Configurable Spaces

Project: A novel array of textile spaces which operate on a physical realm and extend in one’s imagination
Type: Studio Project
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Year: 2019

A universal goal of the project is to explore an idea of a dialog in the context of space and its user, both architecturally and socially. How can textile spaces be more articulate, in terms of people and activities that occupy it?

The project attempts to suggest rather than impose architecture with a wide range of flexibility in private and / or public spaces. Also, it aims to propose a system that is engaged in an active dialog with its users, objects and activities within.

Negotiation is a significant aspect of spatial architecture and this project explores the nature of it using textile as key element of the design. Having a lightweight and tensile material allows for near-infinite shapes and expressions, however it comes with a challenge of creating a consistent translation system that is both stable when being operated and exciting when is being inhabited. How to create a dialogue between the space and its user?

Configurable Spaces

Project: A novel array of textile spaces which operate on a physical realm and extend in one’s imagination
Type: Studio Project
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Year: 2019

A universal goal of the project is to explore an idea of a dialog in the context of space and its user, both architecturally and socially. How can textile spaces be more articulate, in terms of people and activities that occupy it?

The project attempts to suggest rather than impose architecture with a wide range of flexibility in private and / or public spaces. Also, it aims to propose a system that is engaged in an active dialog with its users, objects and activities within.

Negotiation is a significant aspect of spatial architecture and this project explores the nature of it using textile as key element of the design. Having a lightweight and tensile material allows for near-infinite shapes and expressions, however it comes with a challenge of creating a consistent translation system that is both stable when being operated and exciting when is being inhabited. How to create a dialogue between the space and its user?

The project employs two scales of design in an open feedback loop: digital simulation – for experimenting with ideas on a conceptual level; and physical fabrication – for applying mentioned findings on a practical domain and feeding new discoveries back into the digital process. This forms an iterative design workflow as well as allows for each process to develop individually and therefore create new branches in the tree of design.

Both simulation engines have their own constrains, therefore the methodology becomes about establishing a reliable way of switching between all 3 of them.

Simulation results are far from being accurate and many agent properties and behaviours cannot be simulated therefore have to be speculated. Speculation also allows to free myself from certain design limits and tackle more profound architectural challenges.

A key element in making a user be more engaging is to have a moment of surprise, be somewhat unpredictable and spontaneous. Only then it will become interesting and therefore will be explored with more curiosity and in more detail.

Hylozoism is the philosophical point of view which states that matter is in some sense alive. The concept dates back at least as far as the Milesian school of pre-Socratic philosophers. The term was introduced to English by Ralph Cudworth in 1678. The project tries to adapt this idea and create a more immersive environment by giving textile spaces a sense of will and energy, thus almost relating to living and unpredictable organisms.

A 2d pedestrian simulation is used to distinguish any movement patterns, and more importantly differences between them when the obstacles around mentioned agents are shifting and impact their circulation.

This concept is then being tested in diverse scenarios and compared in their static and dynamic states. Simulations generated activity heat maps which revealed how different movement of obstacles relate to pedestrian circulation within given environments. These primitive examples built initial design guidelines on how to iterate with such experiments as well as gave basic understanding of simulation engine and their agent behaviour patterns.

One of previously generated examples is used as a template for a 3d prototype model. The idea was to find a convenient way of translating a 2d scheme into a 3d one while preserving it’s typological properties. This translation helped to understand the differences between the two as well as identify new design domains within actual textile spaces.

3d scenario is represented with an actuated physical model which is driven by a 2d simulation. A piece of nylon textile is being pulled in two directions by four servo motors on each corner. Motors are being controlled with the help of Arduino microcontroller, which is connected to the actual simulation engine through Grasshopper (via Firefly).

Configurable spaces operate on the basis of negotiation. while one space expands the other one has to contract. thus two dialogs begin to emerge – one between the architecture and the other between its inhabitants. How can a user experience the space before entering it? How can this dialog enhance the experience of the space?

Spaces operate on two scales of control: global – overall spatial configuration is designed with an intent and control of the setup by its user is limited; and local – within pre-configured spaces local adjustments are allowed in order to improve spatial qualities according to its needs.

Configurable spaces rely on responsive movement which allows the system to be self-inspected and creates an intelligent environment. User (or a group of users) is evaluated on a number of parameters which define and constantly improve their path through this novel array of tactile spaces. The taken parameters are: current position, density of agents, average speed, average height.

A key element in making a user be more engaging is to have a moment of surprise, be somewhat unpredictable and spontaneous. Only then it will become interesting and therefore will be explored with more curiosity and in more detail.

Hylozoism is the philosophical point of view which states that matter is in some sense alive. The concept dates back at least as far as the Milesian school of pre-Socratic philosophers. The term was introduced to English by Ralph Cudworth in 1678. The project tries to adapt this idea and create a more immersive environment by giving textile spaces a sense of will and energy, thus almost relating to living and unpredictable organisms.

Form-active tension system consists of membranes and cable nets stretching the textile vertically and horizontally. This creates an elastic organism that is capable of generating adaptable spaces in relation to position of the user / pre-coded programme that guides through the jungle of textile and creates an immersive experience.

The system consists of series of transformations, some of which are triggered by user data, others are coincidental. These movements suppose to reply to a given user condition and form different spatial expressions based on a particular scenario.

The system consists of series of transformations, some of which are triggered by user data, others are coincidental. These movements suppose to reply to a given user condition and form different spatial expressions based on a particular scenario.

Previously established form language is tested with physical prototypes. These scale models tested fabrics of different elasticity as well as experimented with diverse principles for stretching the fabric within the space. Moreover, these prototypes illustrated differences between tensioned and relaxed states of the fabric, which in a dynamic environment became an important design domain.

Previously established form language is tested with physical prototypes. These scale models tested fabrics of different elasticity as well as experimented with diverse principles for stretching the fabric within the space. Moreover, these prototypes illustrated differences between tensioned and relaxed states of the fabric, which in a dynamic environment became an important design domain.

Previously established form language is tested with physical prototypes. These scale models tested fabrics of different elasticity as well as experimented with diverse principles for stretching the fabric within the space. Moreover, these prototypes illustrated differences between tensioned and relaxed states of the fabric, which in a dynamic environment became an important design domain.

Previously established form language is tested with physical prototypes. These scale models tested fabrics of different elasticity as well as experimented with diverse principles for stretching the fabric within the space. Moreover, these prototypes illustrated differences between tensioned and relaxed states of the fabric, which in a dynamic environment became an important design domain.

One of the main roles of the textile is to control the amount of light passes through. Since a lot of other spatial qualities are achieved by architectural setup, light becomes one of the key elements that impacts the atmosphere of the space. Textiles were tested under distinct lighting scenarios, simulating real and artificial lights. The goal of an experiment was to assess material and spatial qualities within different environments and understand unique differences of material translucency, opaqueness, shadow and highlight qualities.

Configurable spaces encompass a diverse array of imaginative and unusual domains which operate on a physical realm and extend in one’s imagination. The spaces function in a form of a dialogue both architecturally and physically. Distinct spaces try to engage different senses and provoke new experiences while maintaining the same architectural language. The goal of this is to showcase vast possibilities of spatial, social and aesthetic qualities that one system can provide. Presented are just a few examples of how such system could be inhabited, however it is not limited to just these options and could be expressed and operated in a number of ways.

The project is an artistic approach that is based on user experience, not the surrounding environment. Therefore, it can be realised at any given context that meets area plot and micro-climate conditions. Therefore, the layout of spaces is generated based on relations between each space, as opposed to being designed.

The project is an artistic approach that is based on user experience, not the surrounding environment. Therefore, it can be realised at any given context that meets area plot and micro-climate conditions. Therefore, the layout of spaces is generated based on relations between each space, as opposed to being designed.

The project is an artistic approach that is based on user experience, not the surrounding environment. Therefore, it can be realised at any given context that meets area plot and micro-climate conditions. Therefore, the layout of spaces is generated based on relations between each space, as opposed to being designed.

The project is an artistic approach that is based on user experience, not the surrounding environment. Therefore, it can be realised at any given context that meets area plot and micro-climate conditions. Therefore, the layout of spaces is generated based on relations between each space, as opposed to being designed.

The project is an artistic approach that is based on user experience, not the surrounding environment. Therefore, it can be realised at any given context that meets area plot and micro-climate conditions. Therefore, the layout of spaces is generated based on relations between each space, as opposed to being designed.