Negotiating Material Behavior
An Analog-Digital Design Method for Vulcanized Fiber Assemblies
Allner, L., Schmidbaur, K. and Vaíllo, Gonzalo. Damtsas, E. and Spaeth, A. B. (eds.), Informed creativity in architecture and engineering - Proceedings of the 44th Conference on Education and Research in Computer Aided Architectural Design in Europe (eCAADe 2026), Lübeck, 07-11 September 2026, Volume 2, pp. 79-88.
To the paper
Most computational design approaches in architecture pursue increasing levels of formal control and precision, typically presupposing stable material behavior. Even material-informed design methods often rely on the prediction and simulation of material performance. This paper instead addresses situations in which material behavior remains partly unpredictable and cannot be fully anticipated through simulation and optimization. The research focuses on vulcanized fiber (VF), a cellulose-based material produced from textile and cotton waste. Manufactured as wet sheets, VF undergoes significant morphological transformations during drying, producing unique geometries that diverge from initial design intentions. The research asks how architectural design methods can computationally mediate discrepancies between intended geometry and material behavior without suppressing variability. Framed within a post-anthropocentric approach, materials are understood as active participants in architectural formation. The paper presents a hybrid analog-digital workflow implemented in the design and construction of a spatial installation (4 x 5 x 4 m). The structure follows a predefined three-dimensional aggregation pattern composed of volumetric VF parts and linear elements. As each part deforms uniquely during fabrication, geometric incompatibilities emerge at the joints. These are addressed through a workflow integrating analog fabrication, 3D scanning, computational aggregation and relaxation, structural analysis, and augmented-reality-assisted assembly. The workflow operates by registering and redistributing material-induced discrepancies rather than eliminating them. Rather than resolving irregularity through standardization, the method computationally negotiates material difference, enabling multiple valid configurations within a stable framework. The resulting structure diverges significantly from the intended geometry while remaining coherent. The degree of global deformation is evaluated as an indicator of material participation in spatial formation. The paper proposes a transferable model for material-dependent design, extending computational workflows to accommodate indeterminacy and material participation.