FLARE Façade 2008, Germany,
FLARE creates a dynamic façade
FLARE is a modular system to create a dynamic hull for façades or any building or wall surface. Acting like a living skin, it allows a building to express, communicate and interact with its environment.
The FLARE system consists of a number of tilt-able metal flake bodies supplemented by individually controlled pneumatic cylinders. Due to the developed pattern, an infinite array of flakes can be mounted on any building or wall surface in a modular system of multiplied FLARE units. Each metal flake reflects the bright sky or sunlight when in vertical standby position. When the flake is tilted downwards by a computer controlled pneumatic piston, its face is shaded from the sky light and this way appears as a dark pixel. By reflecting ambient or direct sunlight, the individual flakes of the FLARE system act like pixels formed by natural light. The system is controlled by a computer to form any kind of surface animation. Sensor systems inside and outside the building communicate the buildings activity directly to the FLARE system which acts as the buildings lateral line. FLARE turns the building façade into a penetrable kinetic membrane, breaking with all conventions of the building surface as a static skin. Studio WHITEvoid operates at the interface of art, design and technology. It is comprised of specialists in interaction design, media design, product design, interior architecture and electronic engineering. Therefore it can create interactive installations and products for museums, exhibitions, trade fairs, festivals, events, concerts and clubs.