Toward Animate Architecture

Akira Mita (Professor, Department of System Design Engineering)

As seen in the architecture of Gaudí, for example, many architects have created buildings inspired by living creatures in the natural world. However, most of these have been limited to mimicking shapes and appearances and have been unable to incorporate the important internal functions of those creatures, such as the "five senses" or the "immune and adaptive capabilities to respond to crisis situations."

However, with the rapid development of science and technology in modern times, there have been significant advancements in "sensor technology," which corresponds to the five senses in living beings; "compact computers," which act as the brain; and "network technology," which serves as the nervous system. As a result, it has gradually become possible to introduce the internal mechanisms of living organisms into buildings, something that was previously difficult to implement.

As a first step, the Mita Laboratory is conducting research on "structural health monitoring," which enables health diagnostics for buildings by utilizing numerous sensors. This is a mechanism for "the building itself to perceive its own poor conditions (like a living human)," and we are currently working toward its realization in collaboration with architectural design firms and construction companies.

For example, by using this "structural health monitoring," a building can automatically report to the outside world things such as 1) damage from a major earthquake, 2) defects during design or construction, and 3) deteriorated parts of the building that require repair. Therefore, immediately after a major earthquake, if the building is in a dangerous condition, the building itself can call on residents to evacuate.

To realize such a mechanism, we are specifically conducting research on "sensors with brains," "servers that collect and analyze data," and "signal processing technology to diagnose the soundness (of a building) from sensor information." Figure 1 shows an overview of the prototype.

Furthermore, the Mita Laboratory is expanding on this theme, aiming to use robots not only for soundness diagnosis but also for collecting and analyzing information related to the building. In other words, it is a system where robots become the brain, nervous system, and immune cells for the building. If there is an intruder, they will repel it like an immune response, and if there are dangerous areas, they will immediately issue instructions for repairs. They will automatically gather all information related to the building, such as what events occurred, what defects there were, and which parts were convenient. Robots will also have roles in caring for residents and as pets, and by having such robots automatically collect information necessary for architectural design, the evolution of architecture will become extremely rapid and lead to the creation of more attractive spaces. Creating an animate architecture where the building and robots are integrated—this is the goal of our current research.

We are steadily advancing our research, one step at a time, starting with what is possible, to create "living architecture."