Have been reading a book (LifeSize) about rapid research / prototyping. They provide instructions for creating a programmable screen that detects motion. They are using flexinol wire and a microprocessor attached to the computer via USB. The level of movement possible is limited but the possibility of constructing a working model is kind of exiting. We are not necessarily interested in motion activated arch. but these elements could probably achieve more.
(you can download as ppt if you follow link to slideshare)
archimorph 
would it be possible to electrically charge a grid(the structural system) so that each cross member [tesselated] could move either up/down a certain degree? a microprocessor could be placed in the joints to simply tell the peice to move up/down and what degree.
ive been trying to think of possible ways that the structure, along with the skins, would be able to flex…
how do you make a flat rectalinear system that bubbles to form voids on command…?
what type of materials would be able to expand with the structure, breathe, and yet keep out rainwater? (something like an elastic pool cover)
this is what i’ve been thinking of outside of nanotechnology… if this were using nanobots it would do all of the above and more. but how would a structure made of nano bots hold up against wind?
In response to Jon what if there were sensors in the skin that could detect the weather conditions and surrounding that could cause the skin to create the desired forms that it needs?
SMA
http://www.cs.ualberta.ca/~database/MEMS/sma_mems/sma.html