Material Science: Spring 2013 Surface Design Journal

May 5, 2013

The fields of smart textiles and material science have grown exponentially over the past decade.

As we struggle to deal with the excesses of human consumption and pollution, scientists and designers have focused on finding more environmentally friendly and energy efficient ways of making the materials we use in daily life.

This issue features the work of many artists for whom science provides endless creative inspiration.

Find related links to this issue’s profiles and features below:

The Future of Textiles

by Lynne Bruning

For those combining electronics and textiles, computers and fibers, the push forward has been especially challenging because the two mediums are rooted in vastly different materials, languages, and tools. The following artists are blazing the path in fusing technology with textiles.

Lynne Bruning’s eTextile Lounge

Erin Lewis Kohei Tsuji

Kristi Kuusk

Anouk Wipprecht, Daniel Schatzmayer

Ebru Kurbak

Irene Posch

MIT Hi-Low Tech Lab

Interview: Janet Echelman

Janet Echelman builds living, breathing sculpture environments that respond to the forces of nature—wind, water, and light—and become inviting focal points for civic life. Named Architectural Digest’s 2012 Innovator for “changing the very essence of urban spaces,” Echelman combines ancient craft with cutting-edge technology to create permanent sculpture at the scale of buildings.

Janet Echelman

Technology & Design: A Creative Alliance in Arashi Shibori

by Anne Selby

“I began my exploration of Arashi shibori just wanting to push the boundaries of the technique for myself and create new and beautiful objects. Somehow, en route, I have found myself running a business exporting my Compleat™ Arashi Shibori Wrapping Machine and silk accessories worldwide.”