Skylar Tibbits, founder of MIT's Self-Assembly Lab, is influencing the design world with his innovative self-assembling materials. This process allows objects to transform and come together autonomously, without human intervention. A recent MIT news article states that Tibbits' work combines design creativity with practical problem-solving.
While serving as a lecturer at MIT's Department of Architecture, Tibbits created art installations around the world, advancing algorithmic design. It was during the assembly of VoltaDom, a large installation at MIT, that he had a significant realization. As he recounted to MIT News, "There was a moment during the assembly when I realized this was the opposite of what I was interested in." Envisioning a future of elegance in both code and creation, he shifted his research focus to autonomy in construction.
The Self-Assembly Lab, co-directed by Tibbits, is now a breeding ground for self-organizing systems, programmable materials, and smart textiles. Tibbits told MIT News, "If you were to ask someone on the street about self-assembly, they probably think of IKEA. But that is not what we mean." Their projects range from furniture that assembles itself in a tank of water to programmable textiles designed to adapt to body temperature.
Tibbits' lab at MIT has ventured beyond the gallery space, making strides with partners like Airbus and the organization Invena in the Maldives. They've collaborated on everything from self-folding airplane blades to promoting sand accumulation in targeted coastal areas. The latter is an especially poignant venture, designed to counteract beach erosion and rising sea levels. This practical application of their research is key and illustrative of Tibbits' own philosophy of blending cutting edge techniques with real-world benefits.
Education remains a cornerstone of Tibbits’ ethos as well. He currently directs the undergraduate design program at MIT, shaping students into polymath designers who can incorporate design thinking across various disciplines. "I am passionate about creating polymath designers at MIT who can apply design to any other discipline, and vice-versa," Tibbits told MIT News. His teaching and mentorship focus on combining creative methods with new research techniques to address societal issues. Outside of academia, Tibbits enjoys surfing, engaging with the natural forces he aims to incorporate into his work.
