Technology to Build Architecture: Application of Adaptive Facade on a New Multifunctional Arena

Adaptive façades (AFs) can adapt to changing boundary conditions according to short-term weather fluctuations, diurnal cycles, or seasonal models. The behaviour of indoor environment and the global comfort of a building are strictly dependent on the façade: traditional façades behave statically towards external and internal climate conditions. The objective of this study is to design an adaptive facade system with different layer functions, ensuring the thermal and visual comfort of the various indoor environments and controlling the incident solar radiation. Furthermore, by incorporating second and third generation photovoltaic cells into the adaptive envelope, it is possible to store and produce renewable energy to integrate the “invisible” photovoltaic technology in the building (BIPV). This facade configuration fulfils the performance requirements of the case study presented in this paper: a new multi-functional arena in Paris. This building has a high number of users and different areas of use inside it, so greater flexibility is also required by the envelope. Moreover, the architectural characterisation of the adaptive envelope contributes to establish the building as a new landmark for the neighbourhood and the city. The paper proposes a methodological process that has led to the technological and architectural definition of the envelope element using parametric modelling. By developing a model on Rhinoceros and Grasshopper, it is possible to control configuration and mechanism of the façade, depending on incident solar radiation and the changes in surface temperature.