ABSTRACT
The continuous and often unexpected changes in our cities create a need for the invention of new spatial structures. Innovative concepts of lightweight, rapidly assembled, or deployable spatial structures capable of adapting their form to meet evolving needs fall into the broader category of reconfigurable space structures, offering sustainable advantages by reducing energy consumption, labor demands, and more. These structures have not yet been addressed as a separate category in architectural education, largely due to significant differences in their architectural and technological conception and investigation. An elective course offered at the University of Patras, Greece, introduces a novel approach to the conception and design of reconfigurable structures, allowing students to engage with cutting-edge research on innovative space structures internationally, while placing emphasis on hands-on experimentation. Student projects are expected to showcase innovation in design concepts, geometric configuration, kinematic principles, construction technology, material use, and adaptation to environmental factors.
