Monday, May 26, 2008

Environmentally responsive textiles




Staying on the topic of structural work, I'd like to mention the work of Rachel Wingfield together with Mathias Gmachl, who I both met last week in London where I was doing a workshop with Philips Design. Their website is www.loop.ph, for the hyperlink buffs among you.

Rachel designs and builds lightweight woven structures, which are in turn inspired by natural growth patterns. Her explorations led her for example to structures that can be packed flat and then expand again if you for example throw them away, which is quite stunning to see. I love her practical, explorative approach guided by nature; great discoveries aren't made by looking for them! And I'd love to see a physically adaptive structure once, which could adapt to people or the weather conditions...

Here is a little movie about a recent project of hers for the Royal Botanical Garden in London:

http://www.artisancam.org.uk/pages/artists/loop.ph/timelapse.php?mnbtn=2&icn=1

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