— Moving Light System

Moving Light System is a programmable, kinetic surface that is able to react to changes in sun radiation throughout the day and the seasons, in realtime. Installed on a facade it can limit the amount of heat that is entering a building with opening and closing movements.

An adaptive shading system increases the sustainability of a building by regulating internal temperatures directly on the building envelope. This reduces energy needed for mechanical heating and cooling systems and lowers operational carbon emissions.

While the materials used and the programming of the system are designed to be functional in their climate adaptive capabilities, the design approach seeks to preserve the sensory and atmospheric aspect of natural light as a biophilic design element. Four prototypes have been developed so far: ‘Sliding Haze’, ‘Shadows Rustle’, ‘Break in the Clouds’ and ‘Setting Sun’.

— Moving Light — Sliding Haze (2021)

‘Sliding Haze’ reacts to changes in sun radiation with smooth transitional opening and closing movements. Its translucent fins slide downwards towards the direction of the highest light intensity measured. Light is diffused through the use of translucent material: The interior remains bright, but direct glare is averted. Overheating is counteracted by the scattering of direct sun light.

The system opens or closes in realtime, depending on changing light levels that are measured by sensors.

Moving Light — Break In The Clouds (2021)

The newest addition to the Moving Light Series shows the circular design principles of the system: Two previous prototypes where dissembled, the individual modules re-used and re-assembled to form a different pattern; and re-programmed to perform an entirely new adaptive movement. Modularity allows for re-design and re-pair. The design keeps all materials in their homogenous form, so that they can be re-looped within their respective material cycles at the end-of-life phase (but that is a long time from now).

Shown at Dutch Design Week 2021

Moving Light — Shadows Rustle (2020)

The prototype 'Shadows Rustle' is adapting to an increase in sunlight by pushing its individual components downward into a closed position. A transitional wavelike movement is initiated by the system at an unexpected moment, creating rustling shadow play.

Moving Light — Setting Sun (2020)

'Setting Sun' uses the movement principle of the Moving Light System to increase the efficiency of the photovoltaics integrated in this prototype ('Solartape' by Infinity PV). The modules slowly move upwards during the first half of the day to create a perfect angle of incidence towards the changing elevation angle of the sun during the course of the day. They reach their highest position at noon and move downwards again from there. The visual effect is based on the amplification of the natural light phenomenon of a setting sun. The constant color change of the sky is first imitated during the day; later in the twilight period, the modules of the prototype interact with the ‘real’ sunset. This creates an interaction between controlled and natural color changes.

Sliding Haze — Light Studies (2021)

Light studies to determine programming of the system throughout the course of the day.

Light study A1 (work in progress): Building facade with western orientation /Amsterdam, 06/21/2021, 1.30 pm / Incidence of light into interior /right: ‘Moving Light - Sliding Haze’, open

Light study A2 (work in progress): Building facade with western orientation /Amsterdam, 06/21/2021, 04.30 pm /Incidence of light into interior /right: ‘Moving Light - Sliding Haze’, partly closed

Light study A3 (work in progress): Building facade with western orientation /Amsterdam, 06/21/2021, 07.30 pm /Incidence of light into interior /right: ‘Moving Light - Sliding Haze’, closed

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