The project objective was to apply our understanding of bioplastic’s material properties to create a potential use in the AEC industry. We concluded that with its high strength and high transparency, its light-weight and high flexibility, as well as its biodegradability, that it could be used as a deployable temporary structure such as a canopy or a pavilion. We learned in Phase One that we can create a variety of high strength bioplastic composites by embedding various densities of mesh. Moving forward to the final challenge, we wanted to apply these samples to a structural system where the structure can become the skin within a single ply of bioplastic composite. This objective, we found, was best exhibited through origami folding techniques for its structural stiffness found increase conditions. 

When done correctly, origami can transform a continuous surface into just about anything while maintaining a rigid structure. In addition, a lot of manufacturing processes in typical architectural construction are eliminated when using static origami forms: such as cutting, stretching, and assembly of pieces. Furthermore, folding techniques alleviate the necessity for rigid joints such as hinges. We were interested in how origami techniques could be adapted to our two-dimensional bioplastic samples for its potential usefulness in digital fabrication and adaptive environmental design.