Intelligent Partitions

1996/2002

This project, part of our house of the future program, has been addressing ways dividing up space in less ridgeid ways while improving the resulting ambiance, using contemporary materials and communications technology.

For the adaptive domestic or commercial environment we have developed responsive computer controlled partition screens, able to change opacity and act as light sources to change the mood and ambiance of your living or work space. These screens are designed to operate in compact and highly flexible environments where space is at a premium. They can come with active acoustic damping properties if required. They blur the boundaries between furniture, walls and lighting, functioning as visual and psychological space dividers. The skin provides enough visual shielding to create privacy while the translucency ensures that light can travel through the screen to maintain sufficient levels of ambient light into the environment where required.

Infra-red controlled programmable light engines inside the screens allow them to perform as functional light sources for room and task lighting or as a highly dynamic lighting sources to generate or adjust room ambience or act as a visual distraction, an abstract television or light space modulator. The intention with these screens is to consider space division where ever possible as being removed from the built structure of the space. Groups of partition screens can be positioned to create separate rooms or enclose or partially enclose space. These groups can have linked lighting programs to create larger orchestrated environments. Further free standing screens can be used to break up the surrounding space if required.