ACIDO Rocket Finalist
AWS-2050: A speculative exploration of biophilic and material design, imagining new ways to bridge the gap between built and natural environments
AWS-2050 is a final-year capstone project by Dailey Trainor, submitted to the School of Industrial Design at Carleton University. Rooted in material-led and biophilic design, the project explores how responsive, nature-inspired materials can bridge the growing disconnect between urban dwellers and the natural world. Drawing from Dailey’s mixed-Indigenous perspective and a deep respect for land-based knowledge, AWS-2050 investigates the use of biomimicry and temperature-sensitive materials, specifically bimetallic strips, to create dynamic window coverings. These coverings shift opacity in response to environmental stimuli, offering a sustainable and emotionally resonant solution for future built environments that foster reconnection with nature. Aligned with the Canada Green Buildings Strategy and its goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, AWS-2050 envisions a future where architecture is both ecologically responsive and culturally grounded.
