Squama: Modular Visibility Control of Walls and Windows for Programmable Physical Architectures, Advanced Visual Interfaces

Author

Rekimoto, Jun

Abstract

In this paper we present Squama, a programmable physical window or wall that can independently control the visibility of its elemental small square tiles. This is an example of programmable physical architecture, our vision for future architectures where the physical features of architectural elements and facades can be dynamically changed and reprogrammed according to people's needs. When Squama is used as a wall, it dynamically controls the transparency through its surface, and simultaneously satisfies the needs for openness and privacy. It can also control the amount of sunlight and create shadows, called programmable shadows, in order to afford indoor comfort without completely blocking the outer view. In this paper, we discuss how in future, architectural space can become dynamically changeable and introduce the Squama system as an initial instance for exemplifying this concept.}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the International Working Conference on Advanced Visual Interfaces

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1145/2254556.2254587