2002 Interior Architecture
Clothing Space

Rarely, since modernism, have textiles been considered seriously as architectural materials. A recent essay entitled “Curtain Wars” by Joel Sanders discussed the traditionally tense relationship between architecture and interior design in which “hard” materials such as concrete, steel, glass, and wood perform as “architecture” while soft materials such as curtains, wallpaper, and carpeting merely “decorate.” [1] Within this context, form is valued over phenomena and permanence is valued over flexibility.

This research intends to undermine this tradition by exploring how soft materials, specifically textiles, can perform as architecture. It deconstructs architecture into layers of material that mediate between the body and its surroundings by choreographing phenomena such as light, temperature, humidity, and scent. This study stems from my interest in the relationship between the human body and architecture and a desire to investigate the similarities between the design of enclosures inhabited by a single person (clothing) and those inhabited by many people (buildings). Themes considered in this investigation include: relationships between structure and surface, fashion as architecture, and textiles as flexible enclosures and the use of textiles to control phenomena.

This research was inspired by several exhibits I attended in New York. The first was the Structure and Surface exhibit at MoMA in 1998. This exhibit introduced me to textiles and the different complex processes used to construct them. I was struck by how Japanese artists combined traditional techniques with new technologies and I wanted to learn how architects could similarly infuse such innovation into their profession—one generally ruled by a conservative approach to material selection, allocation, and manipulation.

The exhibit also described a unique environment of collaboration and experimentation within Japan that allowed for both the development of innovative textile designs and their application in other disciplines. I was struck by collaborations between individual textile artists and large companies to develop new products and I started to imagine how architects might insert themselves into such collaborations.

The second exhibit that inspired this study was the Issey Miyake Making Things held at the Ace Gallery in 2001. This exhibit introduced me to the concept of making clothing as a kinesthetic relationship between the designer and a piece of cloth; pushing me to think about how a similar dynamic relationship could be constructed between people and their habitat and how that relationship could create a more efficient use of space.

In addition to the work by textile artists and fashion designers, I was also inspired by the use of high-tech materials used to make outdoor clothing. These textiles perform to protect the body in harsh, inconsistent environments. This clothing application exemplified the use of textiles as performative rather than decorative materials and I started to brainstorm about how these technologies—both the materials themselves and the way the clothing was constructed—could be used to make architecture. Similar to the clothing of Issey Miyake, I was also fascinated by the ability to alter the layers of outdoor clothing as a way to change the relationship between the body and its environment.

I chose to conduct my study in the context of Japan; where, historically, soft materials have been incorporated into the flexible partitions of buildings. Contemporary architects in Japan have expanded on this tradition and several Japanese architects are currently experimenting with making architecture from textiles and other soft substances.

The research collected in these pages is not intended to present a complete, cohesive thesis. Rather, it is a collection of data inspired by a common theme. My means of exploration included conversations with people in various design fields, photographing relevant precedents, learning about both traditional and contemporary techniques for constructing textiles, and studying high-performance textiles. The goal of my research is to enhance the dialogue between the fields of architecture, textile design, and material science.

Notes

[1] Joel Sanders, “Curtain Wars: Architects, Decorators, and the 20th-Century Domestic Interior,” Harvard Design Magazine 16 (S/S 2002): 14–20.

Fellow Experience

This fellowship enabled me to dedicate two months solely to researching textiles as architectural materials. The time was a rare gift that allowed me to intensely explore Japan through the lens of my investigation unfettered by any other obligations. The funding from the SOM Foundation also allowed me to meet with many talented people who were generous with their time and the knowledge they shared with me.

This isn’t to say, however, that I didn’t experience frustrations. I suspected from the onset that the format of my research (one that combined visiting sites with documenting conversations) would be more challenging to coordinate that simply visiting places and buildings. Still, this format required much more effort to orchestrate than even I had anticipated. In the year leading up to my actual travel dates, I spent many hours tracking down contact information for the people I wanted to meet, writing to them, and then patiently waiting for a response.

I wrote over forty customized letters to artists, architects, curators, textile designers, and large corporations. While many of the people I contacted expressed interest in my research, far fewer were able to schedule a meeting with me. I found that scheduling meetings with large corporations, such as Gore, Dupont, and the US Army, particularly challenging. These organizations were difficult to penetrate and reluctant to share any information about their products that wasn’t already widely available. In the end, I discovered that I could find all the technical data I needed from these companies on the Internet.

My most valuable resources throughout my research were the people who did respond enthusiastically to my interests. Many designers in Japan not only agreed to meet with me, but they also recommended other designers I should contact. I met more people through networking in Japan than I did by contacting them cold from the US. Once I entered the web of designers in Tokyo, one thing led to another with much more ease than I had anticipated.

I learned as much from the format of my research as I did from the topic itself. Conducting interviews was not a format with which I had previous experience. Learning through my mistakes, I eventually became more comfortable with the interviews in general and with Japanese etiquette for conversation in particular. I learned that the space allowed by silence in a conversation is often the best way to provoke someone to speak intelligently about his or her work.

In compiling my research into this final report and implementing it through the design of wall sections, I started to see architecture as a layering of materials with certain performance properties. Thinking about architecture in this way has opened my mind about how buildings are constructed and how materials are allocated.

Above all else, my research has allowed me to break through a few boundaries separating various design professions. In addition to continuing my study of textiles as architecture, I hope to continue blurring disciplinary boundaries throughout my career. The most valuable aspect of my research was the experience of engaging talented people both within and outside the field of architecture and I hope that these dialogues have set the stage for future collaborations.

Japan

United States