Wallpaper 10

The completed Silk Pavilion, with,

in the background, the basic

research exhibit focusing on fibre

density distribution informed

by geometrical, environmental and

biological parameters

A B o m b y x m o r i s i l k w o r m d e p o s i t s

silk fibre on a digitally fabricated

scaffolding structure

SYNOPSIS

I n s p i r e d b y t h e s i l k w o r m’s a b i l i t y

to generate a cocoon out of a single

1km-long silk thread, the Silk

Pavilion explored the relationship

between digital and biological

fabrication on both product and

architectural scales. The primary

structure comprised 26 polygonal

panels made of silk threads laid

down by a CNC (Computer-Numerically

Controlled) machine.

DESCRIPTION

The pavilion’s overall geometry

was created using an algorithm

that assigns a single continuous

thread across patches providing

various degrees of density.

The diagrams below show, from

left, the aperture generation

logic; the overall aperture and

density distribution; and the

unfolded panels for fabrication:

Overall density variation was

informed by the silkworm itself,

deployed as a biological ‘printer’

in the creation of a secondary

structure. A swarm of 6,500 silkworms

was positioned at the bottom rim

of the scaffold, spinning flat non-

woven silk patches as they locally

r e i n f o r c e d t h e g a p s a c r o s s C N C -

deposited silk fibres. Following

their pupation stage the silkworms

were removed. Resulting moths

can produce 1.5 million eggs with

the potential of constructing

up to 250 additional pavilions.

Affected by spatial and environmental

conditions, including geometrical

density as well as variation in

natural light and heat, the silkworms

were found to migrate to darker

and denser areas. Desired light

effects informed variations in

m a t e r i a l o r g a n i s a t i o n a c r o s s t h e

surface area of the structure.

A season-specific sun-path diagram

mapping solar trajectories in space

dictated the location, size and

density of apertures within the

structure in order to lock in rays

of natural light entering the

pavilion from its south and east

elevations. The central oculus was

located against the east elevation

and could be used as a sun-clock.

Parallel basic research explored

the use of silkworms as entities

that can ‘compute’ material

organisation based on external

performance criteria. Specifically,

we explored the formation of non-

woven fibre structures generated

by the silkworms as a computational

schema for determining shape

and material optimisation of fibre-

based surface structures.

CREDITS

Research and design by The Mediated

Matter Group at the MIT Media Lab

in collaboration with Prof Fiorenzo

Omenetto (Tufts University) and

Dr James Weaver (Wyss Institute).

Mediated Matter researchers

include Markus Kayser, Jared

Laucks, Carlos David Gonzalez

Uribe, Jorge Duro-Royo and group

director Neri Oxman.

SILK PAVILION

2013

Matter

Fibres (such as silk)

Media

Fibre winding

Organism

Silkworm

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