Powerskin Research
Praktikum - Behnisch Architekten
2022
Climate change, limited resources, and the demand for high comfort standards are among the greatest challenges facing today’s construction industry.
During my internship at Behnisch, I was part of the Research Team, contributing to the development of an innovative facade system.
The project explored the design of a linearly movable sunshade, conceived as a secondary building envelope to enhance the performance of new facade systems or to enable the energy-efficient renovation of existing structures.
My responsibilities included the mechanical design, engineering, and fabrication of the first functional prototypes, bridging the gap between concept and practical implementation.
The core mechanism consists of two active rollers installed at the static connection points at the top and bottom of each floor. By moving these rollers, the position of the textile screen can be adjusted parallel to the facade. A third roller, positioned between the upper and lower rollers, adds depth to the system—primarily to improve shading performance during the summer months. This middle roller can be moved along the X-axis to adjust the angle of the sunshade, thereby optimizing the amount of shade provided.
This configuration creates a thermal buffer zone between the existing facade and the sunshade. In colder months, this buffer zone preconditions the ambient air, extending the time window for natural ventilation, reducing energy consumption, and maintaining a strong connection between occupants and the outdoor environment.
The textile surface consists of two main zones—one for winter and one for summer—differing in density to regulate heat transfer. In summer, the first zone forms a porous shading system that allows air circulation while minimizing solar heat gain. In winter, the sunshade transforms into a closed secondary skin, warming cold air between the shading layer and the primary façade. The airflow between floors can be regulated, enabling natural ventilation even during colder days.
Designed as a secondary building envelope, the facade system can be applied to both new facade designs and the energy-efficient retrofitting of existing structures. Following the study, scaled models were developed to demonstrate this adaptability.
The results of this research were presented by Behnisch at the Powerskin Conference 2022 in Aachen.