Moisture-responsive wood veneer is a material that shows a repeated dynamic bending response under changing humidity levels. It is made from oak wood veneer with a wood glue coating on one side. Through a specifically designed manufacturing process, the natural curvature response of wood to moisture is enhanced.
The coating creates a bilayer structure. Through the difference between swelling and shrinking rates, a bending response is passively activated by changes in humidity, requiring no external energy. The amount of curvature can be influenced by the thickness of the coating.
Changing the fibre direction of the veneer controls the visual direction of bending, which is always perpendicular to the fibre orientation. The result is a material that can be formed into panels, surfaces, or other custom geometries and bends bidirectionally with changing moisture. This material can be used for indoor applications such as responsive surfaces, shading elements, and installations.
Sensorial
Technical
Environmental