What if structures could build themselves or adapt to fluctuating environments? Skylar Tibbits, Director of the Self-Assembly Lab in the Department of Architecture at MIT, Cambridge, MA, crosses the boundaries between architecture, biology, materials science and the arts, to envision a world where material components can self-assemble to provide adapting structures and optimized fabrication solutions. The book examines the three main ingredients for self-assembly, includes interviews with practitioners involved in the work and presents research projects related to these topics to provide a complete first look at exciting future technologies in construction and self-transforming material products.

Introduction: Self-Assembly & Design Research  

Ingredients 1: Materials & Geometry 
1. 4D Printing: Multi-Material Shape Change
2. Programmable Materials
3. DNA disPLAY

Interviews 1:
Arthur Olson, The Scripps Research Institute  
Adam Bly, Seed Media Group  

Ingredients 2: Mechanics & Interaction 
4. Self-Assembly Studio, Department of Architecture, MIT
5. HyperForm BioMolecular & Chiral Self-Assembly

Interviews 2:
John Hoke & Mike Yonker, Nike Inc.  
Shelly Linor, Stratasys Ltd. 
Carlos Olguin, Bio/Nano Matter Programmer  

Ingredients 3: Energy & Entropy 
7. Aerial Assemblies
8. Self-Assembly Line
9. Fluid Crystallization

Interviews 3:
Paola Antonelli, The Museum of Modern Art  
John Main, DARPA 

Conclusion: Materials, Interaction, and Entropy