Living Architecture Spring 2007 Columbia

“Better than Gortex”
Ray Williams, Allison Weinstein,

Georgia Ewen-Campen, Natalie DeLuca

+ FABRIC/SKIN
Focusing on the output, we will experiment with woven/linked/jointed/louvered material that moves to create specific openings.

+ MOVEMENT
We aim to create varying permeability within the fabric skin.
Movement may be multi-directional, such as condensing and twisting.

+ SPATIAL IMPACT
We imagine an envelope that affects the quality of the enclosed space.
Our architecture will respond to heat or moisture (or other environmental force).

+ REALIZATION
We will build it through a series of systematic trials.




RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Our investigation into changing interior environments through a surface will focus on output. We will focus on creating ‘fabrics’ that change in permeability through movement. This system has the possibility of working at a small scale (e.g. breathable clothing that opens when excessive moisture is detected inside) or at a building scale (e.g. a skin that opens to allow ventilation when the interior gets too muggy).
We are interested in creating this change in specific locations and with specific types of vents (such as a louver that allows air in but keeps out the rain). By experimenting with the design of the fabric weave/linkage system we hope to take advantage of a chain reaction to amplify the movement.
Our first prototypes will explore the movements possible with different fabric structures and materials. We also plan to look to previous examples to guide our beginning steps. This architecture would work well responding to heat and/or moisture sensors. However, we plan to focus on the output at this stage.