now that urban spaces are highly consumed. Other consequences of utilizing such methods include providing shelter, transportation, safety, and economics. Kinetics are employed to meet today's various adaptability with diverse applications ranging from creating full mobility to interior reconfiguration. Architecture through dynamic effects can alter shape in response to different environmental influences such as economic aspects. The intended performance of these buildings is primarily socioeconomic. As urban landmarks, these structures are meant to energize the urban contexts in which they are situated. Besides attracting the attention and acceptance of the population and dwellers in urban areas and attracting tourists, they are seen as factors that lead to urban and economic renewal (Kolarevic & Malkawi, 2005).

Building Envelope and Environmental Aspect

The idea of kinetic architecture has impacted even the environment and building envelope. It is due to this reason that there is an increasing variety of applications of architectural structures that are more adaptive. Such application improves structural performance, according to environmental changes to meet goals using traditional design tools and techniques to improve future performance. Kinetic architecture is mainly influenced by technological innovations, which facilitates a significant improvement in the production of various building elements; like the building, envelope to fit in the dynamic translation with emerging responsive architecture (Salter, 2010). There has always been a high demand for having efficient energy and sustainable design, which leads to interests of having adaptive building envelopes that can adjust to the environmental conditions and needs (Knippers, Nickel, & Speck, 2016).

Kinetic architecture implies continuously changing the shape, scope, and design of structures to the evolving landscape. As an architectural branch, it provides solutions to architectural predicaments in a mechanical manner that fits the social demand. Proficient kinetic architectural designs tailor their solutions around four main paradigms: traditional, economic, social and psychological, and building envelope and environmental aspects. These aspects primarily influence what the consumers of urban spaces demand and how they utilize the limited space available.

References

Knippers, J., Nickel, K. G., & Speck, T. (2016). Biomimetic research for architecture and building construction: Biological design and integrative structures. Cham: Springer.

Kolarevic, B., & Malkawi, A. (2005). Peformative Architecture. Hong Kong: Routledge. https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=SQOTAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA209&dq=Impact+of+kinetic+architecture+on+economic+aspects&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjD7pTmi5HaAhWvhaYKHbvnAWcQ6AEIMDAC#v=onepage&q=Impact%20of%20kinetic%20architecture%20on%20economic%20aspects&f=false

Quantrill, M. (1995). Finnish architecture and the modernist tradition. London.: E & FN Spon.

Spirduso, W. W., Poon, L. W., & Chodzko-Zajko, W. J. (2008). Exercise and its mediating effects on cognition. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Zuk, W., & Clark, R. H. (1970). Kinetic architecture. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.