ABSTRACT

I believe that transformation is a major new frontier of design. For me, this word refers to an object or structure that transforms itself by itself – one that has an innate property of controlled change. A transforming object may be foldable, retractable or shape shifting. Such capabilities lead to functional benefits: portability, instantaneous opening and intelligent responsiveness within the built environment. This chapter explains this theory of transformation and the principles that form the foundation for this new field. These principles touch on transformation in nature, how the behaviour of objects emerges from their underlying geometry, and how that emergent behaviour leads to an astonishing variety of design possibilities from the microscopic to the architectural scale.