Scientists in Germany have developed a groundbreaking smart façade system that dynamically changes shape in response to weather conditions, paving the way for a new generation of energy-efficient, adaptive building technologies.
Called FlectoLine, this innovative 83.5-square-meter (898-square-foot) façade adapts in real time to environmental changes to optimize indoor comfort and minimize energy use. The system was recently awarded the Special Prize by the MVV Foundation for the Future at the inaugural Award for Bio-Inspired Innovations Baden-Württemberg—a testament to its visionary design, which blends engineering with lessons from nature.
FlectoLine is the result of more than 10 years of collaborative research under the international project Flectuation, led by three prominent institutions:
- The Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design (ITKE)
- The Institute for Textile and Fiber Technologies (ITFT) at the University of Stuttgart
- The PBG Plant Biomechanics Group at the University of Freiburg
Currently installed as a full-scale prototype on a greenhouse in Freiburg’s Botanical Garden, FlectoLine consists of 101 flexible flaps made from lightweight, fiber-reinforced plastic laminates. These flaps shift position using compressed air systems and are guided by artificial intelligence to respond precisely to both real-time weather conditions and forecasts.
In cold weather, the façade flaps fold inward, allowing sunlight and warmth to penetrate and heat the building naturally. When outdoor temperatures rise, the flaps open outward, providing shade and reducing the need for mechanical cooling.
This intelligent adjustment is driven by machine learning algorithms, which analyze data and predict the optimal flap configuration. In addition, integrated photovoltaic cells supply the system with renewable energy, making it not only smart but sustainable.
“The system installed in Freiburg is the first fully operational, outdoor, large-scale adaptive façade using flexible fiber-reinforced materials,” said Edith A. Gonzalez, MSc, a research associate at ITKE. “It represents the culmination of over a decade of bio-inspired structural research.”
Nature was a central muse for the FlectoLine design. One inspiration was the waterwheel plant (Aldrovanda vesiculosa), a carnivorous species known for its rapid leaf-closing mechanism used to trap prey. This biological principle inspired the responsive, foldable motion of the façade’s flaps.
Another model was the striped bug, which manipulates its wing shape through localized variations in stiffness. “This structural adaptation allows for precise, efficient movement—an idea we transferred to our shading elements,” explained Matthias Ridder, MSc, of the ITFT.
FlectoLine’s unique integration of biomimicry and building technology earned it special recognition at the 6th Bionics Congress in Mannheim, where it received the Special Prize from the MVV Foundation for the Future. The event was organized by the Network for Bionic Developments Baden-Württemberg e.V. with support from the regional Ministry of Food, Rural Areas, and Consumer Protection.
This award underscores FlectoLine’s potential to transform how we think about climate control in architecture—offering not just passive energy savings, but active, intelligent interaction between buildings and their environment.
By Impact Lab
