During the firing process, clay shrinks significantly and at a rate typical of the type of clay. 'Frustrated ceramics' harnesses these characteristics to create a three-dimensional shape by combining two types of clay (porcelain and stoneware) with different shrinkage rates into a flat sheet in a bi-layer structure. In the firing process, the incompatibility in the material leads to the building of internal stresses in the sheet and the formation of a three-dimensional shape. By structuring the sheet- the thickness, the ratio of the layers or
adding grooves to certain areas- we can control the resulting curvature and its final shape.
*'Frustrated Ceramics' was first created in the work of Shira Shovaland Arielle Blonder, in collaboration with Eran Sharon, in 2019.
Frustrated Ceramics
Since the dawn of time, from the brickwork of the Tower of Babel to the present day, humans have been using
clay to create tools and structures. Throughout periods and cultures, humans have used devices and tools- such as molds, the wheel- and even 3D printers, today- to turn soft clay into rigid 3D forms. In 'frustrated ceramics'* the three-dimensional form emerges by self-shaping, from a completely flat clay sheet! The secret lies in the process of firing in the kiln, where the soft ceramic material becomes strong and hard and its final shape is fixed.
Often, a fairly simple "growth" field leads to a complex shape. In addition, even a slight change in relevant conditions (temperature, humidity...) can cause a sharp change in the
shape of the sheet. Such behavior is due to geometric frustration: uneven growth can dictate a geometry that is impossible to realize- a form in which all parts of the material are relaxed. Such a frustrated sheet contains internal stresses- if the sheet is rigid, it will crack and break, as is the case when a hot cup is placed on a cold surface.
However, if the sheet is flexible, it will assume a threedimensional shape in which the elastic energy is minimal. This shape may be surprising because of the non-linearity of the elastic energy equations.
Complexity and Non-Linearity
The mathematical equations that describe self-morphing are non-linear.
Such equations create complexity and "surprises," as is known from the field of chaos theory, for example. The same is true for self-shaping: although the three-dimensional shape is completely defined by the equations, it can be very different in nature from what we would guess based on the composition of the sheet.
Frustrated Composites
Similar to plant structures composed of fibers and protective binding agents, advanced synthetic materials known as 'composite materials' are comprised mostly of technical fibers (such as carbon fibers or glass fibers) and resin (polymer) that binds them. Thanks to the combination of the two, composite materials have extraordinary properties: they are very strong, durable and extremely light. These materials are currently used in a variety of industries, from airplanes and racing boats to special architectural structures.
In a process based on the same principals of self-morphing in plant structures, composite materials can be engineered to take shape autonomously in a controlled manner, according
to the direction of the fibers in the layers of a flat material. We call them 'frustrated composites': a flat sheet consisting of thin layers of fibers is infused with resin and placed in a large oven. When removed, the sheet takes its final shape as a 3D surface, without the need for molds or the application of any external force. The partition, The Swirl, demonstrates how 'frustrated composites' can be used on an architectural scale. Inspired by the dynamically changing surfaces in “Enlight ", we envision a future in which a building’s envelope, made of 'frustrated composites', will be able to change its shape according to need and as part of its ongoing function, in response to changes in the environment.
Enlighten
Adaptive Composites; cyclic motion and morphing as a result of differential shrinkage and swelling in the material, as a reaction to heat radiation.
Ceramix composition
A suspended installation composed of three-dimensional frustrated ceramic sheets inspired by the plant world.
Dehydrated Lillies
Ceramic bodies that bloom in 3D, thanks to the layering of clays with different shrinkage rates
Variables
Self-shaipng Ceramic tiles , with parametrically controlled curvature amount and direction
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