ELYTRA FILAMENT PAVILION ACHIM MENGES + MORITZ DORSTELMANN + JAN KNIPPERS + THOMAS AUER The Elytra Filament Pavilion is the result of an investigation and exploration of biomimicry, robot fabrication and material research in the areas of architecture, engineering and construction. The cells, based on the wing structure of an Elytra Beetle, are fabricated from tightly-woven carbon and glass fibres, dipped in a resin and cured in an oven[4]. Up till now, the use of carbon fibre in construction has been extremely limited due to the prohibitive cost of fabricating moulds, and difficulty in use between different projects. Through this pavilion, and a series of other ones he has completed, Achim Menges has explored the feasibility of using carbon fibre as a material in its own right, allowing its inherent qualities define its form rather than emulating an existing material. The structure also contains sensors spread throughout its cells, collecting data about the structure and how it is inhabited by visitors. It then grows in response to this data, for example, providing more cover at areas that are more frequented. The Elytra Filament Pavilion shows how design intelligence can augment a structure, allowing it to respond to its surroundings and serve its function better. 4. Piotr Boruslawski, Design` Boom, (Design Boom, 2016). 5. Jessica Mairs, Carbon Fibre Robotic Production, (Dezeen, 2016).
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