Self-Shaping
The Aesthetics of Transformation in Design and Mathematics
Lecture Arielle Blonder
Thursday, 27 May 2025 | 6 p.m. | Atelier im KunstQuartier | Bergstraße 12a, 1. OG | Salzburg | in English
Self-shaping processes – where materials transform autonomously in response to intrinsic properties and external conditions – reveal a profound connection between mathematics, material behaviour, and design. Introducing the principles underlying self-shaping, this lecture will explore how these dynamic transformations generate novel aesthetic possibilities, challenging static notions of form, conventional fabrication and authorship in architecture. Prediction and guidance of material transformations is enabled through the framework of differential geometry, optimisation algorithms, and physical. Through this lens, the elegance of self-shaping phenomena is captured, revealing an inherent beauty in emergent patterns and spatial adaptations. Beyond efficiency and material intelligence, self-shaping invites us to reconsider the expressive potential of geometry and emergent form, and the poetic interplay between structure and force. By bridging artistic intuition with scientific rigour, this talk aims to inspire new perspectives on architectural practice, interdisciplinary material innovation, and the evolving dialogue between design and nature.
Arielle Blonder ( Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, IL) is an architect, combining academic activity with architectural practice ranging from architectural design and unique outdoor spaces to sensorial environments for people with special needs, exhibitions, textile design and more. Her research is centred on composite materials and fabric materiality, searching for novel processes for architectural applications of fiberglass (FRP).
Idea and organization:
Simon Blatt, InterMediation | Universität Salzburg | Mathematics
Katarzyna Grebosz-Haring, InterMediation | Mozarteum University | Inter-university institution Science and Arts
An event of PB InterMediation. Music – Effect – Analysis / Interuniversity Centre for Science and Art, University of Salzburg / Mozarteum University Salzburg as part of the lecture series Music & Mathematics.
The series deals with interdisciplinary networking and perspectives between the disciplines. It is organized and conceived together with international experts from the fields of mathematics, statistics, computer science, composition and music research and provides insights into current research and developments in the border areas between the scientific disciplines.
