re[in]spired architecture

This project is about a supplement of skin that respires. It is a garment for modern human, who wanders during the day in the city,  a “microenvironment”  around the wearer that interacts with the broader changing environment and helps to maintain the condition of thermal comfort.

 

The design is inspired both in form and function by scales in nature, because the form of living organisms has been optimised over time and  depends on many conflicting parameters. The skin of reptiles was studied and the fragmentation of their surface noticed in particular. In case of pine cones scales vary in shape and size depending on their position on the body, whilst the main feature is their versatility in terms of humidity and temperature.

 

The design intends to answer multiple questions. The main design axes are related to curvature, adaptivity and thermal comfort. The size and shape of components that makes up the surface is the first design parameter, affected by the curvature of the body and acts globally like scales.The second design parameter acts locally, so each component has the ability to open and close, influenced by environmental conditions (humidity and temperature). The place of the opening and closing components depends on the sweating body parts and the rhythm that the sweat is producing in each part. In this way were defined the areas, where the garment needs more punching to achieve natural ventilation that leads to cooling and thus to thermal comfort.Three-dimensional illustrations of the garment are represented, completely closed and opened components. So you can see how it is shifting to different temperatures to offer cooling to the wearer. You can also watch the garment’s reaction to the video.

 

The design methods deploy digital technologies. Algorithms are used to create a dynamic system that adapts to different topologies, geometries and environmental conditions. The dress is an example, and the same methodology could be applied in different topologies, shapes and scales.

 

This garment is to be printed in multi material 3D printer. The entire surface will be composed of flexible material. The same printer, with different material deposition head, will incorporate at the same time smart material in components, giving them the ability to move triggered by the environment temperature. As a result the components open and close contributing to the cooling of the body.

 

The entirely garment will be of filaflex which is a thermoplastic elastomer based polyurethane filament. This is a 700% flexible, soft material. The filaflex filament costs 6,8 € per meter. For the components will be used self-transforming carbon fibber. It is carbon fibber programmed to transform autonomously by printing active material on fully cured flexible carbon fibber and applying heat as an activator (Self-Assembly Lab, MIT, Autodesk Inc, International Design Center, MIT). This smart material will be integrated in the main structure of the garment. It is not used in retail yet so the definition of its cost remains unavailable.

 

There are models to simulate a dress, based on the discussed parameters: a model of elastic fabric, to observe panelisation, the mesh 3d printed for further experimentation, and a model with components of carbon as well.

 

This skin improves the relationship between human body and environment. It is not just a dress, it is a new kind of garment, a prosthetic skin programmed to respire. The experimental design procedure of this garment can be also applied in buildings, providing thermal comfort conditions to users depending on stimuli received from the environment, thus the title “re[in]spired architecture”.