Shape-Morphing Textiles Workshop

Lately I have been quite busy designing & facilitating a research seminar & workshop on Shape-Morphing Textiles in the Design of Domestic Spaces at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture, Copenhagen with the support of CITA. I am happy to share with you a flavour of the event.

The workshop gathered together researchers from polymer science & engineering, textile design & architecture to address the potential of shape-morphing textiles for the home. With the intention to encourage cross-disciplinary dialogue between science & design, we looked at how responsive polymer technologies can merge with fabric to design soft architectural membranes for resilient spaces.

Our journey started with the exploration of dielectric actuators through the design and making of electro-active modules with the support of Guggi Kofod , from Potsdam University. These experiments supported discussions on the opportunities and challenges of shape-morphing technologies, their design implementation & stakes, questions we explored further through scenario-building, brainstorming & prototyping with moisture responsive materials.

To enlarge the discussion, we presented our respective research to the public via a dedicated seminar on the topic who gathered designers, architects, researchers from all across Denmark & Sweden. The debated was very lively and we received a lot of interest.

I have to say it was a very rich and inspiring experience. Thanks all for taking part in this event.

Biomimetics – Nature Did It First

On Monday June 8, the Materials KTN, in association with BAE Systems, Bristol, are organising a one-day FREE workshop entitled “Biomimetics – Nature Did It First”.

On-line registration for this event is now open. Please note that as previously there is no charge for attending the event but it is necessary to register online through the Materials KTN web site via the following link http://amf.globalwatchonline.com/epicentric_portal/site/AMF/menuitem.76df4e43105b5be81006a0108380e1a0/

Further speakers may be announced later but the provisional programme is as follows:

10.00 Registration and coffee
10.45 Bio-Inspired Technologies and the Defence Technology Plan
Alex Parfitt, BAE Systems
11.15 Design Strategies Taken From Biology”
Julian Vincent, Bath University
11.45 Tea Break
12.00 Wildlife to Sustainable Garments”
Tom Podkolinski, Finisterre UK
12.30 Self Healing Composites”
Richard Trask, Bristol University
13.00 Lunch and Networking
14.00 Design 2.0: Engineering and Design Re-invented
14.30 To be announced
15.00 Tea and networking
16.00 Close

Please note that this event is not being held at the usual address of 1 Carlton House Terrace, but at BAWA , 589 Southmead Road, Filton, Bristol, BS34 7RG. The directions from the BAWA web site can be found using the link:
http://www.bawa.biz/htm/php/driving_directions.php

Biomimicry Inspired Textiles

I absolutely want to share with you this inspiring video, just for pure contemplation.



The braided suit is an animation inspired by bio-luminescent underwater creatures produced by MA Textile Futures year 1 students at Central St Martins, under the supervision of Amélie Labarthe. It is the research stage of a biomimicry design project where inspiration is taken from nature's principles to inject into design solutions and surfaces. Something to catch an eye on ...

Thanks to Amélie for sharing this amazing work!