The PERFORMA Studio at the College of Design is an intensive research and fabrication studio involving material systems and design strategies. This work seeks to create multi-performative material systems utilizing optimization, aggregation and efficiency. Simple units and semi-finished materials are physically tested in order to extract potential performative characteristics and limits. These limits are then negotiated through rigorous digital and physical techniques in order to produce strategies of fabrication. The formal systems have inherent structural capacities and an ability to adapt to changing conditions. Because of the system pliability, variation can occur within a seemingly homogeneous system. The challenge of the PERFORMA research is to engage a methodology that allows the designer to create dynamic formal system ms using simple materials and methods without the need to rely on ‘rapid prototyping’ techniques. Mass customized materials take a tremendous amount of time and energy to produce and usually are simply a product of software techniques or machining limits.